Having completed law school, here are the things I would do in first year to set myself up for success. Hopefully my experience can help you smash first year!

Grades

Grades are a large factor in whether you get a job, especially at a top tier firm if that is the goal. It is critical to maximise your marks in law school.

Hard work is key. But hard work can be multiplied by working smart and structuring your study plan to set yourself up for success.

Study plan

Backload your study plan. Reduce the amount of units you do early on in your degree compared to the end.

Backloading will allow you to maximise your grades, particularly at the points in time which they matter. Clerkship applications use your grades from the first 3 semesters of your studies and graduate applications use your grades from the first 5 semesters of your degree. Firms will not notice or care if you underload by a unit each semester — but it will allow you to dedicate more time to the study of each unit. Further compounding the benefit, when you catch up the units later in your degree, you will have the study strategies in place to complete a law unit efficiently compared to earlier in your degree.

I backloaded by doing 3 units in each of my first 2 semesters, instead of the recommended 4 units. I then made up for these lost units by taking intensive units and overloading my final 2 semesters.

Completing intensive units should be the priority before overloading. Intensive units are generally run during university breaks which allows you to dedicate more focus to the unit. They are also usually easier than semester long units as there is less time to cover content.

Work smart

Study efficiently, not traditionally. Focus on what will actually help you get better grades, not what you think “studying law” should look like.

One of the biggest traps I have seen is students wasting time by studying ineffectively. People often fall into the habit of reading every prescribed case front-to-back, working through entire textbook chapters, or writing detailed notes full of niche points that will never be useful in a time-pressured exam. None of that matters if it doesn’t help you perform better in assessments.

Instead, read case summaries — from your textbook, a citator like jade.io, or reliable online sources. Skim textbook chapters and only read in depth where your lecture notes are thin or your understanding is shaky. Build your notes around exam-ready answer structures, not around memorising nuanced legal debates that are unlikely to be tested.

I never read a full case unless I absolutely had to. I focused on filling gaps in my lecture notes and organising everything into ready-to-use templates for exams. It saved time and improved my results.

Wellbeing

Prioritise your health and relationships over your grades. Good grades might land you a good job. A good job might land you a good income. But none of it matters if you don’t have the physical or mental health to enjoy it — or people to share it with.

Grades should never come at the expense of your wellbeing. There are some non-negotiables that I prioritise no matter what.

First, fitness. Running and working out gives me the mental resilience to study and perform at my best.

Second, relationships. I won’t pretend I’ve always gotten this right — there have been semesters where I let socialising fall by the wayside. Ironically, my grades suffered for it. I do my best study when I have something to look forward to on the weekend. It reminds me why I’m doing the work in the first place: to build a life I enjoy with the people around me.

Third, hobbies outside of law. Law can easily take over your life if you let it. Having something outside of it — whether it’s sport, music, or anything else — keeps things fresh. When you come back to your work, it feels new again, not like a grind.

Career

Get career-minded early — but don’t stress if you’re not.

As a first-year, I was unusually eager to get my foot in the door at law firms. Most people aren’t. And that’s completely fine. I know plenty of people who didn’t even know what a clerkship was until second year and still ended up landing multiple offers.

What you do in first year isn’t make or break. But getting career-focused early can give you a head start — and it helps you put your studies into perspective by reminding you what you’re working towards.

Legal experience

Try to get some legal experience in your first year — but be smart about where you look.

If you’re aiming for commercial law, it’s rare to land a paralegal job at a top tier firm early on. These firms usually reserve paralegal spots for former clerks to test them further or keep them engaged before graduate offers. Instead, target mid-tiers or boutique firms for early experience.

If you have connections, use them. There’s no shame in it — others in your position would (and probably are). If not, keep an eye on job boards like Seek and LinkedIn Jobs, or even try cold emailing firms directly. It is also worth exploring whether your university law society posts exclusive roles in a job opportunities board.

If you can’t land a firm job — or you want to explore something different — seriously consider volunteering at a community legal centre. I understand that not everyone can afford to work for free, but if you can, it’s one of the best ways to build skills, give back to your community, and discover areas of law you might not have considered before.

Career resources

Flick through your university’s law careers guide in first year.

Each year, law societies usually put out a careers guide packed with tips for landing legal jobs and profiling the major firms in your state. They’re especially useful in first year to get a feel for the legal market in your city.

You don’t need to read every word. But have a flick through — it’ll give you a head start in understanding how the industry works and what firms are out there.

You can find the career guides and handbooks at the following links:

• Melbourne University Law Students’ Society (MULSS) Career Guide
• Sydney University Law Society (SULS) Career Guide
• Blackstone Society (UWA) Career Handbook

Pre-penultimate programs

Get involved in pre-penultimate programs if you’re aiming for top tier clerkships.

From what I’ve seen, doing a pre-penultimate program with a firm seriously boosts your chances of landing an interview — and often a clerkship offer down the track. These programs aren’t really about building your legal skills. They’re about getting a feel for the firm’s vibe (or, in HR speak, its “culture”) and starting to build connections early (HR word: “networking”).

Here are some of the pre-penultimate programs run by top tier firms:

• King & Wood Mallesons’ Insight Program
• Herbert Smith Freehills’ Pre-Penultimate Workshops
• Allens’ Dive In
• Clayton Utz’s CU Up Close

Extracurriculars

Extracurriculars can definitely benefit you, but don’t let them take over.

Having a consistent stream of extracurriculars on your resume during university will help when the clerkship period rolls around. They’re also a great way to socialise and meet like-minded people. I got involved in activities related to my undergraduate degree and took part in law competitions during my postgraduate studies.

But extracurriculars shouldn’t be your priority, and they definitely shouldn’t cause your grades to slip. I’ve seen this most often with people deeply involved in their university’s law society. Sure, being active in your law society can open doors and help you build a solid network within the legal profession, plus it’s great for friendships. But if you’re going to dive into something time-consuming like this, make sure you’re still leaving enough time for study and for a social life outside of law school.

Support

One of the best parts of law school is the sense of camaraderie that develops within your cohort — usually born out of the shared struggle. Law school is tough, time-consuming, and a lot harder to tackle alone.

It’s important to build a close-knit group of friends you trust and can rely on. Not only is it great to have people with common interests, but having a group to share notes, swap practice exams, and discuss assignments can make all the difference.

Try and make friends with people further on in their degree. Their experience with studying and navigating the recruitment process will provide you with invaluable insights into best practice. They will also be able to help you out with notes from past years.

It’s also important to be friendly with everyone in your cohort, but steer clear of law school drama. Remember, these people will be your peers in the profession one day. And the legal world isn’t as big as it might seem — everyone knows everyone, and word travels fast.

Enjoyment

It’s easy to get caught up in the perceived prestige of law, but don’t forget to ask yourself whether you actually enjoy it.

Here’s a thought exercise — and be honest with yourself:

1. Identify your motivation for studying law. Is it driven by idealistic reasons like money, prestige, or power? Or is it because you have a genuine interest in the law or enjoy the intellectual stimulation it brings?
2. Aassess how much you value these motivations. For example, it’s totally valid to be motivated by the potential for a high income. But, honestly, do you value earning potential more than the work-life balance you may lose along the way?

Make sure you’re not just studying law because it “seems like a good choice.” Know your reasons and make sure they align with your values.