Learn How to
Get a First in Law
The strategy that propelled me from a 2:2 to Oxford
TIPS & TRICKS
Law school is a tricky beast to master. It demands a whole new skillset that is often not taught in class. The study habits that got you here may not be enough, and professors are more focused on covering legal theory than the practical tips you need to succeed in their classes. How do you read cases quickly yet still pick out the key points? How do you demonstrate top-notch legal analysis in your essays?
For most students, it takes a lot of trial and error. Some students figure it out eventually. Something just clicks. And they graduate with a First. That’s the repeated story I’ve heard after years interviewing top students. Over time, they learned to identify the readings that matter, cut out irrelevant information, and write the right answers to essay questions. These practical skills are what truly make the difference. But what if you could start mastering them from day one?
This site is your one-stop toolkit for practical success in law school. With a wealth of resources drawn from my own experience and from years of tutoring law students, you’ll find proven strategies to help you study smarter, write sharper, and stand out academically. Whether it’s tips for efficient case reading or techniques for legal analysis, every resource here is designed to help you build the skills that matter.
As a starting point, I’ve put everything I know in the study guide.
FROM A 2:2 TO OXFORD
I entered law school as a straight-A student, but I finished my first year with a 2:2. Throughout the year, my grades were a mixed bag. Some essays would come back as a 2:1, and others as a First. I had no idea how to consistently replicate my success. I tried spending more time in the library and drank way too many cups of coffee. And then, I found myself face to face with a 2:2. I was the closest I had ever been to failing.
Determined to become a first class student, I set out to solve two problems:
- How to replicate success and start achieving Firsts in every assignment; and
- How to align effort and reward so that I could make my studying more efficient.
I transformed my study strategy and graduated with a First in Law from the London School of Economics (LSE). I went on to study at Oxford University where I achieved a Distinction using the same strategy.
Since then, I have tutored other law students and discovered that I was not alone in my experience. Law professors chuck you in the deep end, expecting you to automatically know how to extract key information from cases for example. There is no transparency on how to develop such basic legal skills, let alone how to do well in exams. It is as if breaking through the first class ceiling is a hidden secret.
And so, I created this study guide so that you can have a much smoother journey to a First Class Degree. It is filled with practical advice on every stage of your studying journey, from the moment you receive your reading list to when exam season rolls around. It uncovers all the tips and tricks that law school does not tell you.
How to Become a First Class Law Student is the study guide I wish I had in law school. It is the strategy that led me to Oxford, helped my students’ secure Firsts, and can now guide you on your journey too!
