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.
"Law Preview got me in the mindset to hit the ground running and keep the eye on the big picture."
Anonymous, Fordham University Law School, Class of 2024
"Practice, practice, and MORE practice. I am four years removed from getting my undergraduate degree. Law Preview immersed me back into the “student mindset” that I needed in order to do my best this semester. You have to be open and willing to learn about yourself in order to effectively use Law Preview. Take heed to the timing suggestions, practice, and outline early. Your grades will reflect the hard-work. Remember, law school is marathon not a sprint. Law Preview gives you that refresh of water between each lap."
Adrieene Brown, University of Florida College of Law, Class of 2022
"Latham & Watkins’ genuine commitment to diversity, inclusion, and excellence has had a tremendous impact on both my academic and professional career. In 2019, Latham gave me a scholarship to attend Law Preview prior to entering Stanford Law School — a truly unique opportunity that gave me the foresight to succeed in my first year of law school. The program armed me with the key concepts of the first-year curriculum and taught me how to prepare for classes and exams early, efficiently, and effectively. Based on my academic achievements, not only was I invited to join the Stanford Law Review, but I also joined Latham as a 1L Summer Associate and received an offer to return next summer (as well as Latham’s 2L Diversity Scholarship). I will be forever grateful that Latham invested ~$1000 in my academic success prior to starting law school — their initial investment in me has paid dividends. Law Preview clearly had a significant impact on my success at Stanford Law School. If law school were karate, Don Macaulay would be the Mr. Miyagi of the legal community."
Daniel K., Stanford Law School, Class of 2023 (President of the Stanford Law Review)
"Law Preview was completely responsible for my ability to hit the ground running fall semester of my 1L year. I knew how to brief a case, how to approach outlining, and what to expect from exams. Armed with my study calendar, I jumped into my first year nervous but prepared. I think my 4.28 GPA was significantly helped by attending Law Preview and utilizing the tools it gave me. Shout-out to Don Macaulay, an MVP mentor who provides pre- and post-Law Preview guidance throughout your 1L year and beyond."
Susan P., Pepperdine University School of Law, Class of 2023 (transferred to Harvard Law School)
"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
"It helped me prepare for the law school experience and familiarize myself with the curriculum."
Anonymous, University of Southern California School of Law, Class of 2022
"I’m writing to thank you for the Law Preview course I took last summer. I was barely admitted into the school via wait list, and I had absolutely no studying skills before I attended Law Preview. Law Preview gave me an outstanding overview which helped me formed my study plans, so I knew exactly what to do, when to do them, and how to do them. What helped me the most was your lecture on the right attitude to go into law school with; I was able to maintain positive the entire semester even though at times it was frustrating and many things seemed to go wrong. Now I have an above 4.0 GPA: 2xA+,2xA, 1xA- after first semester, which puts me at about top 1-2%. Thanks again, couldn’t have done it without you."
Anonymous, South Texas College of Law Houston, Class of 2011
"I believe Law Preview gave me that path and plan to attack 1L Fall."
Patrick D., Emory University School of Law, Class of 2022
"I followed the Law Preview plan exactly: briefed every single case, did all reading on schedule, reviewed with flashcards, made my own outlines… and there were no surprises. I was prepared for everything. The biggest plus is that Law Preview helped me start ahead of the pack. Taking the course the summer before school really prepared me mentally as well, so I understood the challenges I was facing but also had the confidence in the skill set I’d developed over the summer to get the job done and stay focused on my goals. The schedule Law Preview provided helped me stay on track, and I also appreciated that Law Preview didn’t leave me hanging during the semester. They promptly responded to every question I emailed, and I there’s nothing better than candid advice. Now I’m in the top 2% of my class, and I have confidence that I can continue to excel. . . . Thanks so much and I’m making sure my younger brother (who will start law school Fall ’09) will be registering for your course soon as well! Now it’s just doing it all over again second semester, but I know I have the skills to repeat the process thanks to Law Preview!"
