Law Express, Concentrate or Nutshells?

Concentrate and nutshells are very basic. What is the reason you need these?

I’ve not used law express. In my experience nut shells are good, however they ceased producing them. It would therefore be best to get the concentrate books, again that is my opinion.

Never bothered with either of them, you're better off making notes from your textbooks and condensing them yourself. They don't cover issues in nearly enough detail at all.

What about getting sample answers/how to answer problem questions step by step.

A lot of good textbooks will have sections in the back of each chapter that will help resolve these issues already. In the context of criminal law for example, Smith and Hogan's books have always had problem-based guidance in their books. I've also got several tort and administrative textbooks that do the same. No point forking out for a study guide, just find a good textbook at the library.

What about law express?

I have textbooks for each module but I just want something to use as an aid which is more compressed - also this study guides tend to have examples of how to answer problem questions which I struggle with.

If they are useless then I won't waste my money.

I appreciate this is not undergraduate level, so textbooks are appropriate, but be aware that if you continue your studies in law, textbooks are a bit of a no. You don't learn the law by studying texbooks: you need to read cases, case reviews and good academic journals.

Just a heads up

Whilst I agree, I think OP was looking specifically towards exam guidance.

Textbooks can provide useful insights into the different methods of approaching certain scenarios, some which I've found very useful. Information that you won't find in just reading cases. That being said, once you get past first year and get to grips with how to answer in an appropriate way, textbooks aren't needed as such.

I agree. Textbooks are a useful first step, and certainly useful when trying to work out how to approach a question, particularly if this hasn't been taught to you otherwise.

I appreciate this is not undergraduate level, so textbooks are appropriate, but be aware that if you continue your studies in law, textbooks are a bit of a no. You don't learn the law by studying texbooks: you need to read cases, case reviews and good academic journals.

Just a heads up

This is undergraduate level
I am in my second year of the LLB course.

OK. In that case you should most definitely not be using basic textbooks like Nutshells or the others!

OK. In that case you should most definitely not be using basic textbooks like Nutshells or the others!

I don't see the problem with using them. I used nutshell and concentrate books to get a 1st overall in commercial and EU law.

Yes they are basic but they go over it really simply and enable you to understand and then develop your answer from there. I say yes use them but appreciate what they are. Its like E law resources, I used that and continue to do so if i need some basic info, would i cite it as authority, absolutely not.

I don't see the problem with using them. I used nutshell and concentrate books to get a 1st overall in commercial and EU law.

Yes they are basic but they go over it really simply and enable you to understand and then develop your answer from there. I say yes use them but appreciate what they are. Its like E law resources, I used that and continue to do so if i need some basic info, would i cite it as authority, absolutely not.