Introduction to the Study and Practice of Law in a Nutshell (Nutshell Series) [Paperback]

Kenney F. Hegland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2003 | ISBN-10: 031414644X | ISBN-13: 978-0314146441 | Edition: 4

If you are about to start law school or are in your first year, this book would be a good companion. Now in the fourth edition, this text has helped thousand of folks become better law students and down the road, better lawyers.

Like other introductory books, it covers the basics: reading and briefing cases; preparing for class; outlining and study groups; taking exams. There are exercises so you can apply what you have learned. In addition to these essentials, the book focuses of what is often quite elusive: legal analysis; Why do courts follow precedent?; How are cases applied and distinguished?; How is ambiguous language interpreted? Legal analysis is the hidden ball of the first year, and with this book you will be well on your way.

There are chapters on legal writing (not necessarily boring or highfalutin') and on oral argument (not necessarily terrifying). These chapters will help in first year writing and Moot Court Programs. And, for those of you who aren't sure, there are chapters revealing the wide array of careers that will be open to you.

The book reads fast, well, and is often funny. That said, drawing on the work of philosophers, psychologists, and novelists, it takes you and your calling quite seriously, but never (not even once) pompously.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Professor Hegland has written two popular Nutshells, The Introduction to the Study and Practice of Law (4th Edition) and Trial and Practice Skills (3rd edition). He has co-authored a book on elder law, Fifty and Beyond, The Law You and Your Parents Need to Know. He is the James E. Rogers Professor of Law at the University of Arizona and has also taught at UCLA and Harvard. He has degrees from Stanford, UC Berkeley and Harvard. Before teaching, he practiced criminal law and poverty law for California Rural Legal Assistance.

Product Details

• Paperback: 462 pages
• Publisher: West Publishing Company; 4 edition (July 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031414644X
• ISBN-13: 978-0314146441
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #912,527 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My first year security blanket, January 30, 2002

By 

B.D. Milligan (Baton Rouge, Louisiana United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Introduction to the Study & Practice of Law in a Nutshell (Paperback)

I spent a good bit of time with this little book before and during my first year in law school. I read it very carefully, and even wrote out answers to the questions. The effort was well worth it. If you're scared to death, don't know what to expect, and want to do well, this book won't let you down. Hegland begins the process of teaching a law student how to think, and helps one keep the big picture in mind. This book also started my profitable relationship with the nutshell series.

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is an excellent source for 1L's., June 7, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (United Staes, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Introduction to the Study and Practice of Law in a Nutshell (Paperback)

This book gave me something that I wanted to hear for a long time, it gave me encouragement. It made me realized that the first year of law school will be a difficult one, but you can get through it. It was insightful, informative and filled with great humor. I think all 1L's feel intimitated during their first year of law school. This book provided everything that the first year student should know during that first year. The humor was the refreshing part, I never knew lawyers had a sense of humor, but this author will surely make you laugh. He gave excellent advice on what to expect the first couple of weeks. This is book is great for students who are scared to death of the first year. This book wil help you realize that you are not the dumbest person in the class if you don't understand the material. I feel I can make it through the first year of law school without having a nervous breakdown.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not enough can be said of this book, April 13, 2005

By 

D. Jones (Tokyo) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Introduction to the Study and Practice of Law in a Nutshell (Nutshell Series) (Paperback)

A little book like this might not seem all that useful by its cover, but there is a LOT of content in here. I bought this book halfway through my second semester of law school, after coming out of a very rocky first semester in which I really didn't know what I was doing. Now, I'm actually on top of things, and I believe this book made the difference.

Hegland packed this book with strategies: classroom strategies, writing strategies, argument strategies, career strategies. Rather than simply tell you what law school is like, he tells you how to play the system. His three-pronged strategy for shooting down "slippery slope" arguments is an excellent example, as are his stories from people in various legal professions (ranging from judges to librarians). And he stops often to show the big picture of law school, and remind the reader that all their "enormous" mistakes ultimately add up to very little.

Very, very highly recommended, preferably for those *considering* law school, but also for those in law school and needing guidance.