I’m constantly on the lookout for mobile apps that make law school a little bit easier. Over the past two and a half years, I’ve tried a LOT. Some have been great, some have been so-so, and some have been…well, whatever the complete opposite of helpful is. Below I’ve rounded up the apps that have made the biggest difference in my law school career. I’ve also linked them if you’re interested in checking them out (no affiliate links, I promise – I’m not that cool).
1. Quimbee
Not to be dramatic or anything, but Quimbee basically saved my life during 1L. Before I started law school, I never really had a good concept of what the classes and work would be like (hint: it was nothing like Legally Blonde. SHOCKING, I know). The first few weeks of classes, I found myself having to read and re-read cases multiple times before I actually felt prepared to answer any questions in class.
Enter: Quimbee. Its main draw is as a repository of thousands of professionally-written case briefs from more than 190 casebooks. I started using it to preview the main points of a case (issue, brief facts, rule, and holding) before I started reading. For me, it made it a lot easier to identify and synthesize those concepts as I read through the actual full cases.
But Quimbee is much more than case briefs – they also offer outlines for some core classes, video lessons, review questions, resources for MPRE and bar prep, and academic/professional development resources. Honestly I think Quimbee is one of the best mobile apps for law school just based on the amount of *stuff* it offers.
The main downside: it’s not free. Well, to clarify- the app is free but access to the content isn’t. At $24 a month for the gold membership, it is one of the more expensive monthly subscriptions I have. I wholeheartedly feel that it’s worth it, though, just based on the number of resources it opens up (and the amount of time I save re-reading cases multiple times). I also plan to use it to get a jump on bar prep, especially since I will be ending my year on an internship. No real homework means I should probably be studying, right? Or, at least thinking about studying (*insert shrugging girl emoji here*).
2. Scanner Pro
Scanner Pro isn’t just one of the best mobile apps for law school – it’s an all-around practical app that everyone should have. There are a bunch of scanner apps on the market, but this one has been my favorite. This app turns your camera into a scanner and allows you to store anything that you scan as a digital version. You can also send whatever you scan via email, or save it to your Google Drive (see below), iCloud (if you use Apple tech), Dropbox, etc. I mainly use it to scan readings from the course reserve textbooks in the library, but it has come in handy for so many other things.
Need to send internship paperwork to HR? Scanner Pro.
School needs immunization records again? Scanner Pro.
Have to send a copy of an appraisal record to the insurance company because your cat played hide and seek with your engagement ring? SCANNER PRO.
I could go on, but I’ll spare you. Scanner Pro makes paperless communications a lot easier AND saves me from having to carry giant textbooks around. Win win!
3. GroupMe
GroupMe is a great mobile app for law school if you find yourself involved in a lot of group projects, study groups, student organizations, or just want to keep in touch with your friends. It’s a messaging app that specializes in group chats. During my 1L year, I was involved in a year-long group project with 14 classmates. We found that GroupMe was the best way for us to communicate as a group because it was cross-platform, didn’t require Facebook, and was easier to comprehend than a 15-person email chain. It made it a lot easier for us to arrange when we were planning to meet and who was doing what. Group projects can be, well…awful, but GroupMe can make them just a little bit easier.
4. Blackboard
[My school uses Blackboard as its learning management system (LMS). If you use something else (Moodle, Canvas, etc.), I recommend checking to see if they offer a mobile app.]
If your school, like mine, uses Blackboard as its primary LMS, the Blackboard app is extremely helpful. To me, trying to navigate Blackboard with the regular browser on my phone is a huge pain in the you-know-what. The Blackboard app makes it much more mobile-friendly. I can view course syllabi, class schedules, and upcoming assignments.
This app is especially helpful if any of your courses are online, or if your professor uses it to collect assignments. I took an online course on data regulation and compliance this past quarter, and the app allowed me to work on assignments during my commute. I was able to use my T time to answer discussion posts and take the assigned quizzes. For another course, I was able to submit an assignment straight from my phone. This comes in handy if, say, you are prone to “misremembering” deadlines, which definitely does NOT apply to me (*cough* definitely me *cough*).
In summary, the Blackboard app (or the app for whatever LMS your school uses) is one of the best mobile apps for law school for general accessibility, but also if you like to make good use of your commute (like me) or if you are “forgetful”/a procrastinator (also like me).
5. The Google Suite (Drive/Docs/Sheets)
OK so this is technically three different apps, but bear with me. I like to think of them as a suite, and they all reside in one folder on my phone. So, to me, sort of one app. I digress.
Google Drive is great for storing and accessing documents if you trust the cloud more than your computer. It’s also perfect for sharing documents with classmates. For example, students at my school have created a Drive folder for sharing class outlines, which has been incredibly helpful.
Google Docs is essentially a cloud-based word processor, and another helpful tool for collaboration with classmates. In the past, I have used Docs to work on outlines with a study group, but it is also perfect for collaborative note taking in class. Since it’s cloud-based, it makes it incredibly easy to go between working on your computer to working on your phone. Another win for commute multi-tasking!
Google Sheets is basically cloud-based Excel. I like to keep a running list of the assignments I’m working on with their due date and the progress I have made (a habit I picked up at my last internship). And, like Google Docs, I can edit my work on both my computer and my phone.
6. Coffee (Starbucks/Dunkin’) Mobile Apps
Mobile ordering is probably at the top of my list for favorite inventions of all time. Not only can I get my caffeine fix even if I’m running late, but I can also avoid subjecting people to my pre-caffeine demeanor (it ain’t pretty, just ask my husband). And trust me when I say this – if you don’t drink coffee before law school, there’s a 99% chance you will by the end of those three long years.
My campus has both (multiple) Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks within walking distance, so I use both apps pretty regularly. I usually keep enough money loaded onto them so that they’re convenient even if I don’t mobile order. These apps make quick coffee runs between classes incredibly easy (perhaps too easy).
So there you have it – my list of the best mobile apps for law school. These apps have all saved me in one way or another, and I hope they can help you out, too. What about you – what apps have made your school life easier? Let me know in the comments below!
