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 is an intense one-week course that gives you a real sense of what 1L looks like: It asks you to read fifty pages a day, make case outlines, and get prepared to be called on by instructors who are experienced professors from great law schools. I felt a lot of pressure when taking the course, but that is exactly 1L, isn’t it? Looking back, I cannot imagine what my law school journey would be like if I did not take the course. The study methods taught in the course helped me get good grades in 1L, and those grades played a crucial role in my applications for 1L and 2L summer internships. All start from that ‘painful’ yet amazingly productive week, so I cannot say enough how impactful it is to my law school journey and my legal career."
Han S., University of Washington School of Law, Class of 2022
"From where I am now, it’s hard to believe I ever hesitated to do Law Preview. Because of Law Preview, I walked into my fall classes feeling familiar with the language, basic concepts, and general framework of each subject. As a result, I felt more confident about participating in class and believe I distinguished myself from day one. Aside from exposure to the material, I finished Law Preview with a concrete sense of what I needed to do on a daily and weekly basis to stay on track throughout the semester. Once on campus, I heard a lot of conflicting advice about how to prepare for class, when to start outlining, and how to approach exam prep.  While different things work for different people, I found a lot of this advice to be reactionary, not proactive, and that much of it just came too late. Law Preview will help you get your mind right and internalize a game plan well before you start orientation. While many of my classmates are now trying to figure out what went wrong with first semester grades and how they can catch up in the spring, I’m able to focus on maintaining my performance and making small adjustments to my system, which takes some of the pressure off of an already stressful time. I would not have approached my first semester of law school the way I did were it not for what I learned through Law Preview. Do yourself a favor and invest in yourself and in Law Preview, the sooner the better. [3.78 GPA after the first semester]."
Anonymous, Fordham University School of Law, Class of 2024
"Law Preview helped me understand the big picture of what I was studying in class. As a first-get student, it was challenging to understand the method in which law school content is taught and having Law Preview available was extremely helpful in helping me digest and understand the important concepts."
Marlenee B., University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, Class of 2023
"I went into my 1L year with my eyes wide open. I knew, like most students, that I needed to work really hard. However, I also knew how to read through a case book, how to prepare for class and how to pick out the most important stuff for my outline. I believe this helped me to use my study time effectively and this preparation paid big dividends. I ended up in the Top 5% of my 1L class and was invited onto the Houston Journal of International Law."
Jessie M., University of Houston Law Center, Class of 2022
"The summer before my 1L, I thought I knew what to expect going into law school. Once I began watching the Law Preview videos, I realized that law school is a different game than undergrad. Law Preview gave me the tools I need to succeed in my fall 1L. I made Dean’s List, and using the study techniques I learned in Law Preview, I know the ways that I can continue to succeed throughout my law school career. I want to say ‘thank you’ to the folks at Law Preview, especially Don, for giving me the confidence to grow as a future lawyer and to enjoy the ride."
Danielle D., Cornell Law School, Class of 2023
"I’m not sure of my final class rank, but my GPA is 3.73. I’m so pleased with the outcome, and I feel Law Preview had a huge impact on my accomplishments. I knew exactly what to expect and when to expect it. The practice at case briefing was particularly valuable and having an opportunity to experience the Socratic method helped tremendously when I was called to perform for the FIRST case on the FIRST day of Contracts. Finally, having an overview of all the classes gave me great confidence that I would not get lost during the first semester. I referred back to my Preview notes as I was preparing for midterms and finals for extra pearls that helped me to excel on exams. All the Instructors at your course were OUTSTANDING. And what a pleasure to be taught by Professor Farnsworth himself! Thanks so much. I would take the course again in a heartbeat."
Anonymous, Western State University College of Law, Class of 2013
"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 thought it was helpful to know in advance what to expect. I really followed the methods taught during Law Preview. I did case briefs for each case we read and did outlines well in advance. I felt like Don exaggerated a lot when he talked about the importance of 1L grades, but looking back, I don’t think it was an exaggeration at all. I excelled in the first year and that helped me to earn several 1L job offers, work as a research assistant for a Duke professor, get an invitation to join the Duke Law Journal, earn a scholarship, and lastly, secure a post-grad clerkship opportunity with a Federal Circuit Court judge in Washington, D.C."
Anonymous, Duke University School of Law, Class of 2022
"Law Preview taught me the habits that I used to succeed during my first semester of law school. Had it not been for the class, I would not have understood the importance of briefing cases, integrating my notes from class with my initial notes, and outlining, and how these practices impact performance on the final exam. Because I knew how imperative it was to discipline myself into practicing these strategies on a daily basis, I was able to stick to an efficient schedule that ultimately produced successful results."
