Needing to support his new family, Peter Van Schaack left King’s College in the spring of 1766, before earning his degree, to study law in the office of his brother-in-law, Peter Silvester of Albany. Eighteen months later, the Supreme Court of the province of New York changed the rules for admission to the bar lengthening the time period for a clerkship from five to seven years unless the clerk was a college graduate. In which case, only a three year clerkship was required. Peter responded by quickly relocating back to New York where he resumed his studies at King’s College and clerked part-time (with his friend Robert R. Livingston) for William Smith, Jr. of New York City – one of the most distinguished lawyers of the day. It was there that he first encountered Blackstone’s Commentaries – a text he regarded as a godsend for its clear and systematic presentation of the law. Peter graduated King’s College in the spring of 1768 with highest honors and having won several prizes for scholarship. He immediately applied for admission to the bar, even though he was still five months shy of the required clerkship. He was anxious to practice seeing significant opportunities then for legal work. The Supreme Court overlooked his incomplete work record and, in January 1769, he was admitted to the bar.