Trial Advocacy

The Trial Advocacy course is an intense participation-based course, that teaches students how to be skilled advocates in all advocacy settings. Attendance at lectures and workshops is necessary and mandatory to the success of the students in the course. Mandatory attendance includes mandatory preparation for, attendance at, and participation in, the first lectures and workshops. Students on the waitlist must attend all classes and will be penalized for classes missed during the add/drop period in the same way they are during the rest of the term. 

Structure of the Course: 
The course is organized around Thursday lecture/participation sessions and Tuesday participation workshops.  The sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays are led by experienced trial lawyers who are part of the teaching faculty in the course.  The Thursday sessions are designed to instill in students the trial skills needed to perform the specific trial tasks assigned for the next following Tuesday workshop session. 

Final Trials -- The course culminates in teams of students conducting a Final Trial before a judge and a jury on the last Tuesday workshop of the course (likely Tuesday, November 24, 2026).  The trials will be conducted in person at the courthouse at 361 University Avenue subject to the availability of the courthouse, judges, and public health directives. 

The final trials may start earlier and end later than the scheduled time for the workshop.  If the final trials are being conducted in person in the courthouse, students will be expected to be in the courthouse by at least 5:45 pm to clear security and to be ready to start their trials at 6:10 pm sharp.  If a student has a course that precedes the Trial Advocacy Tuesday final trial session, the student will be responsible for arranging early departure from their course on the final trials evening.

Skills taught -- This course facilitates the development of the advocacy skills necessary to conduct a jury or non-jury trial or hearing.  The course is structured so that each student can develop a personal style of advocacy that is effective and appropriate for the individual student both in person and virtually. 

Advocacy now is conducted in person and virtually. Many motions are now heard on a virtual platform (Zoom).  Many trials – and portions of trials – are conducted virtually. Students will learn best practices for in person and virtual advocacy.  Some lectures and some workshops (in particular the motions arguments) may be conducted virtually to give students the opportunity to practice their advocacy skills in a virtual courtroom.   

Students begin by learning and doing basic trial advocacy skills (examination in chief and cross examination). Students then progress to learn how to use exhibits, how to properly impeach witnesses opening statement and closing argument (all with visual aids). Students will also develop skills in making objections and analysis and strategy in trial planning. For some classes, the witnesses may be “real life counterparts” such as police officers. Midway through the course, students will conduct an in person “mini-trial” in their small groups. 

This course uses Quercus. Workshop assignments and writing assignments will be posted to Quercus before each workshop. The assignment will list the readings pertaining to the next skill to be performed and learned, and a description of the tasks you must prepare and then perform at the coming workshop. Students are required to submit a written assignment for each workshop, due no later than 6:00 pm on the day of the workshop. The written assignment can be any length the student determines is appropriate and can be in point form, but submission of work on time is mandatory. The written assignment must be uploaded to Quercus on or before 6:00 pm the day of the workshop.