All LAW and SCIENCE student at UNI, please HELP!!! (1 Viewer)

[muhahahahahaha]

Yeah it usually takes me more than 2 hours to properly understand the material that I am reading. Yep omnipotence, im exactly the same. I have a habit of trying to dissect the cases, but sometimes the judge's decisions are very ambiguous and confusing so I just sit there going
At most unis, they have lectures and tutes, but at UWS we only have seminars which go for 3 hours straight. Its like a tute and a lecture in one and we have about 35-40 people in the classroom. At first, it is a bit scary to speak up, but at my uni, if you dont speak up, you dont get marks because class participation is worth about 10% in some subjects.

 

[enoilgam]

Transaction lawyers, particularly those not in litigation, will rarely ever go to court anyway. In litigation lawyers will rarely speak, if there's silks and juniors. So long as you're articulate in a workplace setting, you'll be fine.

I'm fine talking to a group of people (particularly if they're my peers), however, I can a little nervous when it's mooting, or debating etc. I don't intend on becoming a barrister anyway; but it's definitely something that I need to work on.

This. Contrary to popular belief, public speaking skills arent the most important quality in a lawyer. I reakon that written communication and comprehension skills are far more important. Obviously you need to have good social skills for client/workplace interaction, but if you arent a great public speaker then it isnt really going to hurt you as a lawyer.

So how much reading is required on a daily basis to get grades for law?? Would be better if someone could actually give me a number answer...

To be honest, I reakon the amount of reading required for law is vastly overstated. Whilst it is an important part of the degree, its not like you spend most of your time reading. I find that a significant proportion of my readings were a waste of time and by the end of each semester I had abandoned it completely (most of my classmates also abandoned the readings as well). I'm not as experienced as some of the other guys in law (such as aerath and Izzy), but my impression of law so far is that its not an extremely difficult degree per se (I am not saying its easy), it just contains a lot of content. Once you master that content and know whats important and relevant and what isnt, you're on your way to doing well in the degree.

 

[izzy88]

I find that a significant proportion of my readings were a waste of time and by the end of each semester I had abandoned it completely (most of my classmates also abandoned the readings as well). ... Once you master that content and know whats important and relevant and what isnt, you're on your way to doing well in the degree.

I agree with this that many students abandon a lot of the readings by about half way through semester (we all have - you have to prioritise what you can actually do in the time, and make what you do actually count). There is a bit of an art to figuring out the most important things to read, what you will need for exams etc. Also sometimes a subject 'clicks' - you understand it etc - and sometimes it can take a lot more time to properly understand what's going on. Some subjects are in the end just memorisation and it doesn't take much to understand the content - others it can be difficult to understand the content. Eg. corporations law is just memorisation. Equity on the other hand still messes with my head.

Saying that, I suspect if you were to do all the required reading it would in general take about 4-5 hours a week per subject. So about 2 hours of reading for each seminar (at USYD its normally 4 hours of class for 10 weeks, rather than the usual 3 hours over 13 weeks). The time though can change - if you are taking notes it adds time, depending on how detailed your notes are etc. Some readings are straightforward, others you have to re-read every sentence twice to try to sort out what they are saying (particular for older cases or readings). There is no set rule as to what is required to understand the content or get good marks.