Litigation Program - Frequently Asked Questions

LITIGATION PROGRAM

• The Litigation Program consists of a group of courses and mock trial opportunities designed to give law students all of the skills required to be an advocate upon graduation.

• In the past, lawyers learned trial practice through on-the-job training after completing law school. Today, graduates need to be prepared for the challenges that face them in the courtroom before they step into it. Classes are small, so every student is able to practice litigation skills such as, interviewing clients, negotiating, litigating motions, conducting witness examinations, making objections, delivering opening and closing arguments, and more. Litigation Program students also have opportunities to participate in mock trial and moot court competitions.

• The Litigation Certificate is a recognition that a student has "majored" in Litigation and has achieved a high-level of achievement in the Litigation courses.

• Any second or third year law student.

• Yes! These courses are designed to work with students who are afraid of public speaking. For example, Trial Advocacy, the basic trial course, gives students the opportunity to learn trial skills in a supportive atmosphere. Each week, students learn to stand up and conduct one portion of a trial. With each passing week, student confidence grows. Another course particularly geared toward overcoming fear of public speaking is Courtroom as Theater. That course, focusing on voice projection and other techniques to aid in persuasive communication, is taught jointly by an actor/director and an experienced litigator.

• Trial Advocacy
• Mock Trial
• Civil Litigation: Pretrial Phase
• Courtroom as Theatre
• Criminal Litigation

• Students who are interested in the Litigation Program should take Evidence as soon as possible, either in the summer after their first year, or the fall of their second year. As a general rule, Trial Advocacy should be taken in the fall semester of a student's second year. The order of the remainder of the courses should be discussed in detail with advisors Professor Susan Rutberg or Professor Bernard Segal, the Director of the Litigation Program.

• Students are encouraged to enroll in clinical programs to use the skills used in their Litigation courses to gain real life experiences and to work with live clients.

• Professors include Professor Bernard Segal, Director of the Litigation Program; Professor Susan Rutberg, Director of the Externship Programs; Professor Mort Cohen and Professor Peter Keane. Adjunct professors include Susan Leff, Teresa Caffesse and Brian Soriano, and other practicing lawyers in the community.

• A mock trial competition is a trial advocacy competition with student teams of lawyers and witnesses. The students prepare a full trial and compete against other schools. There are both national and local competitions.

• To be a member of the mock trial competition team, students must have completed Trial Advocacy and Evidence and be enrolled in the basic Mock Trial course. Students are selected on the basis of their performance in these classes as well as through tryouts for the competition teams.

• All students! Litigation courses are scheduled so that all students, including both HLP and night students, are able participate in the Litigation Program.

• Trial Advocacy is the basic course for the litigation program. Students learn how to conduct a direct examination, cross examination, opening statements and closing arguments. They also learn how to introduce evidence and prepare for trial. The final for this course is a full mock trial at a local courthouse. Mock Trial is an intensive course building on the skills learned in Trial Advocacy. Students conduct a minimum of 4 mock trials at a local courthouse and continue to improve their litigation skills and are eligible for participation in competitions.

• Moot Court consists of appellate advocacy competitions. The arguments are oral, in front of judges, without a jury. Mock Trial includes full trials, with witnesses and often a jury of peers.

• No. Skills learned are transferable in either field needed by beginning civil or criminal lawyers.

• The litigation program is beneficial for many reasons, particularly because firms looking for new attorneys often look for students with litigation training or experience. Additionally, all lawyers need to know how to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of a case and develop case theories.

LITIGATION CERTIFICATE

• To apply for the certificate of specialization, law students must schedule an individual meeting with Professor Bernard Segal or Professor Susan Rutberg to plan out their schedules and then submit a certificate application to the university in the fall before they graduate.

• Students must submit an application for the certificate, meet with one of the advisors and complete the required 14 units in litigation courses.

• 14 units in litigation courses are required to receive the certificate of specialization.

• Students must complete both of the following:
• Trial Advocacy (3 units) with a grade of at least a "B"
• Mock Trial Basic (3 units) and receive "Credit"
• Students must complete one of the following courses and achieve a grade of at least a "B".
• Civil Litigation: Pre-Trial Phase (3 units)
• Criminal Litigation (3 units)
• Students must complete five additional units from among the following courses. If the course is graded students must achieve a grade of at least a "B".
• Alternative Dispute Resolution (3 units)
• Clinical Placement with State Bar Certification or Federal practice equivalent (only 3 clinical units may count toward the certificate)
• Courtroom as Theatre (2 units)
• Lawyering Skills: Client Advocacy (3 units)
• Advanced Mock Trial Competition (2 units) (Competitions are open to students selected or approved by faculty.)
• Mock Trial Basic (second time) (3 units)
• Moot Court Competition (1-2 units)
• Special courses in litigation (See certificate advisers for details.)

• The certificate shows employers that you are serious about litigation and have taken a concentration of courses in a variety of litigation skills. By the time you complete the program, you will have conducted a minimum of 5 mock trials.

• The application is due at the end of the fall semester before you graduate.

BAXTER FELLOWSHIP

• Each year an outstanding student in Litigation is selected to be the Judge Lee Baxter Graduate Fellow in Litigation in a post-graduate position. The fellow serves as a valuable member of the team that teaches J.D. students in the Litigation Program and assists in the preparation of the mock trial competition teams.

• The fellowship was made possible by a generous gift to the law school by Judge Lee D. Baxter. Judge Lee Baxter is an alumnus of Golden Gate University School of Law. Judge Baxter served as a Court Commissioner, then as a Municipal Court Judge and finally as a Judge of the Superior Court of San Francisco. Now retired, Judge Baxter is a member of the Board of Trustees of Golden Gate University.

• The Baxter Fellow assists in teaching the Trial Advocacy and Mock Trial courses. The fellow assists in coaching the mock trial competition team. The fellow is also available to students for one on one help as they go through their litigation courses.

• You must have graduated from Golden Gate University Law School and been a participant in the litigation program. As an applicant, you must submit three letters of recommendation and interview with former Baxter Fellows and professors in the litigation program.

• Any third year law student at Golden Gate University School of Law who participated in the litigation program can apply during their final spring semester.

• The application is available in the spring of each year. The applicant writes a letter to the Baxter Committee explaining their interest in the program and why they should be chosen. Also, the applicant must submit a letter allowing the committee to look at the student's registrar records and submit 2 letters of recommendation.

• Yes. The Baxter Fellow receives a $15,000 stipend for August 15 through December 15.

• As the Baxter Fellow, you will have the opportunity to go out to three dinners or lunches with lawyers in the community. At the dinner, you can discuss their job experience, law school experience and gain advice about life after law school.

• The Baxter Fellowship is usually only a semester long, but may be extended to a full year in some circumstances.