Oral arguments are presentations you make before a panel of judges stating the legal reasons why your client should prevail. It isn’t the same as a speech because the judges will frequently interrupt you with questions about your case. As a law student you usually have to do an oral argument during your 1L year as part of your legal research/legal writing class.
I had to do an oral argument during my 1L year but when I transferred my current school said that my former school didn’t say anything about oral arguments in their class description. They made me take another class that requires oral arguments. I didn’t want to take it but it is required for graduation so I did so.
I got one of my oral arguments done today. In this class you have to do two oral arguments and I’ll be doing my second one in a couple of weeks. I really hate public speaking and I don’t think that is going to change. When I’m a lawyer I might occassionally be required to speak before a court but I’d prefer to keep those occassions to a minimum. I doubt I’ll ever feel comfortable with public speaking and for now I’ll be happy to get my oral arguments behind me.