Advocacy Programs
We want our students to develop the skills necessary for success in and out of the courtroom. Accordingly, the law school's Advocacy Programs provide practice-oriented advocacy training focused on the skills necessary for success in every phase of litigation.
Advocacy training begins in the first year of study. All first year students develop fundamental advocacy skills in our legal research and writing program. Lawyers write to win. Our legal writing program offers every student invaluable training in the art of legal writing.
First year students also have the opportunity in the spring semester to participate in an annual moot court competition. Last year, final rounds of this competition were held in the chambers of the Alabama Supreme Court before members of the Court serving as guest judges.
Numerous advocacy courses are available to second and third year students focused on further development of advocacy skills, including: interviewing and client counseling, pre-trial practice, trial practice, appellate practice as well as various alternative dispute resolution courses.
In addition to these courses, the law school also invites all students to participate in the J. Greg Allen Intra-School Mock Trial Competition in their third year of study. Participating students are given a case file in early August and then required to take that case to trial during the first half of the fall semester. This tournament is a great opportunity for students to showcase their advocacy skills before local attorneys and judges who serve as guest judges for the competition.
The law school is committed to a continuing national reputation for excellence in interscholastic student advocacy competitions. Each year the law school participates in numerous national trial competitions, including: the Buffalo-Niagara Invitational Mock Trial Competition; the AAJ National Student Trial Advocacy Competition; the National Trial Competition; and the BLSA Thurgood Marshall National Trial Advocacy Competition.
Students also participate in national moot court competitions each year. Moot court competitions involve preparation of appellate briefs and presentation of appellate arguments. Last year, our students participated in two of the largest national tournaments: the National Moot Court Tournament and the ABA's National Appellate Advocacy Competition. Our student advocates received national awards in these events.
The law school boasts a program of study in alternative dispute resolution which provides training in mediation and arbitration technique. The law school supplements this training with clinical opportunities in mediation. Additionally, the law school participates in the ABA's National Mediation Competition.
The law school is committed to providing its students with the multiple opportunities to develop the art of effective advocacy. We invite you to join us!
