Academic Success Program & Peer Tutoring

UBC Law offers an Academic Success Program that provides a variety of resources to UBC Law students. This program includes Academic Success Presentations and handouts, the Peer Tutor Program, and links to other valuable academic resources. Kaila Mikkelsen, the Assistant Dean of Students, is also available to meet with students to discuss their academic questions and concerns. She can be contacted at: mikkelsen@law.ubc.ca. Students in the First Nations Legal Studies program may also contact Dana-Lyn Mackenzie, Associate Director, Indigenous Legal Studies, for additional support. She can be contacted at mackenzie@law.ubc.ca.
The following resources are also available on this page:

Academic Success Program Presentations & Handouts:

Academic Success Presentations are presented throughout the year by the Assistant Dean of Students and the Associate Director of First Nations Legal Studies. The presentations are aimed at providing first-year students with practical information and tools for their academic endeavors. In addition, the presentations allow a forum for students to ask questions and have their concerns addressed. Below are brief summaries of each presentation, as well as the relevant power points and handouts from each.

Law School Basics: An Academic Success Lecture (September)

This lecture provides information regarding effective academic strategies that can be used throughout the year including reading a case and preparing for and participating in class. Students may raise questions and concerns regarding their law school experience thus far, and what they can expect going forward.

CAN-ning for Success: An Academic Success Lecture (October)

This lecture provides information regarding effective methods for creating and utilizing Condensed Annotated Notes (CANs). This lecture helps students plan out how and when to CAN for their December Exams in order to ensure timely and effective studying.

Exam Writing Strategies: Tips for December Exams (November)

This lecture provides information regarding exam-writing techniques. Upper year students will also be present to share their own exam-writing experiences. This session can be very helpful for alleviating concerns about the first set of exams. Students are free to ask questions about the examination process and the best ways in which to succeed.

Re-vamping your Law School Strategy: An Academic Success Lecture (January)

This lecture provides direction to students who wish to adjust and refocus their academic strategies. January is an excellent time for first year students to review their December exams and their first semester to determine where improvements can be made. This lecture helps students refine their approach to studying and make positive changes for second semester.

Handouts/Resources:

Exam-Writing Strategies: Tips for April Exams (March)

This lecture provides additional exam-writing strategies that pertain to the increased duration and additional content of the April Exams. This is an important session for refining exam-writing strategies regardless of a student's performance in December.

Handouts/Resources:

Peer Tutor Program

UBC Law's Peer Tutor Program matches first-year students with upper-year student volunteers who provide guidance on study skills, learning strategies, and exam-writing strategies. Students will be matched with tutors according to their professors, their learning and study style, and their personality. This ensures both academic and personal compatibility for a positive learning experience.
In addition to one-on-one guidance, peer tutors also provide valuable input for the academic success lectures presented by the law school. (Please see above). Please note that Peer Tutors cannot provide assistance with legal research & writing, public law or transnational assignments, nor can they provide tutoring during the December or April exam periods.

Sign Up for Peer Tutoring

Students that are interested in being matched with a peer tutor should contact either Pamela Cyr (cyr@law.ubc.ca) or Darlene Johnston(djohnston@law.ubc.ca). Students should indicate the name of their small group, their learning style and any academic concerns they may have.

Other Resources

Academic Resources

CAN-ning Resources

http://www.ubclss.org/can_main.html

Exam Resources

Books (Available to be borrowed from Assistant Dean, Students)

Calleros, Charles R. Law School Exams: Preparing and Writing to Win. New York: Aspen Publishers, 2007.
Fischl, Richard M. and Jeremy Paul. Getting to Maybe: How to Excel on Law School Exams. North Carolina: Carolina Academic Press, 1999.
Hutchinson, Allan C. The Law School Book: Succeeding at Law School. Toronto: Irwin Law Inc., 2009.
McClurg, Andrew J. 1L of a Ride: A Well-Traveled Professor's Roadmap to Success in the First Year of Law School. Minnesota: Thomson/Reuters, 2009.
McKinney, Ruth A. Reading Like a Lawyer: Time-Saving Strategies for Reading Law Like an Expert. North Carolina: Carolina Academic Press, 2005.
Ramy, Herbert N. Succeeding in Law School. North Carolina: Carolina Academic Press, 2006.

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