Ivy Briefs: True Tales of a Neurotic Law Student

I am a pre-law advisor. For years, I recommended that my pre-law students read the classic law-school memoir: One-L, by Scott Turow. Several of my students who have gone on to law school have told me, though, that reading One-L actually hurt them, because it scared them so much. They also found it somewhat inaccurate (probably because law professors are rethinking their use of the Socratic method since Turow's time). My new recommendation: Ivy Briefs. In fact, I will be making Ivy Briefs required reading in any class that is even somewhat related. It provides a look into how lawyers are socialized but it certainly won't scare anyone: Ivy Briefs had me laughing aloud. In short, after graduating from University of Wisconsin with a degree in psychology, Kimes floundered around about what to do with her life. Out of default, as she says, she went to law school. In fact, aided by a phenomenal LSAT score, she got into and attended Columbia. Because her decision had been made in haste, however, when she went, she didn't know what torts or commercial outlines or hornbooks or Law Review or Moot Court were. Ivy Briefs describes how she learned these lessons and went on to a successful career at Lavish Law Firm in NYC. This is a must-read for anyone contemplating law school.

What a delightful book. I read this book for my reading club and I was concerned that it would be boring, technical and irrelevant to me. I couldn't have been more wrong. This book is for anyone who has ever had a moment of insecurity. Yes, it takes place at an Ivy League law school and gives wonderful insight into the life of a law student. But Kimes also manages to touch on many universal life moments (feeling like an outsider, pretest jitters, loss of a friendship, obsession, paranoia, new love,) It is these subjects that make it a wonderful book for discussion. It is written with wit and charm and tremendous style and reads a mile a minute. You can feel the whirl of Martha's life about her and you enjoy every page of it. I highly recommend it. She has a nice set of discussion questions posted on her website too.

I just finished my first year at a Top 20 law school, and it is downright terrifying how well Martha captured the experience. I couldn't put the book down. I had to see what she would say or do next. I even found myself laughing out loud (thankfully I did not read the book in public). This was the perfect book to inject some much needed humor into a challenging situation! It was utterly hilarious, and helped to put a more sane perspective on things. And, unlike One L, it covers the second and third years of law school and all the rites of passage that come with those years. And the dreaded Bar Exam. Oh, joy! I absolutely loved the book.

Like most recent law students, I read "One L" and watched "Paper Chase" - ultimately neither truly represented the law school environment of the last 20 years. THIS book, however, is scary real. I honestly feel like the author must have been watching me play solitaire on my computer in Civ Pro or cursing the Gunner in Con Law. And, I think I interviewed with the same joker my 2L year! For those who have not yet attended law school: READ THIS and take a good, hard look at yourself and where you want to be - because it could save you a lot of angst and hand-wringing down the line. For those of us who have finished law school (and are willing to be self-critical and laugh a little about people): if you want to laugh and shiver at the same time...READ THIS. The author's wit and her critical, descriptive analysis of the caricatures surrounding her during her law school experience are simply hilarious and, unfortunately, extremely accurate. So - leave any pompous, self-righteous denial at home, check any elitism and sense of entitlement at the door, and get ready to laugh your butt off as you read about the stripped-down, bare-bones truth about law school. I have already recommended it to all my law school friends (and have given it to a few others as well)! I suggest you do the same! The book is simply AWESOME and I can't wait to read her next one!

I give you the types of readers who would enjoy this book. The LSAT Ace: With an ego inflated by his 180 score, he thinks the law school battle is already won. Safely and humanely, Kimes will take his ego down a few notches before The Gunner gets his chance. The current law school student: Kimes's book is perfect ammunition to fire at the loved ones in her life. "You see? It's not just me!" she proclaims, stabbing the book in the direction of anyone who dares to tell her to just chill out. The regretful non-lawyer: Looking back on her education, I, er, I mean SHE regrets that she didn't aim higher and often wishes she'd gone to law school. Kimes detailed reflection on her education in law erases my, er, I mean HER regret as she realizes that studying law isn't something she ever would have been passionate enough about to become successful, as Kimes was. No, the passion had less to do with studying briefs than it had to do with studying Chris Noth in his briefs. Written with humor and heart, Ivy Briefs has wide appeal.