by Matt Latrick, 1L

CALI: Computer Assisted Learning Instruction
http://www2.cali.org
(See Reference or Circulation for password)

The lessons on CALI are great refreshers. Don’t count on CALI to teach you the semester’s worth of contracts, but it’s great for a subject by subject refresher. There are tons of topics to review. Each lesson also gives you the time to complete, which is a very nice feature. Most are under an hour. CALI lessons do a good job of hitting the rules of law and use numerous examples to illustrate how an exam might bring up these rules in a law exam question. If you have the topic or two that you want to review and are near a computer, give CALI a try.

Contracts: Examples & Explanations, 4th ed.
Brian Blum
KF801 .B58 2007
Examples & Explanations Series

The Examples and Explanations series is well known by most of us by now from last semester with Civil Procedure. Although we have to change pace and Mr. Glannon isn’t with us for Contracts we instead get Mr. Blum, in the library, with this study guide. Blum focuses on the underlying reasons for the major decisions. The examples are clearly grounded in the major case law and do a great job of teasing out the important details from the fluff of the decision. The remedies section is particularly strong in my opinion. Examples and Explanations is great to get some exam-like questions and easy to understand explanations.

Principles of Contract Law
Robert Hillman
KF801 .H525 2004
Concise Hornbook Series

If you feel like you’re ready for something more in depth and somewhat theory focused, the Concise Hornbook might be right down your road. Don’t look to this to help you make your outline, but it provides some of the best commentary on difficult topics. The writing is very refined and precise, which does not make it a quick read by any means. It, without a doubt, is a great guide to polish the way you talk and write about contracts. I would suggest the Concise Hornbook as a second or third round sort of review guide.

Contracts, 4th ed.
John Calamari
KF801 .Z9C27 2004
Black Letter Outlines

The Black Letter Outlines series is known for cutting right down to what’s important: rules of law, exceptions, and tests. When it’s time to pull all your notes together and figure out what the elements of contract law are, this is a great place to look. Black Letter gives a relatively thorough sample outline, and then in the following pages goes into much greater detail in each topic. The commentary is pretty good with identifying the rules of law.

Understanding Contracts
Jeffery Thomas Ferriell
KF801 .Z9F46 2004
Understanding Series

The best part about the Understanding Series is the use of examples. Understanding Contracts reads more like prose than a law outline. It is still organized quite well by chapter and subheadings make it very navigable. This gives great analysis of cases and the rules you need to draw out of them. Whether you want to get a better grip on one subject or read it cover to cover and get a semester’s worth of contract law, Understanding Contracts will do a good job of prepping you for the looming exam.

Contracts
Michael Kelly
KF801 .Z9K45 1997
Roadmap Law Outline Series

The Roadmap Series is very much like the Black Letter Series with one difference. The Roadmap mentions case names more than Black Letter. If your Professor has suggested that case names might be important on your exam, this might be a better choice. The analysis and sample outline are pretty good for an overview. Roadmap also gives you sample questions to test yourself. Although, the questions seem to be a little easier than what will likely appear on your actual exam, they’re a nice addition to check that you can apply the rules properly.

Questions and Answers: Contracts
Rowley, Keith
KF801 .Z9R69 2003
Questions and Answers

This has tons of chances to test yourself. As the title suggests, there is not a lot of this book dedicated to teaching you contracts. However, as exams get closer and you want to see if you actually know this stuff, the Questions and Answers is a great way to check on your actual understanding. The questions cover basically every topic imaginable. The answers are the best part of this book though. The explanations really walk you through the reason a hypothetical should come out one way or another. Some of the answers also let you know when arguments for the other side are present, and what an answer would look like.

Contracts in a Nutshell, 6th ed.
Claude Rowher & Anthony Skrocki
KF801 .Z9S3 2006
Nutshell Series

The Nutshell is a great little review guide. And it is little. By far the smallest of the review guides in actual size, this little guide packs a lot of punch. It reads quickly, uses examples, and even comes up with some pneumonic devices to remember things like the Statute of Frauds. I like the organization a lot. The review guide was maybe my favorite for reviewing a quick chapter in the lounge in between classes.