Law 694: Trial Team

Trial Team is a graded experiential trial advocacy course conducted in the fall (two hours) and spring (two hours) semesters for a total of four credit hours. Enrollment is by audition only.  Auditions will be held in May following final exams.  Per ABA Standard 310, in order to earn two credit hours per semester, each student must account for 90 hours of time. Eligibility for the Trial Team requires the prerequisites or co-requisites of three College of Law courses: Evidence, Trial Advocacy, Professionalism in Advocacy

 Students who accept the invitation to join Trial Team will undergo rigorous training with a practitioner coach and periodic bonus critiques from College of Law faculty, Illinois alumni, and additional seasoned practicing attorney volunteers as competition weekends approach.  Students enrolled in the course will also be required to attend a six-day trial immersive experience (held in-person at the College of Law) prior to the beginning of the fall semester taught by College of Law faculty and practicing attorneys.   The Anderson Center for Advocacy and Professionalism will also provide additional workshops and programs to help with overall development as well as individual optimization.

 Trial Team competitions provide hands-on experiential training for future lawyers. It also offers student development in prevailing over practical challenges that lawyers typically face in a modern legal practice. In addition to polishing their basic advocacy skills, team members learn to analyze and master a case file, navigate a courtroom environment, neutralize hostile or aggressive witnesses, and effectively employ the laws of evidence.

 Each Trial Team participates in two interscholastic tournaments each academic year at both the national and regional level. Trial Team members try at least one case during each semester of membership and, in doing so, they transfer knowledge gained in the classroom domain into firsthand practical experiences in the courtroom. Moreover, members have exceptional opportunities at trial advocacy tournaments to make valuable networking connections within the legal community with sitting judges, practicing attorneys, and peers from law schools across the country.

Course Sequence/Corequisite/Prerequisites:  Eligibility for the Trial Team requires the prerequisites or co-requisites of three College of Law courses: Evidence (Fall), Trial Advocacy (Fall), Professionalism in Advocacy (Spring).

Evaluation:  Trial Team is a two-hour graded course.  The grading will be on the College of Law’s mandatory curve for upper-level courses.  Grades will be based on participation and performance in the trial advocacy immersive held before the fall semester, participation and performance is an “applying evidence” exercise during the semester, performance in a final mock trial before the Advocacy Director prior to the competition trial, and finally based on performance in the trial competition participation, inclusive of professionalism throughout the semester.

Course Classification: Experiential