Advanced Litigation Skills

Catalog description

Learning litigation skills task-by-task can leave the young practitioner with little guidance on how to form the overall strategy necessary to develop and present an effective civil case. While covering a wide range of specific skills, including opening statement and closing argument, the careful researching of local rules, techniques for examining witnesses, techniques for oral argument and applying a structured approach to settlement negotiations, this course will emphasize the aspects of these skills that support an overall civil litigation strategy. This course will require students to review a variety of materials in preparation for class, to participate in in-class exercises and to submit written work that displays the learning acquired through the in-class exercises. Evaluation of each student's performance will be based primarily on the student's written work.