A typical law school class.
What is a typical law class like?
It does depend on your teacher and your school but typically my classes were an hour forty-five minute lecture. Where the professor lectured us without any PowerPoint or visuals but by using the Socratic method. AKA Cold Calls. During these long lectures most of the time my professors would allow for a five-minute break in the middle of class to grab water, walk around, or stretch.
Cold Call Methods
Each professor will have a very different method of using or not using the cold call method. Below I have listed in order from best to worst the methods my previous professors have used.
- The Non-cold Caller
- By far the best professor (in my opinion) they will ask the class who would like to participate and will never cold call students.
- The Sometimes Professor
- This professor will most likely never cold call unless the class is very confused or lacking in participation.
- The Alphabetical Professor
- This professor is nice in allowing students to prepare extra for their cold call by keeping the list in alphabetical order. I apologize deeply to the students with last names starting with A, please do your first day of class readings.
- The List Professor
- While I have not had this professor my friends in other sections had professors who would put a list up for the week of who was going to be cold called. Similar to the alphabetical professor these professors allow students to prepare for their day.
- THE Cold Call Professor
- This professor is the movie-type professor, I did not think they existed until I had one in my second semester 1L year. This professor makes the students stand up in front of the class holding their materials while they are asked questions for 30 minutes straight. They also do not go in alphabetical order so you cannot predict when you are going.
Side Note: If you “mess” up a cold call, it is NOT a big deal. I don’t know one law student who has had a perfect cold call every single time they have been called on.
Try your best and do your readings for the day and you will be okay. Also, most Professors allow students to email for an unprepared class or when a situation arises. Email the professor it will be less painful than standing up and pretending you did your readings when you didn’t. Life happens and they are people too, they will understand.
The best thing you can do to prepare for a cold call is to do your best on the readings before class. The world will be okay if you do not know a cold call, I promise.