Monica C. Georgetown University Law Center, 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
"The Law Preview course was a very important factor in the success I achieved in my 1L year. Coming from a family with no lawyers or anyone who has attended law school, I felt very nervous about what law school would be like. Law Preview made me feel comfortable and confident going into my 1L year allowing me to be less stressed and overwhelmed and instead focus on doing well! I am proud to report that at the end of my 1L year I was invited to join the NYU Law Review."
Camila I., New York University School of Law, Class of 2022
"First and foremost, the law preview course gave me confidence. I followed the advise and schedule that was provided to the best of my ability, and I feel that it was the defining factor is my success. I received the highest grade on the memo that we wrote for the Research, Writing and Advocacy class, and the second highest grade in that class overall. I got all A’s and B’s in all of my classes. I used my notes from the Law Preview course on multiple occasions for clarification on various topics that we covered during the first semester. On that note, I feel that the instructors were amazing in their ability to convey so much information in such a concise and understandable way."
Anonymous, Ave Maria University School of Law, Class of 2012
"When I entered my first year of law school at The University of Florida School of Law, I was very happy with that opportunity. Although I was an ‘average’ student going in, I ended up doing very well — finishing in the top 2% of my 1L class. The success I enjoyed as a 1L at Florida allowed me to transfer to Harvard Law School, and that’s something that was certainly not an option I had prior to starting school. I definitely think that Law Preview was one of the reasons I did so well my first year. Law Preview gave me a process to follow and an understanding about how to study and absorb the material I’d be learning. In addition, the law professors who teach with Law Preview provided me with an overview of each of my 1L classes, so I had a good understanding about the material I’d cover throughout the year. Finally, learning how to take a law school exam and walk through Law Preview’s exam-taking strategies with a law professor from a top law school was a great opportunity and something that I truly appreciated; I was able to use these strategies many times throughout the first year of law school. I would recommend the Law Preview program to anyone — whether you are planning to go to a small regional school or a large national one. No matter what law school you attend, how well you do during your first year is going to dictate the job opportunities you’ll have in the end, which is why I think this program is really for anybody."
Mike P., University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law, Class of 2011 (transferred to Harvard Law School)
"Law Preview really helped ease the transition into law school. Less confusion. I felt like a 2L compared to several of my fellow students."
Francis M., Boston College Law School, Class of 2013
"There’s nothing better than having a solid organizational structure in place so that you begin law school knowing what you will need to do to achieve your personal goals. That’s what Law Preview provided for me – allowing me to finish in the Top 15% of my class and earning me a spot on the Wisconsin Law Review."
Arie F., University of Wisconsin School of Law, Class of 2022
"Law Preview equipped me to write case briefs, focus on the important things in lecture, start outlines early, and use test-taking strategies while following a schedule!"
Anonymous, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, Class of 2023
"My experience with Law Preivew was instrumental in the achievements of my first semester. Without the study skills and insight it gave me I would not have received the only A+ in my Criminal Law class. I highly recommend taking this course it was very helpful in preparing me for law school."
Beth P., William & Mary Law School, Class of 2021
"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
"I am a part-time student and ranked #5 of 96 students. The tools Law Preview provided me with did help get me off the ground running. As I stood on top of my outlines throughout the semester, other students were just beginning their outlines the week before midterms, and then did not touch them again until review week while I was taking past exams. The emails throughout the semester were also very helpful, they certainly kept me focused! So far, Law Preview has been worth the money spent. Thanks!"
Anonymous, Thomas Jefferson School of Law, Class of 2013
"Because law school was somewhat of a last minute decision for me at the end of college, I had no idea what to expect. Law Preview completely changed that. Not only did it give me a little taste of what to expect substantively in classes like Torts and Contracts, but more importantly it geared me towards a year of very hard work and dedication. I can easily say that if it were not for Law Preview I probably would have entered law school with a similar attitude as college, but after taking the week of classes with Law Preview I had a much better idea of how many hours I would have to work a week, what the workload would look like, and what my timeline and goals should look like for the first semester, not to mention how to brief a case. I actually ended up using the Law Preview case brief outline for the entire year (and will continue to use it for the next two years) and felt that I was always extremely prepared for class. Overall, I think it was a great program and I am really glad I participated in it. [Ranked #13 out of 484 students at the end of 1L year]."
Anonymous, New York Law School, Class of 2013
"It was great. Definitely helped first semester. But it’s a two part game. I’ll let you know how this all went after second semester."
