Counsel’s Counsel: March 19, 2025
Question:
Dear Jane,
I’ve somehow ended up in charge of a study group for finals. The problem? I haven’t done any studying yet. I’ve just been hoping I can survive on lecture notes and coffee alone, but now I’m expected to lead this group. I have no idea what I’m doing, and I’m definitely not prepared. Help! How do I fake my way through this?
Sincerely,
Desperate for Study Group Success
Answer:
Dear Desperate,
Ah, the classic “I’ve been pretending to know things for weeks and now it’s *actually* time to know things” dilemma. Don’t worry—you’ve come to the right place. I’ve got you covered with the ultimate guide to faking it *like a pro* in your study group, even if your most recent study session involved staring blankly at your laptop and Googling “what is con law again?”
First, *questions* are your best friend. They make you sound like you’re the one who’s deep in thought, even if you’ve barely glanced at the material. Ask questions that sound smart and that everyone else can answer. For example, try: “Given the holding in *Marbury v. Madison*, do you think judicial review still holds as much weight today, or should we reconsider it in light of modern social changes?”
Look at you! Asking questions like you're the next legal superstar. The beauty of this? You don’t have to know the answer. You just need to sound like you’re considering the philosophical implications of it all. You’ll get people talking, and you can just sit back and nod like you’re really pondering their answers. Think of it as hosting a podcast where you pretend to be the expert, but really, it’s everyone else doing all the work.
But let’s say someone asks you a question that actually requires you to know something (yikes). Don’t panic. Just say: “Hmmm, interesting. Let me dig into that a bit and circle back to you next time.”
Boom. You’ve just bought yourself a week’s worth of study time with absolutely zero consequences. This is law school; if you don’t understand something, it’s totally fine to act like you're just *really* into finding the perfect answer, which will obviously take at least a few days of intense thought. Don’t worry, they’ll forget about it by next session (or at least pretend they forgot).
Now, let’s talk about your explanations. When you do need to say something (and trust me, sometimes you do need to say something to avoid the group realizing you haven’t contributed anything), make it vague.
You don’t actually know what’s going on, but you sound like a law school genius! The best part is that no one’s going to press you too hard because they’re all too busy trying to sound equally profound. The trick here is to sound complicated enough that everyone assumes you’re onto something but not so complicated that they ask you to explain it further. Keep it vague, and they’ll keep nodding.
And, here’s a pro tip—snacks. Lots of snacks. No one will question the person who brought the snacks. Whether it’s a Zoom study session or in-person, if you’re the one with chips, cookies, or, for extra credit, a fancy charcuterie board, you’ve got automatic status. You’re the “snack-giver,” which is basically a leadership position in any study group. It’s like a power move, but with Oreos.
You’re going to crush this. Sure, you’ve done zero studying, but you’ve got the tools to look like you’ve been working 24/7 on this material. Ask deep, thought-provoking questions, drop a few complicated legal terms, act like you’re leading the group with snacks, and when in doubt—just redirect the conversation and pretend you’re in control. As long as you sound confident, no one will question whether you actually know what’s going on.
Good luck, and may your snack game be strong and your legal jargon be ever impressive.
Jane Doe, J.D.