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Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 7:27 pm
by ThreeRivers
For my cases, I just write down the facts that relates to the actual ruling, and not all of the stuff that doesn’t matter. Got cold called on, professor was for some reason skipping all around in the cases we had to read, so when he suddenly said “Three Rivers, tell me about case _____” out of the blue, I did the whole “uhhh uhhh uhh, hold on.” (forgot which case was named that)./ Finally found case after awkward pause. Start laying out the basic facts, he interrupts me and starts drilling me on the very specific facts that had no meaning of the case at all really. I’d just mention he sold the equipment (all you really need to know for this case), he’d interrupt me and ask me what exactly was all of the equipment sold (was a list of like 6 things).. and I’d awkwardly try to re-find it in the case.

This went on for a good while with me stumbling through everything, before we were finally coming to the issues / ruling and I was thinking “this guy really doesn’t think I read this”… finally I’ll be able to blurt these relatively simple things out with confidence, when the professor finally states “alright, I guess we’ll go on to a new victim for this.”

Doesn’t really matter, but was quite a funny day for me.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 7:33 pm
by Borg
This is why I've always felt that law school mainly rewards losers and sycophants. No one with any sense gives a shit what equipment the guy was selling, but the anti-social mouth breathers in your class were probably feeling smug that you didn't know it. I answer cold calls like this all the time, tell the professor I don't know/I don't think it's important, and move on. Guess what? I got a great job, so fuck em.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 7:35 pm
by dextermorgan
Same thing happened to me. I think it was pretty clear to the professor that I didn't care about the useless minutiae of the case. Oh, and it when he was trying to cover an entire case in the last ten minutes of the class. I think my apathy frustrated him. Oh well, anonymous grading and all.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 7:40 pm
by Gorki
Dude just forget about it and have a drink. This will happen a lot. Its just a way profs lead gunners to the slaughter when the final demands none of that stuff.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 7:55 pm
by AVBucks4239
This story was too shitty for the cool story bro meme.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 8:06 pm
by thelawyler
AVBucks4239 wrote:This story was too shitty for the cool story bro meme.
+1

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 8:10 pm
by ilovesf
You are way into being a law student. You are starting shitty threads all the time to talk about the most pointless shit.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 8:19 pm
by ThreeRivers
ilovesf wrote:You are way into being a law student. You are starting shitty threads all the time to talk about the most pointless shit.
Mainly advice threads when I was feeling a bit lost. This is just procrastinating from studying. I'm exact opposite of that kind, I've never once talked about law outside of building irl.. Much more likely to talk about things that matter, like football.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 8:33 pm
by Watermelon Man
OP sounds like you did fine on your cold call.

Keep it in perspective. At some point, a kid in your class will get called on to answer a pretty basic question, like "What did the plaintiff argue?" He will have barely skimmed the opinion before coming to class and he'll say something really incoherent or flat wrong. The professor will probably think this kid is just a bit dumb/slow and so the professor will ask another easier question like "what did the opinion say about X issue?" Awkward silence will fill the room and it will become clear to the class that this kid is completely unprepared. This will make the students and the professor feel uncomfortable. This kid is staring down at his book, face red, embarrassed. The professor will feel bad and call on someone else, not to find his next victim, but to save the kid further embarrassment.

This kid butchered a cold call.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 8:51 pm
by AVBucks4239
I don't know what's worse: the OP or those "consoling" him for a completely ordinary event.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 8:51 pm
by minnbills
I screwed one up today too 3riv, nobody cares, and it happens to everyone.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 9:41 pm
by LSATNightmares
It sounded like you did okay. It sounds more like he tripped you up and that just kept throwing you off balance. As long as it's not clear you didn't know ANYTHING about the case, it won't hurt you. Just keep the end goal in sight... the final.

And as someone said, everyone will say something stupid. Your turn just came early.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 9:51 pm
by glitter178
I don't think I spoke one complete sentence in class during the whole of 1L. I have no idea why, but cold calling scared the shit out of me.

Did.not.matter.when.it.came.to.grades.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 9:57 pm
by 09042014
Bro I didn't know what mens rea was in like April during a cold call. Copped my best grade in lawl school in that course.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 10:01 pm
by piccolittle
Skipped class all last year and so was absent for most of my cold calls, but the one time I was there, I forgot my casebook.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 10:32 pm
by ThreeRivers
AVBucks4239 wrote:I don't know what's worse: the OP or those "consoling" him for a completely ordinary event.
I dont know what's worse. Post by op or someone who has to keep posting "this thread be stupid."

This was just a semi-laughing at myself thread and also criticizing how pointless / dumb Socratic method can be to delay studying it thread

You're taking it way too serious bro

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 10:59 pm
by LOLyer
Dude, learn to say "I don't know", while you look unflinchingly at your professor and wait for him to move on. You basically just bent over and took it.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:06 pm
by SchopenhauerFTW
LOLyer wrote:Dude, learn to say "I don't know", while you look unflinchingly at your professor and wait for him to move on. You basically just bent over and took it.
You know, some of us learned the hard way. Have you seen the way the way a cat plays with a bird before killing it? That's what my third cold call was like. After that I learned to assume the position of a stoic dude.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:13 pm
by Nova
LOLyer wrote:Dude, learn to say "I don't know", while you look unflinchingly at your professor and wait for him to move on.
IDK is TCR :mrgreen:

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:47 pm
by shredderrrrrr
This was not "butchering" a cold call...it was a normal cold call. Hell, I'd say this is about how 95% of the cold calls I've seen go.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 1:17 am
by AVBucks4239
ThreeRivers wrote: I dont know what's worse. Post by op or someone who has to keep posting "this thread be stupid."

This was just a semi-laughing at myself thread and also criticizing how pointless / dumb Socratic method can be to delay studying it thread

You're taking it way too serious bro
All I'm pointing out is what Shredder said above. What happened to you is not even close to "butchering a cold call," let alone "in a really, really, bad way."

My point of posting was not to insult you, but to tell you that your response was completely normal. Not only should you not give a shit about your cold call, I can assure you that nobody in your section even remembers or gives a flying fuck about your answer.

Thus, this thread is totally worthless, especially with its misleading title. You should have titled it, "I got cold called today."

Just being honest, bro.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 1:37 am
by Balthy
AVBucks4239 wrote:
ThreeRivers wrote: I dont know what's worse. Post by op or someone who has to keep posting "this thread be stupid."

This was just a semi-laughing at myself thread and also criticizing how pointless / dumb Socratic method can be to delay studying it thread

You're taking it way too serious bro
All I'm pointing out is what Shredder said above. What happened to you is not even close to "butchering a cold call," let alone "in a really, really, bad way."

My point of posting was not to insult you, but to tell you that your response was completely normal. Not only should you not give a shit about your cold call, I can assure you that nobody in your section even remembers or gives a flying fuck about your answer.

Thus, this thread is totally worthless, especially with its misleading title. You should have titled it, "I got cold called today."

Just being honest, bro.


STOP CONSOLING HIM GODDAMMIT!

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 1:45 am
by AVBucks4239
superdingle2000 wrote:STOP CONSOLING HIM GODDAMMIT!
Literally LOL.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 4:05 am
by LazinessPerSe
Aspie law students, man.

Re: Haha, butchered a cold call.. In a really, really, bad way

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 1:21 pm
by ThreeRivers
Yea, bad thread title, I'll admit.

It was far worse than average, but point of this was fuck the dumb system. Not crying over it

Would have been better if titled lol cold calls or something