Anonymous, University of Maine School of Law, Class of 2022
"My school does not provide student rankings until the end of the first year. However, my current GPA (with 4 of 5 grades reported) is a 3.78/4.00. Law Preview certainly helped me achieve sucess in my first semester of law school. Probably the biggest benefit for me was that it made me feel comfortable with the material right from the start. It helped me keep my fears to a minimum and so I was able to learn and participate in class right from the start. Many of the cases we covered in Law Preview were cases that we covered in my classes. Having previous exposure to these cases made the transition a lot easier for me. While overall, the substantive law that I learned at Law Preview did not give me an edge, I was able to pick up what my professors were discussing more easily because it was not the first time that I had seen the material. It is an expensive program, but I think that it is worth it."
Melissa C., Roger Williams University School of Law, Class of 2013
"I think Law Preview prepared me for what law school would look and feel like. The interactive mock classes with professors gave me a baseline foundation of terms and information, but the setting allowed me to ascertain what being in a law classroom would be like."
Lexi W., University of Michigan Law School, Class of 2022
"First, Law Preview basically demystified law school. I know a lot of students who came in and were just spinning their wheels the first month or two. Even worse, they were reverting back to their college mentality of there’s always tomorrow. I knew from the summer that tomorrow was something that you had to be ready for. In fact, I usually prepared for tomorrow’s tomorrow. Law Preview really got me thinking about how to plan and how to prepare for the endgame, exams. Without the focus, I don’t think I would have done as well as I did. Starting from the first day I had a schedule I kept to fairly strictly when I started, but then I let loose a little as I found out what my strengths and weaknesses were (work well in the morning – good to take a break in the afternoon – need some time off before bed). Law Preview helped me sort out the hours and figure out how to make it so that it would be a realistic schedule so I wouldn’t burn out come November. I saw a lot of people do the opposite – skirt the stuff in September/October and then end up way behind with no time to review OR prepare properly for exams. This is a little less of a direct effect, but it also gave me some confidence in terms of being willing to make mistakes. I remember during the summer session I offered an answer to a question posed by the Contracts professor and I was dead wrong (he was nice about it). Although it was somewhat humiliating at the time, the experience prepared me to be willing to accept my errors and learn from them – it was the fact I thought through the question AND could see what was wrong with my logic that mattered more. I’m not afraid to raise my hand in class and offer an answer to a difficult question because it will either affirm my knowledge or help me understand my mistakes. It is far better to blush in class than to panic on the exam or explain to a prospective employer why you received a C in Contracts. I guess you could say Law Preview made me a little bolder."
Christopher L., Suffolk University Law School, Class of 2013
"Helped level expectations and prepare for the worst. It was challenging and law preview helped provide a basis for getting through it successfully."
Alyssa A., Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, Class of 2024
"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
"I attended the session at the University of Houston Law Center during the summer of 2010. I not only enjoyed the wonderful professors who participated in that session, but I feel that attending Law Preview greatly eased my transition from the working world into the world of a law student. No one among my family or friends is in the legal profession and the only knowledge of law school and the legal field was from television and movies. So after being accepted to law school I began to dread what I had gotten myself into. My Princeton Review LSAT course instructor recommended that I look into the Law Preview program. The program seemed like a God-send for my piece of mind, so I decided to register and give it a shot. The program was all I could have asked for and more. I still use some of the materials we were given during the session and almost all the cases we reviewed have been used during my first year classes. I recommend Law Preview to anyone I meet who is considering attending law school. Washington and Lee doesn’t issue class rank, but I earned a 3.51 GPA during the fall semester and feel even more confident now in the spring semester."
Joshua V., Washington and Lee University School of Law, Class of 2013
"Law Preview gave me the tools to succeed from the start. Walking in your first day knowing the material, knowing how to brief, and knowing how to handle the Socratic method is the greatest advantage you could ever give yourself."
Clark D., Campbell University School of Law, Class of 2021
"My school believes in maintaining a non-competitive environment and does not rank, however I will say that Law Preview was very helpful. Although I was not ranked in my class, I received 3 A-‘s for the semester and I am among the top 25 students in my year."
Anonymous, City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law, Class of 2012
"Law Preview was a great experience that certainly helped me excel in my first semester. My law school does not rank students but I am thrilled (and surprised!) to report I got an A in two out of my three classes – an honor that only goes to the top 5-10% of the class. Law Preview helped me achieve such success by introducing me to the core, fundamental doctrines and important cases that frequently appeared on my final exams."
Anonymous, Columbia University Law School, Class of 2011