As soon as you review your practice paper, you need to identify if it contains anything that will be of help to you during the examination. You wouldn’t run for Congress while wearing scrubs, now would you? You also need to take into consideration that the questions on this exam are often quite hard and the format is often very controlled. If there’s anything in your paper that seems to resemble legal advice, then it probably is not the example that you really need to use. If you have any questions about how to take this test, you’re encouraged to contact your Law School Lawyer or visit an LSAT study center.
But what about the legal person examples that you’ve been assigned. How should you go about studying them? What do they have to tell you that you can use on the LSAT? There are a few key things to keep in mind when looking over your examples.
First, do not take everything that you read. It’s unlikely that you’ll remember every single word in every example that you’re given. However, you will want to pay close attention to the main idea. Once you have grasped the concept behind the example, it should be relatively easy to rework the question to fit the context that you were given. You may also find that you can reword some of the text to fit more explicitly into the example that you are given.
Second, use your best judgment. Even though these legal person examples were carefully chosen, your knowledge of the law does not necessarily mean that you can just blindly apply them. Take care to make sure that they are correct and that they reflect your current understanding of the law. If they do not, then you should consider taking another example or selecting another format for your study session.
Third, use your notes. Even if you get a perfect score on an example or quiz, sometimes you’ll still have a better idea of what a legal problem would look like when it is presented to a potential attorney. Use your notes as you research. Write down questions you don’t understand. Then, if necessary, you can look up similar questions on the internet or in local legal dictionaries.
Finally, use your common sense. Although legal term examples might seem very elementary, they are intended to be studied carefully. Take a look at the legal terminology used in the example, and then ask yourself whether you would use or pass up a particular legal term if you were in the same situation. Would you hire a lawyer to represent yourself in court? Would you feel comfortable if the judge or lawyers asked you hypothetical legal questions?
Using legal term examples in the classroom can be helpful, but they cannot serve as a replacement for good research. Do not let yourself fall into the trap of relying solely on these examples as you prepare for your own personal studies. You will still need to do your own research and learn for yourself. However, having a solid foundation in the basics of legal terminology, as well as the examples that support it, will help prepare you to take the test when you sit down to take it.
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