LAW 651TUT - Trial Advocacy

In this intensive course, students will learn how to prepare and try a criminal or civil case with an eye toward participating as trial counsel in a national mock trial competition. This course picks up where basic Trial Technique leaves off. It is more in-depth and concentrated in its focus and time commitment. The students will organize and analyze a complicated fact pattern by focusing on the elements of proof, defenses and by developing a theme of the case. In each session, students will, under the guidance of the instructor, guest judges and trial lawyers, work on a different aspect of a selected case. In the process they will sharpen their skills in the mechanics of trial lawyering: how to ask proper questions on direct and cross examination, impeachment with a prior inconsistent statement, introduction and use of objections. The student performances in each aspect of the trial will be critiqued on the spot so that they can identify their weak points and improve upon them for the next session. In the trial competition, the students will try a case against top student trial lawyers from across the country. Competitions are either invitationals which involve trying both sides of a criminal or civil case at least twice, and up to 5 to 6 times depending on whether the team advances past the preliminary rounds. The competitions usually take 3 to 4 days. With the National Trial Competition and ATLA Competition, if the team wins the Regional, they advance to the Nationals and repeat the process. Actual trial judges and trial lawyers serve as judges and evaluators. Course schedule varies from semester to semester and ordinarily consists of frequent meetings during a 6-week period. The time commitment is generally 3 nights a week and Saturday or Sunday mornings with all sessions running about three hours. This course counts toward the maximum of 12 credits that a student is permitted to receive from independent studies, externships, and courses in other UB academic units. Note: Students enrolled in this course will receive 3 credits. Students may be eligible for an additional 3 credits if they advance from a Regional Competition to a National Competition during one semester or if they are selected to participate in two competitions in two semesters. In no event shall any student receive more than 6 credits for this course.

Credits: 3

Prerequisites & Notes
Requisites: LAW 613 is a corequisite for 2Ls and a prerequisite for 3Ls