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Law Students, Take a Look Into Your Professors' (Very Strange) Minds

By Casey C. Sullivan, Esq. on September 08, 2016 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

What do law professors think about when they're not grilling you on the procedural posture of Palsgraf v. Long Island Railroad? No, they're probably not thinking about how to improve their lecture on proximate cause. (They haven't changed that in 15 years.) And they're definitely not thinking about how great you performed on that cold call.

It turns out, they could be ruminating on B-list celebrities insulting Ann Coulter, or bootlegged videos on Steve Harvey's 90's stand-up routine, or which zoo animal best represents their colleagues. Law students, welcome to the weird world of law professor's on social media.

A Different Take on "Publish or Perish"

You've probably heard about the phrase "publish or perish" -- the idea that a constant stream of academic writing is needed to advance one's career in the Ivory Tower. And it's true! There are hundreds, if not thousands, of virtually unread legal journals that exist to provide law professors a place to explain the influence of Immanuel Kant on evidentiary approaches in 18th-century Bulgaria -- and to give law students journals to work on. (For you, the phrase might as well be "edit or perish," but that doesn't rhyme.)

But not all law professor writing is so esoteric, or even academic. There are a handful of smart, entertaining professors out there who share their thoughts (legal and otherwise) on their blogs and social media. Of course, we don't think you could ever need more blogs than those here on FindLaw, but if your legal blogging appetite is so voracious, some of them are worth checking out.

More Than Just Updates on the Rules of Civil Procedure

Take, for example, the Law Professor Blogs Network. It's just what it sounds like. They've got profs blogging on everything from adoption law to veterans law. Much of it is dry, but not all. You can spot immigration law profs, for example, chatting about Melania Trump, or read Ole Miss's Stacey Lantagne's take on those Paul Harvey tapes. Over at the Washington Post, there are the somewhat higher profile professor bloggers of the Volohk Conspiracy. If that's not enough, the ABA Journal's Blawg Directory lists dozens and dozens of law professor blogs.

And then there are the truly entertaining law professors. One of our favorites is the anonymous "LawProfBlawg" -- that's one name, like MadonnaLouiseCiccone. LawProfBlawg has an eponymous blog and writes occasionally for Above the Law, but where he really shines is on Twitter.

Want some tips on impressing your professor?

Want to know if you should fight that final exam grade?

Want to know if your profs are as unstable as you think they are?

So if you ever need something to scroll through during class, there's plenty of good stuff out there. And if your prof calls you out for not paying attention, you can honestly say you were just researching her colleagues.

For even more law school tips, follow FindLaw online via Twitter (@FindLawLP) or Facebook (FindLaw for Legal Professionals).

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