Whether you’re entering law school directly out of college or after decades in the professional world, starting graduate school can be disorienting for even the most seasoned student. Upon hearing of the horrors of law school, such as the challenging course material, fast-paced instruction, and the stress of juggling it all, many 1Ls panic as orientation wraps up and lectures begin. To best understand class material, some believe they need to take intricate notes in every lecture; others make it their mission to find the most detailed course outlines from the most accomplished upperclassmen. For 1Ls, there is a path less trodden that may yield even better results: finding the right supplementary materials.
Supplementary materials refer to optional resources that students can use to enhance their understanding of the law and prepare for exams, in addition to the required casebooks and lectures. What makes these resources so valuable is that they are often prepared by legends in the field—law professors and practitioners that are so good at explaining legal concepts that they have built careers solely on selling these materials. Furthermore, supplementary resources are typically written with the standard 1L curriculum in mind, and thus are laser-focused on helping students prepare for exams. A good supplementary resource is, essentially, a cheat sheet for finals.
As a soon-to-be second year law student, using supplementary materials has been a game changer for my exam preparation. Because so many law school classes focus on high-level topics that require broad, policy-based understanding of the course material, rote memorization and notetaking alone are often inadequate for getting the top grades. In my experience, supplementary materials work better than any other resource in terms of introducing, framing, and explaining challenging law school concepts. If there’s one piece of advice I can give to a 1L, it is to invest in supplementary materials early and use them frequently.
In this blog post, I will outline some of the most popular supplementary resources out there, including ones I have personally used. This list is cultivated from my own research, personal experiences, and discussions with law school classmates. Just to note, I am not sponsored or paid by anyone to write this article—these recommendations come straight from the heart!
Emanuel Law Outlines and Emanuel Crunchtime
The best supplementary materials I have used so far have been the Emanuel Law Outlines, along with their shorter, more procrastination-friendly versions, the Emanuel Crunchtime series. I especially recommend the Emanuel materials for longer-credit 1L behemoths like Contracts and Property, which are often so conceptually dense and time-consuming that ripping out your hair one by one seems like a better use of your time then going back to page 1 of lecture notes. Fret not, 1Ls, for Emanuel Outlines are your go-to resource for a beginner-friendly, easy-to-digest guide on doctrinal classes. The Crunchtime series is especially valuable for studying during finals season— it is a set of streamlined, exam-focused study guides designed to help you actually make sense of the semester’s chaos. Inside these books, you’ll find:
Big-picture flowcharts that connect all the rules and exceptions in a visual way. (These were especially helpful when I was studying for Constitutional Law, where understanding how different branches and levels of government interact is crucial.)
Concise summaries that cut through the fluff and get you straight to the black-letter law.
Practice questions—short answer, multiple choice, and essay—with model answers so you can test your understanding.
Strategic exam tips woven throughout, so you know what professors are likely looking for.
The magic of CrunchTime is that it’s perfect for…well…crunch time. It doesn’t replace doing the reading or taking good notes, but when you need to pull everything together in the final weeks before exams, it’s like a personal tutor in book form.
Examples & Explanations (E&E) Series
The Examples & Explanations series, often referred to as E&Es, take a different approach to most other supplementary resources by centering legal hypotheticals, or hypos, at the core of their formula. Hypos are fictional legal scenarios presented to students to test your understanding and application of legal principles, and they are on every law school exam. The E&Es are designed to help you truly understand the law—not just memorize it—by illustrating helpful examples of convoluted legal concepts and testing your knowledge as you go.
Here’s what makes them so helpful:
Clear, conversational explanations of core concepts without the dense legalese.
Step-by-step breakdowns of tricky topics you’ll see in class (Contracts, Torts, Civil Procedure, and more).
Lots of practice hypos with detailed answers so you can see how the rules apply in real-world scenarios.
Progressive difficulty—questions start easy and get more challenging as you go, building your confidence along the way.
