There are books that we read and keep them back on the shelf and then there are books that we read and keep them back on the shelf and also remember them for the rest of our lives.
This article will deal with 10 such must read books for law students and also typical best law books for non-lawyers or students.
Table of Contents
1. Letters to a law student
This is one of those books to read before law school. Conversations in this book are through a series of letters from a professor to a student who wants to pursue law. The beginning of the book was especially very interesting to me:
A young aspiring student asks his uncle, ‘What is Law?’. His uncle tells him that it is a conversation among lawmakers on what type of society we should live in.
He further adds, suppose you are planning on a vacation with your friends. You along with your friends sit down to discuss your itinerary. You have to decide your locations, your budget, who is going to handle what, and similar other things. The same way, It is a discussion among lawmakers on what sort of society should we live in.
So when we say, ‘What does the law say on such and such topic?’ we are generally referring to ‘Where are our lawmakers in their conversation about such and such thing?’
What is law?
2. Justice: What’s the right thing to do?
This book written by Professor Sandel from Harvard Law School is one of the best books for lawyers to read which will give you some compelling ideas as to what is justice. “Big thinking…an ambitious and appealing idea” truly.
Professor Sandel is also famous for his lectures on JUSTICE, you can check it out on YOUTUBE and it is one of the MUST read books for every law student. This will give you one perfect perspective to look at things.
There’s one disclaimer though, you will only learn what you’ve already known.
Buy the book from here: Paper back (Amazon)
3. Magna Carta
The first-ever document in King James I’s time that laid down the rights of individuals. This is a symbol of liberty today. Every law student must read this book. It might be boring but the information that it contains will help you in many ways in your understanding of the law. In this career, you will come across the word Magna Carta a zillion times. It would definitely help you.
4. To Kill A Mockingbird
There is also a movie of the same name that I had recommended in the Top 10 Best Movies Every Law Student Must Watch. This book is proved to be life-changing for many.
5. One L
This is one of those books to read if considering law school. This book will tell you the struggle of a First-year law student at Harvard Law School. This story will help you get over most of the problems that you may face while you’re still at Law school. At least, for the sake of Inspiration, you have to read this book.
6. Landmark Judgments That Changed India
If you’re from INDIA, this is one holy book for you. Landmark Judgments That Changed India talks about several judgements over the course of time that India has seen and how these judgments changed the course for INDIA.
Every law student must read this book because it also talks about several theories and doctrines forming the basis of the Judgments stated in the book.
7. Before Memory Fades
![Before Memory Fades: An Autobiography by [Fali S. Nariman]](https://www.amazon.in/images/I/41AieIDqFRL.jpg)
Fali S. Nariman was a senior supreme court Lawyer and he is also a well-known Jurist.
As his profile states, Nariman moves on to deal with a wide variety of important subjects, such as, the sanctity of the Indian Constitution and attempts to tamper with it. crucial cases that have made a decisive impact on the nation, especially on the interpretation of the law, the relationship between the political class and the judiciary, the cancer of corruption, and how to combat this menace, the author outlines measures to restore the now-low credibility of the legal profession, he also delineates his role in several high-profile cases. This is definitely one of the best books of law that you’ll read.
8. The Tools of Argument: How the Best Lawyers Think, Argue, and Win
As the name of the book states, How the Best Lawyers THINK, ARGUE, and WIN is definitely one of the must read books for law students. The more exposure you have on such topics, the more you will WIN at law school, eventually. The best books for law students in India are those that help them learn the tricks of the trade and guide them through their course with confidence and clarity. One such book is “The Tools of Argument: How the Best Lawyers Think, Argue, and Win” written by Professor Joel P. Trachtman.
This book also makes a great choice in the list of good books for law students because it provides a number of tools required to excel at legal argumentation which are laid out clearly in a step-by-step manner.
“Law, like taxes in the words of the great judge Oliver Wendell Holmes, is the price of civilization.”
9. The Rule of Law
![The Rule of Law by [Tom Bingham]- must read books for law students](https://www.amazon.in/images/I/51IdFXsBmbL._SY346_.jpg)
The Rule of Law needs to explanation. Law students already know the importance of this rule. Give your ideas on What is the Rule of law? a quick sharpening.
As the cover page suggests, it is a gem of a book.
10. 24 hours with 24 Lawyers
Spend twenty-four hours with twenty-four lawyers through this book, 24 Hours with 24 Lawyers. Whether you want to ride the corporate tide, work as a legal consultant while pursuing your music career, or anything in between, this book gives you an access pass into the real-world, real-time personal and professional lives of twenty-four law school graduates. It Falls within the category of fun books for law students.
These working Lawyers each present you with a “profile” chronicling a typical twenty-four-hour day in their traditional and non-traditional careers.
You will read actual twenty-four-hour accounts from the perspective of a venture capitalist, Wall Street lawyer, lobbyist, entertainment lawyer, IP attorney, sports broadcaster, JAG officer, prosecutor, criminal defense lawyer, mediator, and politician, and etc.
If you’re look for Academic law books for LLB or any other legal courses, you may be interested in:
> Evidence Law Books for LLB Students
> Constitutional Law Books for LLB Students
Conclusion
The books on this list are only the tip of the iceberg. There are so many other fascinating, thought-provoking reads out there for law students to enjoy! What are some other interesting legal texts you’ve read? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll put together a reading list just for law school graduates.
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Passionate about using the law to make a difference in people’s lives. An Advocate by profession.
