Prepare incoming law students for success with Zero-L.

Developed by Harvard Law School, Zero-L is an online course designed to ensure all incoming students, whatever their backgrounds and previous areas of study, start with foundational legal knowledge that enables them to thrive in law school.

It’s time to bridge the legal knowledge gap. Zero-L is here to help.

Students come away from Zero-L:

“If I had not taken Zero-L, I would have been lost in class.”

Gonzalo Robles LL.M., HLS ’19

Zero-L Modules

Ensure incoming law students feel more confident and better prepared.

Intro to ZERO-L

A brief introduction to Zero-L’s structure and goals.

Intro to law and the court systemS

This module deepens student understanding of what law is and how to “think like a lawyer.” Students learn about the structure of federal and state courts, the hierarchy of authorities, and the differences between various kinds of law.

How to Read a Case and Understand Precedent

Using a real case, students learn step-by-step how to read a case for class. They will also be introduced to standard common law arguments, and the role of precedent in judicial decisions.

WORKING WITH STATUTES

Students learn how to locate and read statutes, and are introduced to the tools and major schools of statutory interpretation.

A PREVIEW OF 1L COURSES

Students get a preview of the most commonly taught first-year courses so they are ready to excel in class starting from day one.

INTRO TO THE LEGAL PROFESSION

Students are introduced to their career options, the impact they can make as a lawyer, and how the profession continues to change and evolve.

LEGAL THEORY AND SCHOLARSHIP

Students gain exposure to some of the larger theoretical questions raised by law, questions which will often be lurking in the background of readings and classroom discussions.

Test Drive: Applying Learning

This capstone opportunity enables students to apply what they have learned in Zero-L in a final exercise that provides a perfect bridge to day one of class.

Learn more about the skills and concepts taught in Zero-L.

The Zero-L Learning Experience

Zero-L is designed to provide students from all backgrounds with the tools they need to feel more confident and better prepared starting law school. Available in an online, self-paced format, law schools can guide students to focus on the modules most relevant to their first year in law school.

Compact Lessons

Quickly review high impact content.

Engaging format

Dynamic videos that teach and encourage.

Access During Year One

Revisit course material as needed.

Comprehension Checks

Evaluate progress without any pressure.

Featured Faculty

Harvard Law School’s faculty is comprised of the top legal minds from every subject area, dedicated to excellence in teaching. Students learn how to prepare for law school from practitioners and scholars who shape the legal landscape around the world.

Maureen Brady, Harvard Law School — Assistant Professor of Law

John Coates, Harvard Law School — John F. Cogan, Jr. Professor of Law and Economics

Andrew Manuel Crespo, Harvard Law School — Professor of Law

Susan M. Davies, Harvard Law School — Story Senior Lecturer on Law

Noah Feldman, Harvard Law School — Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law

Jody Freeman, Harvard Law School — Archibald Cox Professor of Law, and the founding Director of the Environmental and Energy Law Program

Charles Fried, Harvard Law School — Beneficial Professor of Law

John C.P. Goldberg, Harvard Law School — Deputy Dean and Carter Professor of General Jurisprudence

Annette Gordon-Reed, Harvard Law School — Charles Warren Professor of American Legal History, and a Professor of History in the Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Randall Kennedy, Harvard Law School — Michael R. Klein Professor of Law

John F. Manning, Harvard Law School — Morgan and Helen Chu Dean and Professor of Law

Ruth L. Okediji, Harvard Law School — Jeremiah Smith, Jr. Professor of Law

Holger Spamann, Harvard Law School — Lawrence R. Grove Professor of Law

Kathryn E. Spier, Harvard Law School — Domenico De Sole Professor of Law

Kristen A. Stilt, Harvard Law School — Deputy Dean, Professor of Law, Faculty Director of the Animal Law and Policy Program, and Director of the Program on Law and Society in the Muslim World

Cass R. Sunstein, Harvard Law School — Robert Walmsley University Professor and Founder of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy

David B. Wilkins, Harvard Law School — Lester Kissel Professor of Law, Director of the Center on the Legal Profession, and Vice Dean for Global Initiatives on the Legal Profession

Student Testimonials

“Zero-L really helped prepare me for my first year. I could focus all of my time on learning in class, as opposed to spending weeks figuring out what was even going on.”

Mara Chin Loy, HLS ’21

“If I had not taken Zero-L, I would have been lost in class.”

Gonzalo Robles LL.M., HLS ’19

“I didn’t have a lot of exposure to the legal world, other than the tangential background from political science classes. Zero-L’s lessons gave me a good foundation and made me feel more comfortable going into law school.”

Andy Boes, HLS ’21

Students no longer have to worry about what they don’t know before starting law school.

Zero-L is here to help with:

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did HLS create Zero-L?

Zero-L was created to ensure that all incoming law students, whatever their backgrounds and previous areas of study, start with the foundational knowledge to enable them to thrive in law school.

How long is the course?

The course is self-paced, and each student will spend a different amount of time on it, depending on their background and preferences. On average, moving through the course content takes 12-14 hours, with the total completion time depending on the speed at which students watch the videos, how much time is spent on comprehension checks, taking notes, etc.

What does Zero-L cost?

During the past two years, HLS has been committed to offering Zero-L to all interested schools free of charge. For the 2022-2023 school year, we are returning to our pre-pandemic plan to offer Zero-L as an educational tool that schools can purchase for a reasonable fee to share with their students. If you are a law school interested in purchasing Zero-L for your students, please contact us at hlsonline@law.harvard.edu.

Is Zero-L graded?

Zero-L provides students with numerous occasions to check their comprehension of the material. It does not provide grades.

How can a law school best tailor Zero-L content for their students’ needs?

Zero-L’s self-paced content is universal and flexible. Law schools can identify modules that are most useful for their students and instruct them to focus on those particular areas, such as the best approach to reading a case, or an outline of the history of American constitutional law. HLS can also provide schools with guidance on which modules to assign to students who are admitted later in the summer and may therefore have less time to complete the course.

How long will students have access to the course?

Students will able to access the course from the date of their enrollment through May 31st, 2024.

Can students share this course?

Zero-L is intended for personal use only and may not be shared or redistributed in any form without express written permission from Harvard Law School.

What if I have more questions?

If you have any questions, please contact hlsonline@law.harvard.edu.