Whether you’re prepping for a classic no-warning cold call or an assigned cold call, most law professors use the Socratic teaching method to help students learn how to hone their critical thinking skills to analyze cases. Although these experiences can feel daunting, getting cold-called in law school is a rite of passage.
Here are three tips to help you survive and make the most of your next cold call experience.
Prepare fully for class
The best way to prepare for a cold call is to always be ready for class. In the beginning, you may have to spend a little more time preparing, and that’s normal. This is a new process for everyone. Make sure you’re reading the assigned cases and briefing each one. Each assigned case will represent a specific topic or concept for you to focus on and identify the significance related to that topic.
While it can be easier said than done, try to stay out of “the weeds” of the case. For example, if you’re covering the Administrative Procedure Act, and the case mentions a tort doctrine, don’t spend 30 minutes trying to understand the tort doctrine. Scheduling time between classes will allow you to review your case briefs before each class and help you digest the information further.
We recommend creating your own brief and supplementing it later. Try BARBRI 1L Mastery as a great way to supplement your case briefs.
Have a cheat sheet
Your case brief should be in front of you for when you get called on. (It can make an ideal cheat sheet.) It’s accepted and almost always expected that students reference their notes or casebooks when called on. Be prepared to summarize the case and answer additional questions following the judge’s analysis of it.
Every professor cold calls differently. Some may spend most of their time discussing the facts of the case, while others will start with the rule and backtrack as to how the court reached its decision. It will take some time to figure this out, but once you do, preparing for class will be easier.
You also can pause your note-taking while other students are being called on. This allows you to truly pay attention to the substance of the questioning and get an idea of your professor’s particular style when practicing the Socratic Method.
Do your best — the unprepared cold call happens
It’s inevitable that at one point or another, you will not have time to prepare before class (don’t worry, we remember those days too, and it’ll be okay!). Some professors will allow you to pre-pass by writing your name on a note to them at the podium before class; others may allow you to pass a certain number of times each semester when called on.
Few professors will make an example of you if you’re not prepared — unlike in the movies and on TV. If this happens, you may feel embarrassed at not knowing an answer, but don’t let that hold you back. Remember, you won’t be the first or last person to experience this little aggravation. View the next class as an opportunity and come with confidence. Professors and other students respect those who do their best to answer a question, even when they don’t have the perfect response.
Looking for other law school resources? Check out these tips for developing your law school note-taking and outlining system.
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