Study Tips for High School Students Aspiring to Study Law

Are you a high school student thinking about becoming a lawyer someday? If so, it’s never too early to start preparing! A career in law can be incredibly rewarding, but it requires a lot of hard work, dedication, and strategic study habits. Whether you're already set on pursuing a law degree or still exploring your options, developing strong study skills now will set you up for success in law school and beyond. In this guide, we’ll share study tips specifically for high school students who want to pursue a career in law.

1. Develop Critical Reading Skills

Lawyers must be excellent readers, able to understand complex documents and find key information quickly. You can start building your reading skills right now by focusing on active reading in your current classes. Whether you’re reading novels, history textbooks, or news articles, practice engaging with the text critically.

Highlight Key Information: When reading, mark important points or arguments that stand out. This will help you better understand and remember what you read.
Summarize in Your Own Words: After finishing a reading, try to summarize the main points in your own words. This will help improve your comprehension and prepare you for the type of legal reading you'll encounter in the future.
Ask Questions: While reading, ask yourself why the author made certain arguments or decisions. This helps you think critically, a skill that's essential for law.

By mastering active reading in high school, you’ll be better prepared for the large amount of reading required in law school.

2. Improve Your Writing Skills

Lawyers are also excellent writers, and law students write a lot! Strong writing skills are important for presenting arguments, analyzing issues, and writing essays. In high school, focus on building your writing skills in all subjects, not just English.

Practice Writing Essays: Whether it’s for English, history, or social studies, take every essay assignment seriously. The ability to organize your thoughts, present an argument, and back it up with evidence will be critical in law school.
Get Feedback: Don’t hesitate to ask your teachers for feedback on your writing. This can help you improve your grammar, clarity, and overall writing style.
Write with Purpose: Law school requires you to be concise and to the point. Start practicing now by eliminating unnecessary words and focusing on the clarity of your argument.

Good writing takes practice, so the more you write in high school, the better prepared you will be for the writing demands of law school.

3. Learn How to Argue Persuasively

Lawyers need to be skilled at making persuasive arguments. You don’t have to wait for law school to practice this! You can start sharpening your debating skills by participating in activities that encourage critical thinking and persuasion.

Join Debate or Speech Clubs: Many high schools offer debate or public speaking clubs where you can practice forming arguments and defending your position. This is excellent preparation for law, where you’ll need to argue for or against various legal positions.

Engage in Class Discussions: Take advantage of opportunities to speak up in class, especially when discussing topics like history, politics, or literature. Try to present your views clearly and back them up with evidence.

Persuasive speaking and thinking will help you excel in your future law studies, especially during mock trials and courtroom simulations.

4. Get Organized: Study Skills for Success

Law school requires excellent time management and organizational skills. You can start developing these habits now by getting organized in your high school studies.

Create a Study Schedule: Balancing multiple classes and assignments can be tricky, so it's important to develop a study schedule. Get used to planning out your week and setting time aside for reading, homework, and revision.
Use a Planner: Keep a planner or digital calendar where you track important dates like exams, assignments, and extracurricular activities. Staying organized is essential when preparing for law school, where deadlines and time management are crucial.
Break Down Tasks: Large assignments can be overwhelming, so practice breaking them into smaller tasks. For example, if you have an essay due in a week, break it into steps—research, outlining, writing, and editing—so you can tackle each part without rushing.

Good organizational skills will be invaluable once you enter law school, where the workload can be intense.

5. Start Building Legal Knowledge Early

Although you don’t need to have a deep knowledge of law in high school, it can be helpful to start familiarizing yourself with basic legal concepts and how the legal system works.

Read About Law: There are many books and resources that explain the law in simple terms. You can start with introductory books about law, the justice system, or famous legal cases.

Follow Legal News: Pay attention to legal issues in the news. By staying informed about current events, you can start understanding how laws affect society. This is important for future lawyers who need to be aware of societal and legal trends.

Take Electives Related to Law: If your school offers courses in government, civics, or business law, take them! These subjects will provide a basic understanding of legal principles and how government and the legal system function.

Building a foundational understanding of legal principles now will make law school concepts easier to grasp when you begin formal studies.

6. Prepare for Law Entrance Exams Like CLAT

In many countries, students need to pass an entrance exam like the CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) in India to get into law school. Preparing for these tests in advance can give you an advantage.

Focus on Critical Thinking and Logical Reasoning: Exams like CLAT often include sections that test your critical thinking, logical reasoning, and problem-solving skills. High school students can start sharpening these skills through practice tests or by solving logic puzzles.
Improve Your General Knowledge: Entrance exams also tend to test current affairs and general knowledge. Stay updated by reading newspapers, magazines, and online news sources, and make sure to cover topics such as history, politics, and economics.
Take Mock Tests: As you get closer to your final year of high school, start taking mock tests for law entrance exams. This will help you become familiar with the test format and manage time effectively.

By preparing early for law school entrance exams, you’ll have a stronger chance of scoring well and securing a spot at a top law school.

7. Join Extracurriculars Related to Law and Leadership

Law is a career that involves leadership, teamwork, and community engagement. Participating in extracurricular activities that build these skills will give you a head start.

Mock Trial or Moot Court: Some high schools offer mock trial or moot court competitions. These activities give you a chance to practice legal research, writing, and argumentation in a simulated courtroom environment.
Leadership Roles: Join student government or take leadership roles in clubs or organizations. Lawyers often take on leadership positions, so developing these skills in high school can be beneficial.
Community Service: Volunteering and engaging in community service will not only look great on your law school application but will also help you understand social justice issues, an important area for many aspiring lawyers.

These activities help you gain practical experience, build confidence, and strengthen your application for law school.

Conclusion

As a high school student aspiring to study law, developing strong study skills, gaining legal knowledge, and participating in relevant extracurricular activities will set you up for success. The path to becoming a lawyer may seem long and challenging, but by building a solid foundation now, you can confidently pursue your dream.

Start with these tips to sharpen your reading, writing, and argumentation skills. Focus on becoming organized and developing critical thinking abilities. By preparing early, you'll have a head start on your law school journey and be better equipped to handle the demands of a legal career.