Law Preview reviews

Our alums explain how Law Preview has helped thousands of incoming 1Ls become top law students

Our students thrive

Since 1998, BARBRI Law Preview has been helping students find success in law schools across the country. Consistently, they attribute their law school success to Law Preview and the important difference it made for them during their first year and beyond.

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"Law Preview really helped me prepare for my first year of law school. Going into NYU Law, I was a bit nervous; I had heard about how daunting the first year of law school could be and had no idea what I was getting myself into. Law Preview really exposed me to what to expect during my first year and how best to schedule my time, organize myself, and maintain a calm composure that really helped me not only succeed in my first year of law school but enjoy my time. I think that is perhaps the most important part — beyond succeeding in school — is learning how best to enjoy it. Having been introduced to and somewhat familiar with the first year curriculum and having experienced the amazing faculty that the Law Preview program offers, I really got to enjoy my first year in ways that my peers did not."
Alex, New York University School of Law, Class of 2012
"I can’t tell you how much I appreciated Law Preview. I was only accepted to Albany off the waitlist in early June 2009, and I wasn’t feeling too great about my prospects for success. Now, after having completed my 1L year, I’m proud to report that I ranked #19 out of 250 students. Beyond preparing me for the substantive classes, LP helped me gain confidence and avoid the potholes that challenge every 1L no matter where they go to school. I definitely feel that Law Preview also gave me a leg up on my classmates in a number of ways — whether it was briefing cases or putting together an effective study schedule — Law Preview removed a lot of the trial and error and I entered my first year with a plan of attack and that was without question a major factor in my success."
Joseph B., Albany Law School of Union University, Class of 2012 (transferred to George Washington University Law School)
"At the end of my 1L year I was ranked in the Top 1% of my class and was invited to serve on the Florida Law Review. I attribute my success wholly to Law Preview. It gave me the tools to succeed from the very beginning while others were still focusing on getting their feet on the ground. I truly felt like I knew what I was doing throughout the whole year."
Caitlin O., University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law, Class of 2022
"I would absolutely suggest Law Preview to any student about to enter law school, especially if you are looking to end your 1L year at the top of your class. When all of my classmates were confused on how to study for class, prepare outlines, or write exam answers, Law Preview was my guide. I felt comfortable and prepared going into exam time, and without Law Preview, I know this could NOT have been possible. Law Preview gave me a huge advantage over other students in my class. Further, I was able to have in-depth analysis and discussions with professors about our case material since I had already encountered it during Law Preview. I owe my successful 1L year, and a shot at transferring to a top-25 law school, to Don and the distinguished professors at the program. Law Preview is the best preparation any student could do before entering law school. Thank you!!! [Ranked #4 out of 126 students after the 1L year]."
Anonymous, Northern Illinois University College of Law, Class of 2013
"I felt more comfortable speaking up in class, and more confident in some of the harder issues in classes. For example, the Rule Against Perpetuities in Property – since I already had been over it with Law Preview, I felt a lot more confident about answering problems in class."
Amanda J., Drexel University College of Law, Class of 2011
"Law Preview was beneficial in that it helped strip away some of the anxiety and myths about first year law school while also conveying the reality of the large amount of time and effort that would be required of students if they wanted to succeed. There are no magic words or formulas to success but Law Preview passed on tools and techniques for studying so that I was able to hit the ground running from the very first day of school. The tools and practice from Law Preview allowed me to focus on the substance of what was being discussed in class and in the readings. Rather than trying to remember what the heck IRAC was or learning how to write case briefs and read case books effectively the first few weeks of the semester I’d already had a week of practice on how to accomplish those tasks thanks to my time with Law Preview. One of the first legal writing assignments at my school during first semester was to write a case brief which I already knew how to write thanks to the templates from Law Preview and session on the topic. I got 100% on the brief. The familiarity and introduction to various topics and projects covered during the first year of law school became a huge time saver. And any law school student will tell you that anything that saves time is invaluable in law school."
Anonymous, Whittier Law School, Class of 2011
"My Law Preview experienced allowed me to in general be ahead of everyone else in school. I was able to brief cases and outline a lot sooner than most of my classmates which left me a lot of time during finals to concentrate on studying instead of creating study aids, such as outlines. I also learned how to write an exam from law preview, so I was able to feel confident taking practice exams and my actual exams knowing that I wrote an exam the way my law school professors wanted me to."
Gabriela S., Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Class of 2013
"I was able to get right into briefing cases without having to figure out if I was doing it right or not. I was able to follow along in class because my brief was set up perfectly. Almost all of the cases learned in the class were used during my first semester and it was just a refresher to read them again instead of having to learn them for the first time. Coming into finals week I was more prepared then most other students and I knew exactly what I had to do. [Ranked 20 out of 138.]"
Anonymous, Widener University School of Law, Class of 2012
"The calendar was incredibly helpful and disturbingly accurate. The study schedule was useful in that it was an extreme to shoot for that kept me the right amount of ahead on my work. Reading some of the major cases before starting the class got me in the perfect mindset for reading. It was a head start that was greatly appreciated. The different perspectives on those cases provided by the professors also gave me some insightful ideas that I totally passed off as my own thoughts in class."
John O., American University, Washington College of Law, Class of 2022
"I attended Law Preview at the University of Pennsylvania Law School last summer. At the end of my first year I am ranked 3rd in my class, a member of both the Law Review and Moot Court team, have a summer job for a federal judge, and a job this fall for my legal writing teacher as a student instructor. Law Preview did an excellent job of providing me with all the tools I needed to survive — and excel — in my first year. They helped provide a ground basis for all my core classes, taught me how to take a law school exam and most importantly helped me develop a study schedule that allowed me to study efficiently, without having to pull one all-nighter. I would highly recommend Law Preview to anyone because the information they provide cannot be found anywhere else and it will help prepare you so you can actually enjoy your first year of law school."
