Law is an intellectually challenging career. Way back in 1976, law students at the University of Texas were taught that the law was a jealous mistress and a Bramble bush. Both these metaphors provide insights to anyone considering an intellectually challenging career. The Bramble Bush was the title of a book by Karl Llewellyn., which intended to prepare students for the study of law.
The gist of the book was that study of law was complicated and frustrating and deeper you explore, the more frustrated you might feel, but you should remain hopeful that in the end everything would fall into place and make sense. The moral of Bramble Bush is actually quite similar to the statement, “the law is a jealous mistress and requires a long and constant courtship” ; this statement was written in 1829 by Joseph Story, a Harvard Law Professor and a Supreme Court Justice. The moral of this statement is that to be successful at the study of law, you need to give the subject a lot of attention and not be dilettante.
Law students are required to put in as much effort into college/school as they are willing to put into the remainder of their working life. Success in legal profession means ninety percent perspiration and two percent inspiration. There is no short cut to success. If a student wants to excel in an intellectually challenging field like law, he/she must be prepared to conquer the “Bramble Bush” and then continue devoting attention to the “Law Mistress”.
