Litigation Skills Summer Institute

The Litigation Skills Summer Institute is designed for both practitioners and qualified law students interested in mastering litigation skills. The program features rigorous training in pre-trial and trial skills and is tailored for associates wanting to sharpen their courtroom skills and students wanting an extra advantage in this competitive job market. The flexible two week intensive program consists of three courses and a cutting edge Digital Evidence Presentations Workshop. Courses will be offered at nights and weekends and participants may take one, two or all courses. Academic credit is available for law students and CLE credits for practitioners. Online applications are now being accepted.

Courses:

Fact Witness Depositions (FWD): This intensive course includes short lectures and demonstrations by faculty on how to prepare for, take, and defend fact witness depositions followed by in-class depositions by participants and webcast review. Participants practice taking and defending depositions and receive immediate critique and feedback from the instructors. Course schedule

Expert Witness Depositions (EWD): Participants learn how to depose expert witnesses, who often prove to be the most difficult witnesses to depose. A significant amount of time is spent on preparation of expert witnesses, questioning techniques and deposition strategy. Participants have multiple opportunities to refine taking and defending expert witness depositions through practice and instructor critiques. Course schedule

Civil Trial Advocacy (CIVTA): Participants learn how to prepare and conduct direct and cross-examinations, deliver effective opening statements and closing arguments, make timely objections, and lay the proper foundation to admit evidence during the course of a trial. The course concludes with a full mock trial before a sitting judge and citizen jurors. Course schedule

Digital Evidence Presentations Workshop: The workshop features instruction and demonstrations of effective ways to pesent evidence such as timelines, video clips, and data compilations in a digital format during direct examinations and closing arguments. Experts teach how to use technology to make strong, effective arguments that resonate with jurors and judges. Participants will make in-class digital presentations followed by instructor critique. Course schedule

A Litigation Skills Institute participant has the choice to take one, two, or all courses. Courses are primarily held in the evenings and weekends to accommodate busy practitioners and students.

Course Highlights

  • Small faculty to student ratio
  • Learning-by-doing format
  • Individualized critique
  • Video review of performances
  • Mastery of proper techniques
  • Use of exhibits in trial and depositions

Faculty Experts