Categories: Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution Law Practice Skills

Section 001, Pre-Trial Advocacy - Kasieta, Robert

Course Page for Spring 2025 ZPO - Kasieta, Robert

Pre-trial Advocacy is a practical course. The focus is on skills one needs in a litigation practice to prepare to try a case. These skills include case intake analysis, interviewing skills, discovery creation and responses, depositions, mediation, and trial preparation. In all phases, the focus is on strategy and practical materials to help students thrive in any litigation practice after graduation. There are no strict pre-requisites for 3L students, but historically students have benefitted most from the class with solid background in evidence and civil procedure.

Recent Offerings of this course by this instructor

Spring 2025 ZPO
Fall 2024 Regular
Spring 2024 ZPO
Fall 2023 Regular
Spring 2023 ZPO
Fall 2022
Spring 2022
Fall 2021

Section 002, Pre-Trial Advocacy - Edwards, Timothy

Course Page for Spring 2025 ZPO - Edwards, Timothy

This class teaches the important skills that lawyers use up until the time of trial. Through simulations, written assignments, and class discussions, you will learn about interviewing a client, planning a litigation strategy, drafting pleadings, conducting discovery (both drafting written discovery requests and taking/defending depositions), and drafting/arguing a motion, all within the context of a real case. Since the vast majority of cases settle before trial, a lawyer's success has at least as much to do with mastery of the nuts and bolts of pre-trial advocacy as courtroom prowess.
The seminar will use a simulation approach to cover skills that include: (1) Interviewing and counseling a client, (2) Drafting a complaint, (3) Drafting and responding to discovery requests, (4) Taking and defending depositions, (5) Drafting of pre-trial submissions, including motions, and (6) Participating in the meet and confer process and settlement negotiations.

Recent Offerings of this course by this instructor

Spring 2025 ZPO
Fall 2024 Regular
Spring 2024 ZPO
Fall 2023 Regular
Spring 2023 ZPO
Fall 2022
Spring 2022
Fall 2021

Section 003, Pre-Trial Advocacy - Yang, Kristy

Course Page for Spring 2025 ZPO - Yang, Kristy

This class teaches the important skills that lawyers use up until the time of trial. Through simulations, written assignments, and class discussions, you will learn about interviewing a client, planning a litigation strategy, drafting pleadings, conducting discovery (both drafting written discovery requests and taking/defending depositions), and drafting/arguing a motion, all within the context of a real case. Since the vast majority of cases settle before trial, a lawyer's success has at least as much to do with mastery of the nuts and bolts of pre-trial advocacy as courtroom prowess.
The seminar will use a simulation approach to cover skills that include: (1) Interviewing and counseling a client, (2) Drafting a complaint, (3) Drafting and responding to discovery requests, (4) Taking and defending depositions, (5) Drafting of pre-trial submissions, including motions, and (6) Participating in the meet and confer process and settlement negotiations.

Recent Offerings of this course by this instructor

Spring 2025 ZPO
Spring 2024 ZPO
Spring 2023 ZPO
Spring 2022