Anonymous, Cleveland State University, Cleveland Marshall College of Law, Class of 2012
"Law Preview provided me with an overview of how 1st year grades impact future employment and suggested strategies and techniques that helped me perform at my individual best. The substantive overview of 1st year courses provided invaluable context on what to expect prior to arriving in class. I referenced my notes from Law Preview frequently to remind myself of big picture concepts."
Josh H., Belmont University School of Law, 2019
"Although class ranks haven’t posted yet, I was so happy with my Fall semester grades. I felt like Law Preview helped set a sturdy foundation before entering into these classes and I can’t imagine I would have done so well on exams without the practice over the summer. I recommend this course to EVERY incoming law student. You will set your self apart and feel more comfortable from day one."
Lindsay P., Syracuse University College of Law, Class of 2023
"Law Preview was critical in giving me the strategic advantages that allowed me to excel during the 1L year. Many of my colleagues did not realize the correct pacing and preparation schedule until it was far too late. I appreciated Don’s realistic and blunt advice about the difficulties you will face during the first year. Law school is about hard work and proper preparation, and Law Preview made this unambiguously clear through the Strategies for Academic Success sessions, as well as the experience of preparing for the mini-courses at Law Preview. . . . Last, and maybe most important, I left Law Preview excited to start school. When the year began I was able to step through the doors with the confidence of having an explicit and detailed plan about what was going to happen. Carrying through with the Law Preview schedule allowed me to go into exams confident, relatively stress-free, and somewhat rested. While this it was not a particularly fun experience to go through finals, I know that my experience was far better than most. [Ranked top 1% after first year]."
Anonymous, Indiana University School of Law, Bloomington, Class of 2011
"The most beneficial part of Law Preview is that it prepared me by telling me what to expect and providing a great schedule. By sticking to the schedule, I never fell behind or felt completely overwhelmed. Because I briefed every case for all my classes I was always prepared. Law Preview’s advice about starting outlines early was probably the best advice because I was done with them by Thanksgiving when other students were just starting or way behind. That way, I had plenty of time to study my outlines before finals, which is probably why I did very well my first semester."
Anonymous, DePaul University College of Law, Class of 2011
"Law preview gave me the tools and confidence I needed to hit the ground running when school began. It was just like you said, when I was outlining everyone else was still reading, when I was breaking my outline down to something I could internalize, everyone else was outlining. This left me time to take plenty of practice exams and bring my A game during exams. [Ranked #14 out of 150 students]."
Anonymous, Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School, Class of 2013
"I believe Law Preview gave me that path and plan to attack 1L Fall."
Patrick D., Emory University School of Law, Class of 2022
"Law Preview prepared me to hit the ground running on Day 1 of law school and score in the top 10% of my class for the first semester. I am thankful that my school secured vouchers for 1L students, and I think every school should do the same."
Patrick R., American University, Washington College of Law, Class of 2023
"Law Preview set the tone for the entire semester. I took the recommendations seriously, studied hard, and stayed focused. Law Preview provided me with an overview of the basic law courses and the structure of our judicial system. This overview helped to lay the foundation for success. The study aid recommendations and real world advice on how to succeed in law school was very helpful. I sincerely enjoyed the Law Preview course and would recommend it to anyone entering law school."
Heather S., Mitchell Hamline School of Law, Class of 2021
"Very helpful and gave me a much needed head start"
Anonymous, Syracuse University College of Law, Class of 2021
"Law Preview took away the learning curve of the first few weeks of law school. When other classmates were struggling to adjust to learning via cases and figuring out what details in a case were important to the class itself, I had already gained these skills through my week of Law Preview. Law school doesn’t teach you how to learn the material, but Law Preview did."
Lewis S., Drexel University School of Law, 2021
"I do not think I will ever be able to know how much Law Preview has helped me. It was by far the best investment I could have ever asked for. I would recommend it to anyone that is going to law school. I continue to step back and think, wow, I wonder where I would be without that class. It was just very eye opening and helpful in my first semester. I enjoyed the non-scary professors as a mini-icebreaker to the class. I also found all the tips very helpful. I may not remember all the terms that we discussed or went over, but I am familiar with the topics and this helps tremendously to get my arms around each class. Thanks again"
Lauren H., Nova Southeastern UniversityShepard Broad Law Center, Class of 2011
"I was selected to receive the Latham & Watkins Law Preview Scholarship last summer. The scholarship allowed me to participate in Law Preview, which would become my single most effective preparation for law school. Law Preview provided me with resources that helped me achieve success in my academic and career goals. Today, I am one of seven students selected to join Cornell Law School’s first-year clinic. I am also one of Latham & Watkins’ 1L Diversity Scholars. This summer, I will be doing my 1L internship with Latham & Watkins and Facebook. And I know these opportunities will enable me to do things in life that my parents nor I could ever have dreamed of."
Don I, Cornell Law School, Class of 2023
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Looking back as I finish my 3L year, I wholeheartedly believe that Law Preview is the best antidote to the curse of assumed knowledge. Getting a primer on important doctrinal subjects in digestible but focused sessions—and being introduced to the Socratic method in a realistic but low-stakes environment—was exactly what I needed to prepare for my 1L year. Law Preview taught me concepts that soon become central to my life as a law student: how to brief, what an outline looks like, how to write an exam, and what a tort (disappointingly, not the dessert) is. And, as someone who had not known the ins and outs of law journals before Law Preview, I can confidently say that the program helped earn my spot on the Stanford Law Review. I honestly can’t imagine delving into my 1L year without having participated in the program.  Beyond the academic head start, Law Preview helped me build a strong professional network. I met other law students committed to success headed to my school and schools across the country. I got a taste of several different first-rate professors’ teaching styles. And I became a part of the larger Law Preview network: I finally had folks in my corner. If I had to boil it down, Law Preview helped me start out on the right foot. Law school is intimidating. Maybe you can’t change whether you were born into a family of lawyers or whether you’ve spent years working as a paralegal, but you can change how prepared you feel to start. The key to that, in my experience, is Law Preview. If starting over, I would choose Law Preview again every time.

