Learning To Вђњthink Like A Lawyerвђќ Apr 2026

Some reviewers argue that the claim that legal discourse is specifically damaging to women and minority students remains "unproven" or is only a "small piece in the puzzle" of differential graduation rates.

Critics discuss Mertz's concept of the "double edge" of law—while it provides a neutral-appearing language for conflict, it can simultaneously obscure social experiences that are vital for democracy and justice. Learning to “Think Like a Lawyer”

Academic reviews in the Journal of Legal Education and Language in Society note that the book criticizes legal education for normalizing narrow evaluations of disputes, effectively "silencing" social and moral concerns. Some reviewers argue that the claim that legal

Reviewers from American Anthropologist and Amazon highlight Mertz's analysis of how the Socratic method forces students to shift away from moral or emotional terms and toward strict frameworks of legal authority. Criticisms and Limitations

While praised for its eloquence, the book's roots in linguistic anthropology make it a common text for graduate-level courses in applied linguistics, which may be dense for casual readers.

Some reviews mention Mertz's findings that classroom dynamics can have different effects on students based on race and gender, with minority students often participating more in classes taught by professors of color. Criticisms and Limitations