Anonymous, University of Houston Law Center, Class of 2011
"It drilled into me the fact that grades are the most important thing the first semester–otherwise, I would have been lured into all kinds of activities that were advertised by the school. I’m so glad I didn’t–truly, grades are the only things employers seem to care about when it comes to the first semester. I also appreciated Don Macaulay’s lectures–they were super entertaining and all the study skills he shared came in very handy to me. I have a young child, so I didn’t quite ever do 12 hours a day, but I probably did study 8-10 hours every day because Don scared me into believing I wouldn’t be successful without spending those kinds of hours. And he was right! [4.3 GPA after the first semester]."
Anonymous, Santa Clara University School of Law, Class of 2023
"Law Preview allowed me to get a head start during my first year of law school. It was extremely helpful during midterms and finals. All of the available study aids helped me get a better understanding of each course. [3.93 GPA after first semester]."
Anonymous, Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, Class of 2020
"I felt I was definitely more prepared at the beginning of the semester when a lot of people wondered what a case brief was and what IRAC stood for whereas I could focus on the substantive courses because Law Preview taught me how to approach briefing and exam taking. The exam-taking strategies and advice from the professors were especially helpful. It’s like I knew what it took to get an ‘A. Thank you [ranked #15 out of 166 after first semester]."
Anonymous, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Class of 2011
"Law Preview did a good job of hustling its students along the learning curve associated with the transition to the dense material that is law as well as the Socratic Method of teaching. This valuable experience allowed me to focus on the substantive issues in the course earlier than my counterparts."
Joseph L., Rutgers University School of Law, Class of 2013
"Overall, Law Preview took away much of the anxiety other students typically experience in their first year. With an overview of the first year courses, there weren’t that many surprises. Law Preview also helped me develop a sensible schedule to tackle the heavy workload for the first year. Additionally, the portion of the course on taking law school exams was especially helpful. While I knew what to expect, and I could plan accordingly, many other students had no idea what a law school exam was like or how to prepare. I feel like Law Preview gave me an advantage, particularly in the first semester."
Jason E., Texas Tech University School of Law, Class of 2013
"I felt more confident starting in the fall and had a better understanding of the material as I progressed through the year. [Ranked top 10% after 1L year]."
Anonymous, American University, Washington College of Law, Class of 2013
"Going in as a 1L who had no lawyers in my family to ask about what to expect, Law Preview was essential to my success. It taught me a lot about the foreign world of law school which made it less scary from Day 1. It also gave me a schedule to follow during finals, which helped organize a pretty hectic time. At the end of 1L, I was super satisfied with my grades and working for a great law firm. In the marathon of law school, a week up really made all the difference."
Brandi D., Brooklyn Law School, 2019
"I went into law school knowing how to brief cases, knowing the language of the law and knowing the subject matter that was being presented. That was all extremely beneficial to me; however, the best thing about Law Preview is that I met my best friend and a familiar face in my law school section. He and I have helped each other through the semester, formed a study group with other students and relied on our Law Preview materials to help along the way. I was thankful for the experience and the people I met."
Beka P., SMU Dedman School of Law, Class of 2011
"Wow! That’s how Law Preview has effected my law school experience. Attending that intense week of Law Preview set me up for success. Not only did I have the opportunity to get a ‘preview’ of the classes and the type of environment that I would be entering into, I got to look at some of the hardest cases before the real thing even started. That might not seem like a lot, but reading Palsgraf through once simply isn’t enough. Through the first semester I’m ranked in the top 10% of my class. There’s room for improvement for sure, but I know that I wouldn’t have gotten this far without the help of Law Preview!"
Anonymous, Dickinson School of Law (formerly Pennsylvania State University, The Dickinson School of Law), Class of 2011
"A year after completing the Law Preview program I am an articles-editor on my school’s Law Review, an extern with the enforcement branch of a federal agency, and sitting pretty with a GPA I’m too polite to share. I am confident that I wouldn’t have accomplished all of those things if it wasn’t for the instruction I received during my week of Law Preview."
