students participating in the Desmond competition.

Advocacy

The Concentration in Advocacy provides students with the intellectual and practical skills necessary to become effective litigators at the trial and appellate levels.

The Concentration is nationally unique in that it exposes students to three sets of experiences essential to the development of skilled litigators.

  • First, students must take a set of rigorous doctrinal courses that provide the theoretical foundation and ethics necessary to become creative and adaptable lawyers.
  • Second, students must take skills-based courses in our trial, appellate, and mediation programs­—thus ensuring that they become versatile litigators.
  • Third, the Concentration emphasizes client-centered advocacy, and thus requires students to represent clients through the law school’s clinics and practicums.

The Concentration requirements are as follows:

Contact

Coordinator: Anthony O'Rourke

Apply

To apply for a Concentration or Curricular Program, please submit an online application.

Sample course schedules for students pursuing the Advocacy Concentration

Requirements (26 credits)

Please Note

Evidence must be taken in the 2L year. It is a corequisite for students taking Trial Advocacy in the fall semester of their 2L year, and a prerequisite for students taking Trial Advocacy after the fall semester of their 2L year.

A.  Simulation Learning Requirements (9 credits):

  • Introduction to Appellate Advocacy (956 LEC)
  • Mediation Theory & Practice (722 LEC)
  • Trial Technique (638 TUT)

B.  Client Advocacy Requirement (4 credits):

  • A Clinic or Practicum

C.  Advocacy Competition Requirement—at least one (1) credit from the following list of courses, including participation in a competition offered through that course:

  • Advanced Advocacy in Mediation (866 TUT)
  • Advanced Appellate Advocacy (816 SEM)
  • International Legal Advocacy (841 LEC)
  • Trial Advocacy (651 TUT) (Evidence is a corequisite if taken fall semester of 2L year, and a prerequisite if taken after fall semester of 2L year)

D.   Core Doctrine Requirements (12 credits)

a.   Evidence (must be taken 2L Year) (613 LEC)

b.  Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility (564 LEC)

c.  Six (6) credits from the following list of courses:

i.  Administrative Law (631 LEC)

ii.  Conflicts of Laws (605 LEC) 

iii.  Complex Litigation (662 LEC)

iv.  Criminal Procedure: Adjudication (694 LEC)

iv.  Federal Courts (600 LEC)

v.  An alternative, doctrinally challenging lecture course approved in advance by the Director of the Advocacy Institute.