Entering your first year of law school is a defining moment, setting the stage for your future in the legal profession. But what exactly will fill your schedule, challenge your thinking, and shape your abilities in your 1L year?
Whether you dream of arguing in front of the United States Supreme Court, advising major corporations, or making a difference in your local community, your 1L courses will provide the building blocks of your entire law school education. They will focus on introducing you to the most fundamental areas of the law, while also getting you to start thinking and writing like a lawyer.
Expect a highly structured program, with every first-year law student taking the same essential subjects. Here's a look at the curriculum you can expect to navigate.
Torts
A tort is a harmful act that may result in civil legal liability. You’ll study the rationale behind judgments in civil cases, with a focus on the problem of accidental injury to persons and property.
Common torts include:
- False Imprisonment
- Trespass (to land and chattel)
- Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress
- Conversion
- Assault
- Battery
Contracts
Contract law governs the promises that keep our society functioning. Expect to spend two full semesters on the topic. You’ll dissect legal relationships, obligations, conditions, breach, fraud, and unforeseen circumstances. Through the lens of famous court decisions, you’ll see how even a single ambiguous word can make or break a deal.
Civil Procedure
If Torts and Contracts teach you what lawyers do in civil court, then Civil Procedure (“Civ Pro”) teaches you how they do it. It is the blueprint for how cases move through the courts. You’ll master procedural rules for filing lawsuits, conducting discovery, approaching trial, handling pleadings, and pretrial motions.
Property
Property law traces its roots back to English common law. You’ll explore buying, owning, transferring, and protecting property. Expect to tackle economic policy issues, trespass, nuisance, landlord-tenant law, and more. Grasping these foundational concepts helps you understand society’s structure and your future clients’ rights.
Criminal Law
Criminal Law asks difficult questions and tests your reasoning. Can intentions alone amount to a crime? What about duress or mistakes? Scenarios are often pulled from real cases that seem stranger than fiction. This class typically uses Socratic dialogue to sharpen your analytical and advocacy skills.
Constitutional Law
“Con Law” will be about as close to a history class as you will get in your first year. During the course, you will get a taste of government structure, techniques of constitutional interpretation, and individual rights issues. Through landmark cases, you’ll learn to read statutes and constitutions, and to debate equality, separation of powers, and justice.
Want to learn more about the 1L curriculum? Check out BARBRI’s vast, searchable library of resources for first-year students.
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