TOP BOOKS TO READ IF YOU WANT TO STUDY
LAW
AT UNIVERSITY www.immerse.education
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If you are interested in studying Law at university then you will be no stranger to the notion that the study of Law requires a lot of reading.
With so much literature to choose from, which reading should a prospective student prioritise? Immerse Education is here to help. We spoke with our mentor team who are currently studying Law at top universities to ask them which books they think a young law student should read before applying.
Table of Content The list below is some of the titles they recommended in no particular order. Is Eating People Wrong? ���������������������������� 4 by Allan C. Hutchinson
Eve was Framed ���������������������������������������� 5 by Helena Kennedy QC
Letters to a Law Student ��������������������������� 6 by Nicholas McBride
The Rule of Law ����������������������������������������� 7 by Tom Bingham
The Republic ���������������������������������������������� 8 by Plato
What About Law? �������������������������������������� 9 by Catherine Barnard, Janet O’Sullivan and Graham Virgo
Learning The Law ������������������������������������ 10 by Glanville Williams
Bleak House ��������������������������������������������� 11 by Charles Dickens
Is Eating People Wrong? by ALLAN C. HUTCHINSON
‘Is Eating People Wrong’ gives a really entertaining overview of some key cases and arguments throughout history.
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n this book, Hutchinson explores great legal cases, decided in common law systems, and how they shaped the world we currently live in. It offers some contextual in-depth analysis of the social circumstances in which the cases arose. It examines the consequences of these decisions within those same legal systems. These are the questions a law student will have to consider during his/ her studies. Why is eating people considered wrong? Why is racial segregation considered wrong and no longer legally practiced? Who owns a fox? The person who chases it or the person who caught it? By outlining the decisions, and the socio-political circumstances leading up to these cases, prospective students benefit from a 360º view of the reasoning employed by the judges and the consequences that followed. Furthermore, Hutchinson does not disconnect these debates from the central idea that the common law is an experimental, dynamic, clumsy, and bottomup process, hence unveiling the uncoordinated attempts courts have made to adapt the law accordingly to shifting conditions. This is an observation that bleeds into all the discussions that a law student is expected to engage with. Finally, the great thing about ‘Is eating people wrong?’ is that it is very accessible and memorable, so you more likely to recall the examples it gives during an interview.
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Eve was Framed by HELENA KENNEDY QC
‘Eve was Framed’ looks at the law from a female perspective, highlighting areas of direct or indirect discrimination, and the ways in which they could be reformed.
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aroness Kennedy is the perfect role model for any prospective candidate. She is a human rights campaigner, alongside being a successful and highly respected barrister specialising in criminal law and civil liberties. ‘Eve Was Framed’ involves a brutal dissection of the British legal system. The focus of the text is largely on the difficulties faced by women within this legal system and provides a depiction of what the justice system is like to experience through the lens of the female victim, defendant, practitioner and judge. She explores why the system should be reconstructed to accommodate all sorts of individuals. Kennedy makes broader assessments of the inequalities suffered by similarly disadvantaged groups. It is an interesting text because not only does it give an insight into the workings of the system, it also highlights its flaws and raises controversial questions that really open up one’s mind. This text goes beyond simply teaching the reader about the legal system, rather it encourages them to consider complex questions of policy, which in turn leads to a more intimate understanding of the law. Helena Kennedy QC, as a leading British barrister, is an inspirational figure, and her published written work likewise. The book, although over twenty years old, still seeks relevance today, in highlighting historical and continuing inadequacies of the Anglo-Welsh legal system.
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Letters to a Law Student by NICHOLAS MCBRIDE
A recommended read for any prospective student who is interested in pursuing law academically.
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etters to a Law Student’ not only covers whether studying law is right for an individual, but also provides guidance on how to prepare for studying. McBride equips his readers with key preparatory information and conveys the idea throughout that studying law is an enlightening and rewarding process. It is extremely thorough, accessible, and covers the most basic aspects of being a law student. By setting out the skills required, and how you can develop them, in a simple, ‘letter’ format, aspiring law students can become acquainted with the abilities demanded of them, laid out in a way that actually makes you want to read it ( a rarity, in law!). This book is helpful due to the comprehensive advice offered: comprising a series of letters, it begins by approaching the question of whether law is right for you and what university to pick. It is also a helpful resource for the first months of a law degree since it offers important advice on how to read cases, statutes, and redact your first law essay. The strongest point of this book concerns not only its versatility, but also its informal tone - it includes all terminology and in-depth explanations without alienating the reader. As well as exploring key ideas, McBride provides practical advice from how to read and analyse cases, through to preparing for life after studying law. In summary, this book introduces prospective law students to the legal themes that will be present in the entirety of their degrees: the need to be a critical thinker and to avoid traps such as relativism and the quest for certainty; the structure of the courts and appeals system in England and Wales; and how to engage with cases and judgements on an analytical level.
