Pretrial Litigation Techniques
Course Description:
Skills related to pretrial civil litigation. The objectives of the course are to teach students basic skills needed in federal pretrial civil litigation practice, to develop knowledge of applicable pretrial rules, to develop skills in the discovery process, and to develop written and oral advocacy skills using modules relating to prefiling considerations, pleadings, motion practice, discovery, and the pretrial conference. The course will meet for lecture and skills based exercises. During the skills session, students will learn by doing and receive feedback and critique from the instructor and/or practitioners. The course will use one civil, high tech fact pattern over the course of the semester. Students will meet with clients; interview witnesses; draft and respond to discovery; take and defend depositions; and draft, oppose and argue motions. One fact pattern will be used throughout the course so that the emphasis remains on skills development rather than learning additional fact patterns or substantive areas of law. Limited enrollment 100 percent attendance required. Prerequisite: 114 Pleading and Civil Procedure. Pre- or Co-requisite 320. Evidence. Approved IP LL.M. course.
Class Notes:
Experiential Course
Limited enrollment. Attendance is mandatory. Students must attend first class meeting or make prior arrangements with the professor. Students who no-show to the first class will be dropped by the professor. The top five students on the wait list should attend the first day. Reading assignment for first class posted on ClaraNet. This class fulfills the Professional Skills Requirement. Professor does not allow taping of this class. Professor is willing to have a student tape a class with the permission of the professor for personal use only. Pre-requisite: 114. Pleading and Civil Procedure. Pre- or Co- requisite: 320. Evidence.
