For many law students, a consistent record of success follows them. A high undergraduate GPA, strong LSAT scores, and glowing recommendations make it seem like aptitude is a given and success is inevitable. Nevertheless, the heavier and harsh realities of law school quickly tear apart fanciful notions of an easy-breezy life. But if there was ever a place to fail, law school would be the place. 

Let me explain.

This semester, I tried my hand at the Grimes Moot Court. After extensively combing through statutes and secondary sources to produce my brief, I thought I knew the law inside and out. That notion faced an ignominious death during my first oral argument. 

First, it’s a whole lot easier to be eloquent on a word document than it is to respond in real-time. It felt like once the scrutinous eyes of judgment were laid upon me, my mind went blank. Even after some formalities to buy time (“thank you for allowing me to address this point, Chief Justice…”), the words that came out of my mouth had only a fraction of the certainty, succinctness, and bite of whatever I had on the page. 

Second, judges have different ideas of what is important and unimportant. As a litigant, you’re asking the court to wield its power to endorse your position over your opponent’s. The court’s legitimacy is on the line. My understanding of what was important only related to resolving the question I was trying to answer. The court, however, was concerned with how this answer would affect all past, present, and future questions that come before it. I was trying to win a case. They were trying to build and maintain a system.

Needless to say, my partner and I did not make it to the finals. Although, I must give props to those who did: Max Pardoe, Will Danforth, Daniel Madden, and BC Law Impact’s very own Justin Sells. They are fantastic oral advocates!

Let’s be honest: law school is designed to challenge you. The cold calls, the complex material, the competitive curve—all of these create an environment where perfection is impossible and mistakes are inevitable. Add in the compressed recruiting timelines (especially for 1Ls), and you have a pressure cooker unlike anything in undergraduate education.

What separates successful law students isn’t an absence of stumbles—it’s how they respond to them. Did you bomb a cold call? Prepare more thoroughly for the next one. Received harsh feedback on a writing assignment? Use it to improve your next submission. Rejected from a journal or competition? Find another outlet for developing those skills. For me, I’ll be reconsidering how I prepare for oral argument: to consider all of the pressures the judges are facing, use less notes, and approach the situation more as a conversation between interested parties to get to a legally satisfying resolution.

Law school isn’t just teaching us legal doctrine; it’s teaching us how to be professionals who can weather setbacks, learn from mistakes, and consistently deliver quality work despite pressure and disappointment. As finals approach, remember that your journey through law school isn’t defined by any single moment of triumph or disappointment, but by your ability to learn, adapt, and finish strong.

Good luck on finals, and remember: it’s not about how you start, but how you finish.

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Alex Mostaghimi is a second-year student at BC Law. Contact him at mostagha@bc.edu.