This summer PDLG again held a boot camp for students about to begin their first year of law school and who had overcome significant obstacles in their pursuit of a legal career or who came from disadvantaged backgrounds or backgrounds that are underrepresented in the Philadelphia legal community. It was open to students enrolled as first year law students this fall at an area law school, as well as students for whom Philadelphia is home but who will attend law school somewhere else.

PDLG designed this course particularly for students who have no family members who are lawyers nor close ties to anyone who has recently attended law school and who therefore would benefit from an early introduction to the approach to learning, the concepts taught, the key things on which to focus and the essential skills to develop as part of the 1L law school experience.

The program ran from July 25-29, from 6 to 9 pm, with sessions held in Center City. The speakers and panelists included law school professors from area schools; experienced lawyers from law firms, corporate law departments, public interest law firms and even the current U. S. Attorney in Philadelphia; and 2L and 3L law students and law firm associates who were part of the PDLG Summer 1L Program.

Each night of the boot camp covered different topics of interest to first year law students:

• Night 1 – The Socratic method, law review, moot court, note-taking, study groups, asking questions of professors in and out of class, outlining, how to brief a case and the importance of 1L grades presented by law professors, law students and practicing lawyers.

• Nights 2 -4 - Two classes each night focused on the essential elements needed to understand the basic 1L courses, taught by professors who teach these courses at area law schools: civil procedure, torts, contracts, criminal law, property and constitutional law.

• Night 5 – The essential elements of Legal Methods courses (research and writing) taught by a professor who teaches this course at an area law school; a presentation by a law professor on the basic approach to studying and exam taking for law students and a panel onoptions for law school graduates. The evening ended with a reception for the students, speakers and PDLG members.