Ivy Briefs: True Tales of a Neurotic Law Student (Hardcover)

by Martha Kimes (Author)
Key Phrases: moot court, regulatory state, mandatory pro bono, Law Review, New York, Students Subject (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
First time author Kimes is entertaining and funny in recounting her three years at one of the country's premier law schools. A smart young woman with a good, but not always engaged, sense of perspective, Kimes jumps from the University of Wisconsin to Columbia Law School on the wings of a spectacular showing on the LSATs. Once there, she faces the predictable sadistic professor, hypercompetitive fellow students and, of course, rampant elitism. Kimes is happy to treat with an equal measure of humor the highly stylized courting dance between summer law clerks and mega law firms, as well as the foreboding horrors of the bar exam. Though some stories seem hyperbolic and re-created conversations can be suspiciously pat, Kimes captures with accuracy the gestalt of the law school experience. Kimes did get a job at what she calls "Lavish Law Firm." But she eventually left to join the Make-a-Wish Foundation, which may be her final comment on the world of big-time law. The self-deprecating wit, catty observations and healthy sense of the absurd with which Kimes describes her approach-avoidance reactions to the world of law school raise the book above the ordinary. (May)
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Review
"A must-read for anyone contemplating law school; and for those who have already graduated, a sidesplitting review of the law school experience -- torts and all."

-- Karen Quinn, author of The Ivy Chronicles and Wife in the Fast Lane

"Martha Kimes's candid tale of attending Columbia Law School is Legally Blonde meets One L. Told with sweet self-awareness and pervasive wit, I couldn't help but cheer Kimes on as she faced every daunting law school challenge, transforming herself from fearful Midwesterner to cool and confident Ivy League grad. Ivy Briefs makes me want to hug Kimes...and then hire her as my attorney."

-- Jen Lancaster, author of Bitter Is the New Black and Bright Lights, Big Ass

"With pitch-perfect dialogue and witty observations, Martha Kimes delivers a funny and charming look at the trials and tribulations of law school. I give Ivy Briefs an A."

-- Alison Pace, author of Pug Hill and Through Thick and Thin

"Martha Kimes has written a One L for the next generation. Ivy Briefs is a great addition to the reading list for anyone even thinking about law school."

-- Jeremy Blachman, author of Anonymous Lawyer

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 276 pages
• Publisher: Atria (May 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743288386
• ISBN-13: 978-0743288385
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #187,558 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So right on it's scary!, July 5, 2007

By	L. Vonbiela - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I just finished my first year at a Top 20 law school, and it is downright terrifying how well Martha captured the experience. I couldn't put the book down. I had to see what she would say or do next. I even found myself laughing out loud (thankfully I did not read the book in public). This was the perfect book to inject some much needed humor into a challenging situation! It was utterly hilarious, and helped to put a more sane perspective on things. And, unlike One L, it covers the second and third years of law school and all the rites of passage that come with those years. And the dreaded Bar Exam. Oh, joy!

I absolutely loved the book.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Accurate Description, June 17, 2007

By	Blah (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

I am attending Columbia Law and this is a pretty accurate if a little dated(laptops are everywhere now for example) representation of law school life. I found the book hilarious as I have meet basically the smae people that Kimes describes. Most of the info is general enough that even non-law students should enjoy this book but it will be especially hilarious to students. Kimes book is entertaining, easy to read and hard to put down.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun read, July 18, 2007

By	Readers-R- Leaders (Illinois) - See all my reviews

What a delightful book. I read this book for my reading club and I was concerned that it would be boring, technical and irrelevant to me. I couldn't have been more wrong. This book is for anyone who has ever had a moment of insecurity. Yes, it takes place at an Ivy League law school and gives wonderful insight into the life of a law student. But Kimes also manages to touch on many universal life moments (feeling like an outsider, pretest jitters, loss of a friendship, obsession, paranoia, new love,) It is these subjects that make it a wonderful book for discussion. It is written with wit and charm and tremendous style and reads a mile a minute. You can feel the whirl of Martha's life about her and you enjoy every page of it. I highly recommend it. She has a nice set of discussion questions posted on her website too.