As students across the nation start or dive back into law school, one University of Virginia School of Law professor is offering them practical tips to jumpstart their legal educations and eventually, their careers.
Professor Molly Bishop Shadel, who teaches public speaking, negotiation and advocacy courses at UVA, has updated her book, “Finding Your Voice in Law School: Mastering Classroom Cold Calls, Job Interviews, and Other Verbal Challenges,” for today’s students. The second edition was released by Carolina Academic Press in the spring, an update of the original version published in 2013.
“Public speaking is a big part of the law school classroom environment. It’s also what’s expected of lawyers, and it makes so many people nervous. The purpose of this book is to help law students by breaking it down for you so that you’re going to be able to do it,” she said.
Although the book is intended to “demystify” the law school experience for students, Shadel said it’s also a resource for practicing lawyers to “remind you of what is involved in these different skills.”
For example, her book offers voice exercises to quell anxiousness and lists the most common objections lawyers are likely to make in court.
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