1L
Law & Legal abbreviation · Legal Profession
| Stands for | First-year law student |
|---|---|
| Categories | Law & Legal |
1L stands for First-year law student, a legal profession abbreviation.
Student in the first year of a three-year US Juris Doctor program, or that year itself, when students take required courses such as contracts, torts, civil procedure, property, criminal law, constitutional law and legal writing. First-year grades weigh heavily for law review and recruiting.
Example: As a 1L, she spent most nights briefing cases for the next morning's Socratic questioning.
Usage notes
Second- and third-year students are 2Ls and 3Ls, and prospective students are jokingly called 0Ls. First-year courses are usually graded on a mandatory curve based largely on a single final exam. The Paper Chase (novel 1971, film 1973) famously dramatized the 1L experience at Harvard.
Related abbreviations
More legal profession abbreviations
- 2L – Second-year law student
- 3L – Third-year law student
- ABA – American Bar Association
- ABS – Alternative business structure
- ACC – Association of Corporate Counsel
- AGC – Associate general counsel
- ALI – American Law Institute
- ALSP – Alternative legal service provider
- AmLaw – The American Lawyer
- AOR – Attorney of record
- Atty. – Attorney
- AV – AV Preeminent rating
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This entry is for general education and is not legal advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.