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It depends on the professor. In my experience, some get kindof close to traditional cold calling but pretty much no one does the hard core Paper Chase style. Maybe this is different at some schools but the impression I get is that professors don't do it or care about it when they do.

Your final is usually at or around 100% of the grade in any case.

Basically a professor will want you to answer questions about what a case is about. This is not hard.

After your first cold call, you really shouldn't be worried about it. And again, generally your grade is 100% based on your final exam, not how you perform during a cold call. I did not prep much for classes and generally did awful through cold calls, and that is not indicative at all of how well you understand things or how you will do, etc. so really just don't worry about it after you get over the stresses of the first few weeks.

Not all profs cold call and some just ask a brief question or two about the facts of the case, but sometimes the prof decides to extract all/some that day's deep, incomprehensible insight from the case via you. Some profs don't care if you say "I don't know" but some will painstakingly walk you through the case (which by then it's obvious that you didn't read or didn't understand), trying to get you to say whatever magic words he's waiting for. Some profs will just call on you the next day if you try and pass or say you don't know.
So, no, it's not quite like paper chase, but deopending on the professor it can feel pretty stressful and humiliating (even when in reality, your classmates don't actually care that much).
The best profs either don't cold call or give you notice/a schedule of when you'll be on call so you can prep specially.

In general, the worst thing that can happen if you flub a cold call is mild, temporary embarrassment. It's not a huge deal

If you are on the receiving end of a traditional cold call, just make sure not to become flustered. People became visibly angry in some of my classes, and it is not worth it.

Just seriously don't judge your classmates based on their cold call performance

scottidsntknow wrote:Just seriously don't judge your classmates based on their cold call performance

Also this.

Depends on whether you're the kind of person who craves approval and/or affirmation. AKA, most striver law students.

The only classmates you should judge are the ones with color coded binders who love getting called on.

When you get cold called, every other person in the class is relieved that it's you and not them. And then at least 50% will tune out, and the rest won't remember anything you've said, whether it's brilliant or garbage.

I was the first person in my section to miss a cold call and woke up to a dozen different aspie texts warning me #yolo #idgaf

I only witnessed two hardcore cold calls, both by the same prof. One where the student admitted to having failed to read part of the assignment (a problem in the casebook) and the prof said "Come speak to me after class to discuss whether you're serious about remaining in the class." Another where he badgered a girl about an issue that she had clearly read about but didn't understand for most of the period.

Both seemed to come at times when he was trying to make a point that the class as a whole had gotten lazy about preparation and was relying on regular volunteers too much (he was a great prof and generally easygoing). Neither of them had any impact on anyone's grade or anything beyond mild temporary embarrassment.

Since then I've witnessed judges dress down attorneys far more aggressively and embarrassingly.

Just sit in the back and read off the Legal Lines canned briefs

Young Marino wrote:Just sit in the back and read off the Legal Lines canned briefs

I did this except I used old outlines, Invisipress, casebriefs in that order.

I seriously never gave a shit about cold calls or class participation. Wasn't part of our grade.

I don't think class participation counted for any of our classes. Are cold calls that bad? Depends on the professor. Some will stick with you for a long time. Some will ask you a question and then move on. There was only one professor my 1L year that really made cold calls bad because he wouldn't move on even when it was clear the person had no idea what the case was about and it just made it painful to watch. But that was only one professor and I took 10 classes as a 1L. I had a couple other professors that would stick with you until you got a question wrong but when you did, they moved on and weren't insulting or mean about it.

There were some that didn't cold call at all.

Once you get past the first couple months, it's no longer intimidating.

The only real sucky thing about cold calls is that when you get called on, you can't really take notes until you're done.

I never even really got what was so bad about the "Paper Chase" style cold call -- I cracked up when he ran out of the room and vomited. I guess it just shows you how much of the stress of law school is self-imposed.

cold calling sux but what r u gonna do

most of the time profs will be gentle if you're struggling, or they'll just move on
it's very rare someone gets grilled

lawman84 wrote:
The only real sucky thing about cold calls is that when you get called on, you can't really take notes until you're done.

This.

just watched paper chase last week, cant wait lol

Cold calling is not a big deal. Just don't get too anxious about it. I think it's generally helpful to review your case notes/briefs for 30 minutes before each class just so (1) you know what the professor is talking about in class, and (2) that slight chance you're called on - but mostly (1)

It doesn't matter. Don't worry about it. If it really scares you participate in class once a day and you'll get skipped over.

Mack.Hambleton wrote:just watched paper chase last week, cant wait lol

Now watch it about 29 more times and you should be ready for whatever lawl skewl throws at you

I hate cold calls not just because of having to speak in front of the class, but because listening to other people who don't know what they're talking about just wastes everyone's time. I have never understood the value except that it supposedly keeps people preparing for class. Voluntary participation makes so much more sense to me. IMO if you're not motivated to be prepared w/o cold calls then that's your business anyway.