Trial Advocacy Concentration

Trial Advocacy Concentration

The Trial Advocacy Institute is an exciting and innovative addition to the Law Center with the goal of providing resources to students and members of our legal community. The Institute offers a concentration in Trial Advocacy to students in every division of the Law Center, upon the completion of which students will be certified by the Institute as Trial Ready. By offering a wide variety of trial courses in which top trial attorneys and judges participate, our students are trained and critiqued by those who intimately know what it takes to excel in the courtroom. The Institute will support our trial teams and will present annual programs developed to enhance the trial skills and knowledge of new and experienced attorneys alike. Finally, the Institute plans to create a library of trial resources including videos, briefs, information with regard to expert witnesses and trial transcripts, all of which will be available to assist attorneys in trial preparation.

Concentration Requirements

Eligibility Requirements:

a. Application process – end of 1L Year
b. All students must have successfully completed LP I and LP II
c. Minimum GPA: 3.0

General Requirements for all concentrations:

a. Completion of 22-24 credits (exclusive of required JD courses)
b. All students, for all concentrations, must receive a minimum grade of B in all concentration coursework (for the course credits to be counted towards the concentration)
c. Completion of the Experiential Requirement (4-6 credits) in an approved concentration course (note: the ABA and the law school require 6 credits
d. Completion of the Advanced Writing Requirement in one of the concentration’s courses or with an Independent Research Project supervised by the concentration’s faculty advisor or adjunct designee; (note: courses marked with an asterisk may provide concentration students with the opportunity to satisfy the AWR)
e. Pro Bono Requirement: all concentrations will require a pro bono component of a specific number of hours to be completed by participating in an appropriate project/program

Required Courses (8 credits)

Introduction to Trial Advocacy I (3)
Introduction to Trial Advocacy II (3)
Advanced Evidence for Trial Practice* (2)
TAPS – participation required for a minimum of two semesters

Elective Courses (10 credits)

Criminal Procedure (3)
Pretrial Litigation (3)
Trial Technology (2)
White Collar Crime* (2)
Wrongful Convictions* (2)
Complex Litigation* (3)
Independent Research Project* (1-2)
Selected Topics in Trial Advocacy (2) (offerings include Jury Selection; Direct Examinations; Cross Examinations; Openings & Closings; Expert Witnesses) (note: these simulation courses will also satisfy the law school’s experiential requirement)

Experiential Requirement (6 credits)

Clinics (5-6): Criminal Prosecution, Criminal Defense, Immigration, Education Justice
Externship (4): Office of the District Attorney, Legal Aid Society, Public Defenders (federal and state), Office of the US Attorney, Personal Injury firm, civil rights/civil defense firms, etc.
Trying a Family Law Case (1)
Trying a Torts Case (1)

Pro Bono Requirement (25 of the 50 hours)

Must be completed by volunteering for one or more of the following:
Middle School/High School mock trial programs
Youth Court
Inns of Court
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Civil Education Program: The Justice Institute

Faculty Advisor: Professor Lynne A. Kramer