Legal Reading and Success in Law School: Law Students with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)

Leah M. Christensen, Thomas Jefferson School of Law

Abstract

The new reality in legal education is that a certain percentage of our students will come to us with ADD or with another learning disability, either disclosed or undisclosed. Yet there has been little empirical research on how law students with learning disabilities read and understand the law. This study examined how three law students with ADD read a judicial opinion. The results suggested a relationship between successful law school performance and the use of problematizing and rhetorical reading strategies; and less successful law school performance and the use of default reading strategies. Further, the results suggest that law students with ADD can be successful and productive members of any law school community. Simply because a law student learns differently does not mean that the student cannot learn effectively. Finally, becoming an effective legal reader may be one of the most important ways law students with ADD can enhance their law school success.