It Depends: Poems of Law School Life

by Wes Henricksen

It Depends is a collection of 36 poems, each covering a topic of interest and importance to law students. The poems go in chronological order, starting with “Admissions” and ending with “The Oath.” Divided into three parts—1L, 2L, and 3L—the book covers orientation, case briefing, the Socratic Method, IRAC, the Bluebook, and the appellate brief, as well as Law Review, Moot Court, clinics, summer jobs, and the Barrister’s Ball. Each poem zooms in on one piece of the larger law school puzzle.

This is not an advice book, but is packed with wisdom. Professor Wes Henricksen has drawn from his own time as a student, as well as his years as a professor, to capture in verse the essential spirit of what it means to pursue a law degree. Each poem centers on a distinct law school experience, offering a glimpse into law student life. It Depends is a useful resource for current and prospective law students, and an entertaining respite for law school graduates who remember these experiences like they happened only yesterday.

146 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 8, 2025

About the author

Wes Henricksen is an American legal scholar who teaches and writes about constitutional law. He is the author of In Fraud We Trust, It Depends, and Making Law Review. He lives with his wife and two children in Miami, Florida.

Reviews

[Singer_of_Stories · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

I'll start this review with the disclaimer that I have never been to law school and plan on keeping it that way.

I'm also a very curious person.

I started this book because I was curious. I'd never heard of a book with a similar premise, and, after I read the description, I had a burning curiosity to know what law school told through poems was actually like. I feel like I have a much better idea now although I can't tell you how actually accurate it is given the aforesaid disclaimer. While there were times when I struggled some to get into the rhythm of the actual poetry's meter and rhythm, I did end up thoroughly enjoying this book. Honestly, there was a large percentage of the advice that was applicable to graduate school in general, and I found myself encouraged and challenged as a grad student in a totally different field. If you're a graduate student or just curious (like me) I'd recommend giving this book a read!

I received an advanced copy for free through BookSirens, and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a law school grad, the premise of this poetry collection was intriguing to me. There was a lot of good information contained in here. The reason I did not give it five stars is that the commitment to the rhyming scheme repeatedly made me stop to reread a line to understand the author's intent as the writing style/cadence would change to adhere to that scheme. That said, it would have been a lot easier to write without that commitment to the rhyming scheme. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I am not a law student, I chose to pick up a copy of this as the premise of using poetry as the medium is interesting. I like that the terms used for the legal field are defined and explained systematically, no special word play or free verse to confuse me. The pains of studying and writing essays are universal! The consideration of the reader really shows with the 2nd person pronoun 'you' used, and I feel somewhat like a fellow law classmate too at the end hahaha
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.