Unlike an outline, E&Es are meant to teach as you read. They’re perfect when you’re staring at a confusing case and thinking, “I have no idea what just happened.”
Pro tip: Read the relevant E&E chapter right after your class lecture—you’ll lock in the concept so it’s more familiar during finals.
Short & Happy Guides
Law school casebooks can be…well…long and sad. Not the Short & Happy Guides. These slim books are exactly what they sound like—concise, approachable overviews of core law school subjects written to actually make sense.
Why 1Ls love them:
Bite-sized format—usually under 200 pages.
Plain-English explanations that strip away unnecessary complexity.
Focused on the essentials—perfect for getting the big picture before diving into casebooks or outlines.
A dash of humor to make learning feel less like a chore.
They’re great for:
A pre-class preview so you’re not lost on day one.
A quick refresh before class discussions or cold calls.
Light review before exams, especially when you need to zoom out and see the big picture.
Personally, I have not used the Short & Happy Guides—not because I don’t find them useful, but because I discovered them too late in 1L to take advantage of them as a resource. Don’t be like me. These guides are very popular among 1Ls for a reason.
Pro tip: Read the Short & Happy Guide for a subject early in the semester, then use E&E or CrunchTime for deeper learning and exam prep.
Quimbee
Quimbee is a vetted and approved 1L companion and every student’s best friend. Quimbee gets a lot of buzz in law school circles, and for good reason—think of a vast digital library that has explanations for virtually any case, class, or legal concept you might encounter in law school. Quimbee is especially popular for their animated video explanations that humanize landmark cases, making them easy to decipher and understand.
Why it’s a favorite:
Case briefs for thousands of cases—perfect for checking your own notes (or catching up fast if you’re behind).
Video lessons that break down tough concepts in under 10 minutes.
Practice questions (multiple-choice, short answer, and essay) with detailed explanations.
Course outlines you can use to guide your own.
Bar prep resources you’ll actually use later on.
It’s like having a law school tutor available 24/7—whether you need to review a single case, master a tricky topic, or drill exam questions.
Pro tip: Invest in the Gold Plan. It really is worth it.
Honorable mention: Richard Freer’s BARBRI Course on Civil Procedure
Throughout your time in law school, you will undoubtedly hear Richard Freer’s name mentioned by fellow students. These students have likely earned an A in Civil Procedure, and have Richard Freer to thank. Why? Because Richard Freer just gets it. The man is a legend among student circles and various law school subreddits for his firm grasp on Civil Procedure and his talent for explaining it to clueless 1Ls. As one redditor noted:
I understand Civ Pro 1000x better through BARBRI, Richard Freer just has a way of presenting the information that resonates with me way better. However, I am worried that because I am taking it in way better, that means the information is not great.
The mark of any good supplementary resource is that it helps you understand material so well, it induces paranoia over the possibility that you’re simply not getting it.
Civil Procedure is a key 1L class, and doing well in it can open many doors. It’s also widely regarded as one of the toughest classes in 1L. Lighten your workload by taking Richard Freer’s BARBRI course in conjunction with your regular lectures. Who knows, it might just push you over to A-territory.
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In the whirlwind of 1L, having the right supplementary resources can be the difference between barely treading water and confidently swimming through finals season. These resources won’t do the work for you—you still need to read, think critically, and engage in class—but they can cut through the confusion and help you study smarter, not harder. Whether you’re a visual learner, a practice-question junkie, or someone who just needs the law explained in plain English, there’s a tool out there that can make your life infinitely easier. Start exploring early, figure out which ones click with your learning style, and you’ll thank yourself come exam time.
Su Aray is a first-generation Turkish-American and law student at Cardozo School of Law, where she serves as a Student Fellow at the Cardozo Law Institute in Holocaust and Human Rights. She received her undergraduate degree in Social Sciences at University College London where she participated in competitive debating, representing UCL at the 2020 World Universities Debating Championship. Born and raised in Turkey, then Germany, Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom, Su identifies as a “third-culture kid,” relating to many different cultures and perspectives.