LSU Law students will have a chance to practice their trial advocacy skills during a unique program involving mentors from throughout the nation. From cross-examination to voir dire jury selection, third-year students will role-play and receive critiques from some of the nation’s leading experts in courtroom practices.
The annual Trial Advocacy program will be held August 7 – 9, 2006 at the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center. More than 180 third-year law students will participate in the program. “Few law schools in the United States include this type of program in their curriculum, and probably none have presented a program with such outstanding trial advocacy teachers,” said Chancellor John Costonis.
Dominic J. Gianna, a nationally acclaimed trial lawyer and National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) Team Leader, is the program director. Gianna is regarded as one of the best advocacy teachers in America. The seminar faculty includes over 70 of the best trial lawyers, trial judges, and advocacy teachers in the United States and Canada.
The program involves three days of intensive "learning by doing." Participants will act as trial counsel and simulate actual trial skills under the experienced eyes of the select seminar faculty. The program follows the methods pioneered by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and includes role-playing, critique, videotaping of performances, videotape critique, lectures, and demonstrations by the faculty.
The program is made possible in part by a grant from the Houston Law firm of Vinson & Elkins.
For more information, contact Karen Soniat, Director of Communications and External Relations, at 225/578-8645, email KSonia2@lsu.edu , or Christina Hood, program coordinator, at 225/578-8479 or chood1@lsu.edu .
