1L

Harvard Law School (HLS) first-year students are some of the most famous academic cutthroats--immortalized in books like One-L and The Paper Chase as overstressed backstabbers.

But times have changed.

Changes in the teaching style and overall atmosphere of HLS have made life as a "one-L" better today than ever before, according to long-time observers of law student life.

But that's not all--a new self-appointed social coordinator has helped one-L's get a nightlife this year, scheduling parties and "bar reviews" and helping one-L's help each other with schoolwork.

Back in the Day

Alan S. Geismer, who graduated from HLS in 1975, says that because many people came to HLS right out of college, they were still in full competitive mode.

"A lot of people who came in were still at full speed, and hadn't taken time off," he says. "There were people who were terrified that they had done well in college and had to keep it up."

He said the atmosphere, which included pressure to succeed at the expense of others, was thought to be essential to becoming a lawyer.

"They want you to come into the lawfirms socialized into the profession," Geismer says. "They wanted you to see the world through lawyers eyes."

Current HLS professor Todd Rakoff, who also graduated from HLS in 1975, says that the tone of the school, though it was never overwhelmingly bad, has changed quite a bit since he was there.

"I had heard that it was a terrifying, mean, competitive and aggressive place," Rakoff says. "But I didn't think that the students were cutthroat and competitive. I think it was a colder place than it is now."

Institutional changes at HLS, according to students there, include a less confrontational class environment and more opportunities for one-L's to be involved in extracurriculars.

Today, Rakoff says that he sees much less of the competition among students, and much more camaraderie.

"From what I see, there is very little nasty competitive behavior in class," he says. "Almost never does someone say something just to put someone else down. They are much more likely to articulate opinions to advocate a certain point of view."

He says that the overwhelming competition between students was often distracting from classroom activity.

"When I went there, there was a little bit more of a feeling that in class you were trying to win against other students," he says.

From a professor standpoint, Rakoff says that the current situation is fairly amiable.

A One-L for the 21st Century

From day one, HLS one-L T.J. Duane says, he decided that the one-L's needed a new face.

He started coordinating social events, on the premise that if people have a certain degree of camaraderie, they will be less likely to backstab and treat other students with less than adequate respect.

"I expected a lot of leaders," Duane says of his start at HLS. But, finding no one to take the initiative socially, he took the reins himself.

Duane has created a Web site for law school students that tells them when parties and social events are being held and where they can find their fellow students outside the classroom.

"Everyone came in not knowing what it would be like," he said.

Since it's inception, the Web site has had over 6,000 hits, indicating that--among a 550-person class--people are coming back from week to week.

Duane says that 150 to 200 people make up the core group of those who attend the weekend social events, but that many others come from time to time.

He organizes weekly "dorm parties," which because they are held in the immediate area, he says, are very well attended.

On Thursday nights, he says, they hold a "bar review", which takes the students to a different bar each week.

Duane says he has been told by two-L's and three-L's that this year's one-L class is considerably better than past first year classes in terms of competitiveness giving way to compatibility

Duane has also organized a notes exchange, in which students can get notes from other members of the class, but only if you also submit your notes. He says that nearly everyone has subscribed to the list.