Winning Written Advocacy

Catalog description

As an overwhelming majority of civil cases in federal courts never go to trial or oral argument, federal courts decide cases primarily on the parties' written motions and briefs. As such, knowing how, in a written document, to persuade courts to take a desired course of action is an essential skill for today's advocates. In this course, students will study the science of persuasion, from classical rhetoric to modern cognitive psychology, and will study the art of persuasion by examining how successful appellate advocates write. Students will practice writing their own compelling motions and briefs in the context of an actual federal civil rights action. Students will receive individualized feedback throughout the course. This course satisfies the experiential learning requirement.