Photograph of Professor Elizabeth Boals

Elizabeth Boals

Associate Director, Stephen S. Weinstein Trial Advocacy Program

Office: Room 310A
 Phone: 202-274-4073
E-mail: vCard


Elizabeth Boals began as the Assistant Director of the Trial Advocacy Program in 2005 and became the Program's Associate Director in 2009. Her areas of specialization include: Criminal and Civil Trial Advocacy, Criminal Law and Procedure, and Evidence. Before joining the faculty at WCL, Professor Boals defended the U.S. Department of Commerce on alleged violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Rehabilitation Act. She was a partner at Lay, Ippolito & Dillard, PLLC, and, prior to that, an attorney at Zwerdling, Paul, Leibig, Kahn, Thompson & Wolly, P.C. She began her legal career as an assistant public defender in the Office of the Public Defender in Alexandria, Virginia. Professor Boals is a National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) Advocacy Program faculty member and author and has lectured at Maryland and Virginia Coalitions of Police Conferences; Virginia Public Defenders’ Boot Camp for New Lawyers; Alexandria Inmate Outreach Program; and Alexandria Community Corrections Program.



Areas of Specialization

  • Evidence
  • Criminal Law
  • Trial Advocacy

Degrees & Universities

  • J.D., George Mason University School of Law
  • B.S., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

  • Selected Publications

    • Elizabeth Boals, Peyton v. Addison: Case File and Teaching Guide, NITA (2012).
    • Elizabeth Boals, State v. Peyton: Case File and Teaching Guide (NITA 2010).
    • Elizabeth Boals & Steve Lubet, Expert Testimony: A Guide for Expert Witnesses and the Lawyers Who Examine Them (2d. ed., NITA 2009).
    • Elizabeth Boals, State v. Sanchez: Case File and Teaching Manual (NITA 2007).

    • + More Publications...

    • David Aaronson, Elizabeth I. Boals & Anthony C. Morella, Reflections: The Honorable Irma S. Raker – Judge, Teacher and Role Model, 57 Am. U. L. Rev. 1563 (2008).

  • + Selected Presentations

    • Elizabeth Boals, Faculty, Annual Georgetown CLE/NITA Intensive Session in Trial Advocacy Skills (Wash., D.C., June 2006 - June 2009 (annually)).
    • Elizabeth Boals, Panelist, Trends in Criminal Law (American University Washington College of Law, Wash., D.C., Mar. 2006).
    • Elizabeth Boals, Panelist, Careers in Public Interest (American University Washington College of Law, Wash., D.C., Feb. 2006).
    • Elizabeth Boals, Presentation, Virginia Coalition of Police Conference (Virginia Beach, Va., May 2001).
    • Elizabeth Boals, Presentation, Maryland Coalition of Police Conference (Kent Narrows, Md., July 2000 & June 2001).
    • Elizabeth Boals, Organizer & Presenter, Boot Camp For New Lawyers CLE (Fairfax, Va., May 1998 - June 2000).
    • Elizabeth Boals, Organizer & Presenter, Inmate Outreach Program (Alexandria, Va., May 1998 - Nov. 1999).
    • Elizabeth Boals, Presentation, Community Corrections CLE (Alexandria, Va., Mar. 1998 - July 2000).

  • + Selected Media Appearances

  • + Selected Teaching Materials

    • Elizabeth Boals, Addison v. Peyton: Case File and Teaching Manual (NITA forthcoming 2011).