My friend who is graduating from law school this quarter told me something the other day that I found shocking. I don't know if this is just a rare case or if other universities have similar events occuring. Apparently one student found out the night before an exam (exam was worth 100% of the grade you get in the class) that his father passed away. He asked the professor if he could be excused/take the test at another time.... to which the professor replied "how much did you love your father". My friend has told me that she essentially gets ***** upon by the professors and publically made fun of in lectures. My question is, are these types of behavior "normal" when it comes to law professors? Do they act this way to "train" the future lawyers to be agressive?

I don't think it's peculiar to law professors, there are insensitive jerks throughout academia. However, your friend may be heading into the wrong profession if there's an expectation that personal life trumps professional responsibility. There's no state that would allow an applicant to "postpone" the bar exam, and while there's a chance that a judge might grant a continuance of a proceeding given the circumstances, it's purely at the discretion of the court.

My friend is graduating next week.. and taking her BAR exam in July. So I guess telling her she's going into the wrong profession is too late. BTW... I don't think the test the person missed was a BAR exam... just a course exam that made up the entire grade.

Catch a lot of those jokers on the street and they're not asking for directions.

Academia has its share of jackamo's, but the law seems to draw an unfair majority. I'm graduating in one week, taking the bar in July, and I've put up with some serious turds. I've never been put down in class unless I deserved it, and I've never had a major life event upset my study/work/party schedule, but I've seen it happen to others.

I know quite a few girls who have been told flat out that they won't make good lawyers (OK, 3, but I think thats too many) by professors, only to end up at the top of the class and have career options nationally. I personally think a lot of male profs are intimidated by attractive and intelligent women who choose a legal career, and instead of dealing with the fact that they've never had any real balls and had castrating mothers, they take it out on them and attempt to deter them from "soiling" their profession, but thats just my opinion.

They also like to try and scare you into being prepared to work in this "horribly rigorous" profession, you know, the one that was too rigorous for them? True to life law professors by themselves are worth the price of tuition.

Being a jerk comes naturally. It takes intentionality NOT to be a jerk.

Q: What do you call a med student who graduates at the bottom of his class?

A: Doctor

I don't know what they call lawyers though.

__________________
You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

Botanists

Actually... I heard another version with "dentist" being the answer.

Your Honor