Raimund S., American University, Washington College of Law, 2022
"Law preview helped me get ahead of the game. I learned what to expect in the classroom and how to do the readings. This helped me prepare for the unexpected, which is the most stressful part of law school."
Anonymous, Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, Class of 2022
"The instructors at the Law Preview program were right-on with their recommendations for test taking and studying. Putting to use their techniques helped me to keep on track and schedule throughout the year and when studying for finals. If nothing else, the Law Preview course gives you an accurate preview of what to expect during your first year in law school, which by itself is worth the cost of attending the program."
Kevin H., Chapman University School of Law, Class of 2011
"Here is a quick update from my first semester. I got my grades back, and they turned out really well! I fortunately got all Honors and Dean’s Scholar grades (school-specific grading system that translates to 4.0+). I think it was in no small part due to the headstart I got with attending Law Preview. The tip to start outlining really early on saved me because I had to travel a bit for a wedding abroad during study period, but I was already on top of it thanks to that great advice. It was amazing how many times throughout the semester I had already read the cases discussed in class during Law Preview. I only wish that I could go back and sit in on the corresponding classes for this semester fresh now. Also, the 1L Mastery videos on topics like Conspiracy in CrimLaw or Personal Jurisdiction in CivPro really helped clarify concepts that could be boiled down simply but are often taught in complicated ways. Anyway, I am hoping to replicate the success of last semester now, so wish me luck!"
Anonymous, Harvard Law School, Class of 2022
"Law Preview gave me a sense of comfort when going into my first semester of law school. I knew what to expect, I knew how to brief a case, and I knew how to succeed. The studying advice and timetable information helped me prepare for finals and gauge my own progress. I would recommend Law Preview to any incoming 1L. [3.91 GPA after first semester]."
Anonymous, University of Houston Law Center, Class of 2023
"Law Preview enabled me to start 1L with more confidence and some understanding of the material. It helped me understand the commitment necessary to excel in law school. I followed the instruction, applied myself and ended up getting good grades. I finished in the Top 10% of my class and was invited to serve on the Santa Clara Law Review."
Marissa B., Santa Clara University School of Law, Class of 2022
"Law Preview really helped me understand topics in more direct and concise terms."
Anonymous, University of California, Hastings College of the Law, Class of 2022
"Law Preview helped me tremendously with adjusting to the challenges of a first-year law school curriculum. Getting a head start on my studies helped me to get into the right frame of mind and gave me a clear competitive advantage. As a first-generation professional from an underrepresented minority group, getting a preview like that was immensely useful in navigating my first year. I could not have succeeded the way I did without BARBRI Law Preview."
Wellington M., Yale Law School, Class of 2022
"It definitely made me feel more confident and aware of what was going to be expected of me in terms of workload over the course of the semester. I ended up getting the best exam in two of my doctrinals, and felt like it was in large part to the 2-day ahead reading schedule we learned in Barbri. I was never behind and felt equipped to tackle the semester with the tools I had learned! [3.97 GPA after the first semester]"
Anonymous, Northwestern University School of Law, Class of 2023
"I was really pleased with how Law Preview prepped me for my first semester! I knew exactly what I needed to do to prepare for classes, what to focus on in taking class notes, and how I should prepare for exams. While my peers struggled and floundered in the first few months trying to figure out how to read a case or write a brief, I was confident that I knew what to look for and it made it much easier to get more out of class from the very start and finish the semester strong. Also, the schedule suggested in terms of outline preparation really worked for me and gave me enough time to complete the outlines, consolidate them, and use them on practice tests. This familiarity with my outline in a test-like setting made all the difference in the world."
Anonymous, Georgetown University Law Center, 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
"I went into law school knowing what to expect. When everyone didn’t know how to write a case brief, I did. I went in knowing when to start outlining and how to prepare for class from day one."
Anonymous, Rutgers University School of Law, 2021