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Kat G., Stanford Law School, Class of 2021
"Great experience with Law Preview. Support material (online videos) after the course and continual study tips helped reinforce the material taught in the classroom. Highly recommend. Felt prepared for class discussions and received A-s in the two courses that were introduced in-depth at Law Preview."
Anonymous, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law
"They do not put out class rank for the first semester but I got two As and and A- in my substantive classes and a B+ in Legal Writing and Research. Going by last year’s numbers, my 3.9 GPA puts me in the top 15% or better. Law Preview gave me a method of preparing for class that allowed me to make the most of lectures from the start. The tips about making use of the table of contents and starting to outline early were the most useful in retrospect. During the final reading period, I was able to focus on old tests and adjusting my finished outline to be more useful in the test scenario. I’m incredibly happy with the results."
Anonymous, University of California, Hastings College of the Law, Class of 2012
"Most importantly, Law Preview helped me understand what to expect. This, I think, is the most helpful part of Law Preview. As LP alums, we had a head start in having seen and heard terms that our classmates didn’t. We had the benefit of knowing not only what a case brief was, for example, but how to write one up."
Jonathan W., New York Law School, Class of 2011
"Law Preview gave me the jump start I needed so that i didn’t wasted time trying to figure out law school. I walked into class the first day and was miles ahead of my classmates. I was focused on learning from the first moment, not worrying about how to brief a case or wonder what was important. The supplements provided in class also gave me the boost I needed to supplement the text book. Thanks Law Preview! The BEST money I’ve spent on my education =) I’ll recommend you to ALL future law students!"
Ashleigh K., Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, Class of 2011
"Law Preview gave me everything I needed to succeed academically during 1L and throughout law school. Because of this academic foundation, I was able to work in large firms both 1L and 2L summer (which led to post-graduate employment), and interview for judicial clerkships. The legal research and writing aspect of Law Preview helped me to become a journal board member and to publish an article. It was also amazing to have a network of other Law Preview students to connect with at the early stages. Looking back, my law school experience gave me everything I could have hoped for personally and professionally and it’s all thanks to Law Preview. Thank you Don for creating this amazing program!"
Jo G., Washington University School of Law, Class of 2021
"Your class helped me feel prepared for my first semester. Thanks a million"
Emmet P., UIC, John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Class of 2013
"The [Law Preview] program allowed me to start law school with a game plan. It helped me to set a weekly schedule, stay disciplined and gain a leg up on my fellow students. I had been out of school for a while before going back to law school, and the Law Preview helped me refresh old, and gain new study skills. We are not ranked after our first semester, but I ended with a 3.81 GPA."
Nicole G., University of Miami School of Law, Class of 2011