Cracking the Case Method, Legal Analysis for Law School Success
Authors:
Bergman, Paul / Goodman, Patrick / Holm, Thomas
Edition:
4th
Copyright Date:
2026
- Publication Date: April 3rd, 2026
- ISBN: 9798895450659
- Subject: Academic Success
- Series: Academic and Career Success
- Type: Academic/Prof. Development
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Description:
This book focuses on the “Case Method of Instruction.” For about 150 years, law schools have relied on the Case Method in the first year of law school—and beyond—to teach law students how to “think like a lawyer.” But as few students are familiar with cases (opinions by appellate court judges), they frequently struggle to understand such fundamental questions as:
- Why do reading assignments and class discussions focus on cases instead of legal codes, rules or treatises?
- What is the relationship between judges’ opinions and thinking like a lawyer?
- Why do reading assignments often include older cases that do not reflect current law?
- Why do many of the cases include opinions by “dissenting” judges, the judges who disagreed with cases’ outcomes?
- Why do class discussions typically focus on individual cases when law school exams usually require students to analyze hypothetical stories?
- And most importantly—How do the cases and class discussions help you prepare for and excel on law school examinations?
- Read and brief cases effectively and efficiently.
- Understand and participate in class discussions.
- Create effective course outlines.
- Prepare for law school examinations.
- Give legal meaning to stories on law school examinations.
