Gilbert Law Summaries on Administrative Law, 14th

The Gilbert series is surely the recommended supplement for all types of legal studies, though this particular book is best utilized in an encyclopedic "Cliff's Notes" sort of way. For reference and practice after the fact, this volume probably can't be beat, thanks to its breakdowns of complex topics into easily digestible chunks, and it's essential for advice on studying for exams. Note that I read this book to prepare for an administrative law class in advance, and found this to be an arduous experience due to the book's non-sequential layout and its assumptions of the reader's knowledge of technical terms and precedents. That's not a demerit because reading the book in that fashion is probably not the publisher's intention. However, I am docking the book one star for some aspects of its technical layout. Sometimes those digestible chunks of information are just too quick for comfort, with important statutes and precedent-setting cases being summed up in single anticlimactic sentences. Meanwhile the index is a real problem, especially with its use of annoying section numbers rather than page numbers. Also, the inclusiveness of the index is spotty at best, with many important and heavily-covered items not appearing in the index at all - most notably the 1981 Model State APA, which is all over the text but completely absent from the index. This book contains most of what you'll need for effective administrative law studies, but you may have some real difficulty in finding it. [~doomsdayer520~]

I looked at a few different study aids for admin law, and chose Gilbert's because it seemed to break down everything into simple terms. I was not disappointed. Not only does it make admin law easy to understand, but it has several charts and tables that clarified murky areas. For example, there was a chart that broke down the difference between rulemaking and adjudication, and one that explained the various levels of deference. It also has many useful exam tips, as well as review questions and a sample exam with detailed answers. Admin law wasn't my favorite subject (let's face it, it's quite boring), but Gilbert's helped me do pretty well.