Most law schools offer a rigorous first-year curriculum that includes study of civil procedure, jurisdiction, standing to sue, and motions. Students also study the Constitution and Bill of Rights in detail. These topics provide a foundation for understanding and analyzing legal concepts. Students should also expect to spend a large amount of time studying case law and the history of the legal system.

Laws serve a variety of purposes, including the preservation of the status quo, ensuring individual rights, protecting minorities against the majority, and promoting social justice and orderly social change. Some legal systems are more effective than others in achieving these objectives. Authoritarian governments can use law to oppress their political opponents and minorities. In the past, colonialism often used law to impose peace and order in countries.

The work load in law school is usually significantly more rigorous than undergrad, so students must prepare for a full-time job. It is recommended that students devote at least forty hours per week to studying and reading. It is also crucial to make sure their time management skills are up to par. Unlike undergrad, law school requires analytical skills and a deeper understanding of the subject.

Hayek disdainfully described legislation as an exercise of the will of powerful officials. But he argued that the principles were moral and necessary for law-making.