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

A certain percentage of law students come with Attention Deficit Disorder (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. Results suggest that law students with ADD can be successful and productive members of any law school community. Becoming an effective legal reader may be one of the most important ways law students with ADD can enhance their law school success