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The Rule of Law by TOM BINGHAM
Recommended by virtually every law school, ‘The Rule of Law’ is truly Law 101.
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he Rule of Law’ sets out the basic frameworks of the British legal system, amidst a background of its inherent problems. This book is truly ‘Law 101’, a future law student will feel as though they have acquired a rudimentary knowledge of the basics of law. An essential read for all students contemplating studying law in England, it gives an excellent introduction to core constitutional norms and values. Tom Bingham held several prominent judicial positions and is widely regarded as one of the greatest lawyers of his time. Here, Bingham provides a succinct and contemporary view of English legal history and attempts to depoliticise the phrase ‘the rule of law’. The book explores the rule of law by reference to principles he believes it comprises, including equality before the law and protection of human rights. Bingham elaborates on these principles using general theory as well as brief case studies, several of which come from cases he was involved in. The topics covered in this book, such as human rights, are of broad relevance to all undergraduate law modules and are crucial to specific areas encountered at various stages of a law degree, such as constitutional law and international law. These essential concepts shape how society functions by preventing the abuse of powers and fostering equitable solutions to a range of social, political and legal problems. Bingham’s judgements and writings made notable contributions to constitutional, international and comparative law. As such, his last book, ‘The Rule of Law’, is an accessible seminal text that is a must-read for students considering studying law at university.
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The Republic by PLATO
Plato’s ‘The Republic’ is a classic text and crucial to developing a multi-disciplinary understanding of law.
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spiring law students will benefit from becoming familiar with following arguments to logical conclusions (essential for reading primary case law), arguing by analogy, and considering the relationship between groups of individuals and the individual and the state. The concept of ‘philosopher kings’ should make those wishing to study law think about the roles that governments play in everyday life, and the advantages and pitfalls of the different ways of ordering civil society. Plato’s exploration of justice is described as the freedom to follow one’s own pursuits to the best of one’s abilities so long as it does not interfere with another’s right to the same. This classification of justice is instrumental to the study of jurisprudence and human rights law, and taken as a whole, the book also functions as a dystopian warning of totalitarian regimes.
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What About Law? by C ATHERINE BARNARD, JANET O’SULLIVAN AND GRAHAM VIRGO
‘What About Law’ is a popular introduction to academic legal study with contributions from distinguished Cambridge academics.
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hat About Law’ has an accessible style which makes it easy for college students and others to understand legal concepts and even form personal connections to these concepts. Despite its apparent simplicity, the book encourages critical thinking about the core modules that make up an undergraduate law degree by devoting a narrative chapter to each. As a result, the information in this book remains relevant throughout any legal degree as the seven core modules (Criminal Law, Law of Contract, Law of Tort, Land Law, Equity, Constitutional Law, and European Union Law) will normally be spread out across all the years of the degree. Written by some of the most prominent Cambridge law academics, the book offers a wonderfully concise and informative introduction to studying Law at university. The seven core modules must be studied for one to practise law in the UK and the book usefully splits each core module into its own chapter to make for easy reading. The authors discuss various key topic areas in each core subject and even use real-life cases as examples to aid understanding. It is a short read, but nonetheless extremely useful, and most law undergraduates will have read this text whilst at sixth form.
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Learning The Law by GLANVILLE WILLIAMS
It focuses on establishing a basic knowledge and understanding of the English legal system, particularly the hierarchy of the courts
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earning the Law’ focuses on establishing a basic knowledge and understanding of the English legal system, particularly the hierarchy of the courts as well as the role of the European Union in shaping English law. Williams also explains how to conduct legal research and how moots work, and gives advice on general exam techniques as well. Though this is is not generally taught at university as a module, it is nevertheless incredibly important, especially in understanding the policy and detail of the law. This book can, sometimes, be quite dry but is representative of what it is like to study law. If you enjoy this book, then you will enjoy even the most technical and pernickety parts of the legal system, which can, from time to time, be quite tedious. This book offers a crash course in the topics at the core of the English legal system and therefore is an excellent taster for those who desire to pursue an interest in the law further. It is especially good for international students who have very little understanding of the English legal system, as it allows the reader to gain an insight into the way that it functions.
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Bleak House by CHARLES DICKENS
A wonderfully rich satire of the British judicial system as it functioned in the mid-19th Century.
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leak House’ is an exceptionally long read, and can be a bit tedious in places, but is a wonderfully rich satire of the British judicial system as it functioned in the mid-19th Century. Through its exaggerated caricatures and dry use of tone, ‘Bleak House’ provides an illuminating perspective on the nature of the law at its most convoluted. The law can sometimes be quite difficult to follow and understand, hence the need for constant reform in practice. Whilst it is, at its heart, a satire, there is some truth to be found in the notion that the law does not always make sense. ‘Bleak House’ allows potential law students to explore their interest in the law on a more soft-hearted level than non-fiction books allow. It provides another lens through which they can explore the study of law.
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