Pretrial Civil Litigation Simulation

The Pretrial Civil Litigation or Pretrial Advocacy Program is an intensive, one-semester, practical introduction to pretrial civil litigation, including interviewing, drafting pleadings, planning investigation and discovery, taking depositions, and briefing and arguing pretrial motions. The simulation is a hands-on program in which students learn by doing. It is focused on the pretrial development of a civil case. Pretrial is, of course, the heart of civil litigation because most civil cases are resolved before trial. Students in the program take on lawyering responsibility for a simulated but realistic case. Each student interviews a client and develops the client’s case during the course of the semester – analyzing the law and the facts of the case, investigating the case, drafting relevant pleadings, preparing and responding to interrogatories and other discovery requests, taking and defending depositions, and briefing and arguing a pretrial motion. The simulation is not a classroom course but a program designed to help students make the transition from working like students to working like lawyers. It offers a structured, closely-supervised opportunity to begin to appreciate the wide range of lawyering skills that are important in litigation -- planning, problem solving, investigation, networking, legal and factual analysis, thinking strategically, communicating effectively, and working with others. Second, third, and fourth year students have found the program valuable. There are no prerequisites. Evidence is recommended.