Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution CURRICULUM MAP
This map seeks to help guide you in selecting courses if you are interested in pursuing a career in civil litigation and dispute resolution or concentrating your studies in these areas. As a general proposition, we strongly encourage you to pursue a broad legal education that balances fundamental courses (including bar courses), your specific professional interests, and classes that appeal to you for any reason. This page provides basic advice and gives information about courses and other offerings in this area made available by the College of Law. Please also note that a Certificate in Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution is available. We encourage you to seek one-on-one guidance in designing your 2L and 3L curriculum from one of the faculty advisors listed below. In addition, the Dean of Students and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs are always happy to meet with students for general academic advising and for designing curricular paths.
Sequencing As a general rule, fundamental courses should be taken before more specialized courses. In this field, we recommend that you take either or both of Pre-Trial Practice, Trial Advocacy, and Evidence in your 2L year. Mediation / Advanced Negotiation and Appellate Practice are also fundamental courses if you want to focus your career in one of those areas. Complex Civil Litigation is fundamental for commercial litigators, while Federal Courts is an important course for students planning judicial externships or clerkships with federal judges as well as practice in federal court. Experiential Opportunities Civil, Judicial, and Transactional Externships Criminal Process Course and Externship Innocence Clinic Justice Lab Competitions Arbitration Competition Mediation Competition Traynor Moot Court Trial Advocacy Moot Court Other competitions that offer courtroom simulations Pro Bono Opportunities Street Law Community Legal Clinic Student Organizations National Lawyers Guild Federal Bar Association Student Litigation Society Faculty Advisors Prof. Anna Carpenter Prof. Randy Dryer
Rev. 2/2021