Chapter 9: Class

"Morning, class. How are you guys today?" asked Professor Yu, a senior advocate and the dean of the law faculty, as he walked toward the lecture hall podium.

Alice and several other students slipped into the middle section of the lecture hall. Luckily, she arrived on time as Prof Yu hates latecomers.

"Hey! Are you okay? I heard you were in the hospital yesterday?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Nothing serious," Alice told Mimi, her one and only friend and classmate who arrived later.

As for her other classmates, they hated her. Why? Alice is a typical aloof genius, the type who never initiates a conversation. She's always missing from group events or gatherings, leading people to assume she's arrogant. Little do they know, it's because of her part-time work, and what makes thing worst is that she's not visibly studious but was able to score the dean's award every semester.

People always say that university is the time to make connections, but Alice can't afford the time for such privileges. She needs to work to support her studies. She didn't manage to clinch a scholarship because she was sabotaged by other rivals. But that's a story for later.

Not long after the class started, they began to do activities. Prof Yu isn't a typical educator who relies on PowerPoint slides to teach. She likes to incorporate two-way interaction with the students.

She believes that future lawyers need to be taught how to speak under pressure, be well-informed, and be smooth talkers. Their main job comprises mainly of talking and convincing others, so they might as well be trained as early as possible. Although Prof Yu only teaches theory classes, her classes are always lively with active interactions among students and her.

"Alright, class is beginning to feel boring. I'm sleepy myself! Let's do a mock question, alright? Now, the class will be divided into two sides; left and right. Okay, ready?"

"Yes." "Ready." "Yes." "Yes."

The students replied.

"Okay, let's get started. Today's question is... The McLibel case. Have you guys heard about this?" Prof Yu then proceeded to write on the board.

'McDonald's Corporation v. Steel & Morris (McLibel case) 1986'

"You guys have 10 minutes to prepare. Starting now!" The students scrambled to find everything they needed to know about this case.

The class is usually conducted this way. Students will be given some time to prepare and be ready for any questions. Prof Yu might assign the teams as opposition or advocates, or they might need to argue about the case, whichever she feels like doing that day.

The rule of the game is that everyone on the teams needs to speak up at the appropriate timing. There will be no one assigned to them when they need to speak; they need to fight for the right to speak. The goal of this routine exercise is so that they can either learn how to cut off their opponent's speech at the appropriate timing or support their teammates' points to prove and convince their clients.

Approximately 10 minutes later.

"Alright, time's up! Today, I want you guys to argue on the case. Each team can only give one point at a time. The other team can agree or argue on that point. I'll record your marks based on your argument. Like always, the losing team has to send me a complete report on the case study by the end of the week. Ready?"

"Yes," the class collectively said.

"Left team, start!"

"The McLibel case, a case between McDonald's Corporation and an environmental activist group member, Steel & Morris."

"It started when the London Greenpeace group published a leaflet titled 'What's Wrong with McDonald's? Everything They Don't Want You to Know.'"

"McDonald's then sent a letter to the group to cease distributing the leaflet and apologize, but the group refused to do so."

The two teams began taking turns alternating points with each other.