Concentration in Criminal Litigation Skills

The Concentration in Criminal Litigation Skills provides students an opportunity to develop the skills and relationships necessary to become successfully employed in the fields of criminal defense and prosecution. It is anticipated that students attending the full-time program will be able to complete the concentration requirements within the existing scheduling schema, including the registration priority system; and that students attending the part-time program who are able to take an occasional day/afternoon course and fullfill the clinical requirements will also be able to complete the concentration requirements.

CONCENTRATION REQUIREMENTS

Students seeking a Concentration in Criminal Litigation Skills must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Demonstrated knowledge of the law of criminal process through completion of Criminal Procedure: Investigation (formerly Criminal Procedure I) and Criminal Procedure: Adjudication (formerly Criminal Procedure II).

2. Demonstrated knowledge of the law and skills of litigation through completion of Evidence, Trial Advocacy I and Trial Advocacy II.

3. Completion of a two credit hour paper exploring some aspect of the criminal justice system. This requirement could be satisfied by successfully completing one of the seminars listed below, by participating in the Public Law Review as a member of the Research and Writing staff, or by a directed research project approved by the program adviser.

Death Penalty
White Collar Crime
Critical Race Theory
Law and Psychiatry
International Criminal Procedure
Comparative Criminal Procedure

4. Participation in either the Criminal Defense Clinic or a comparable clinical experience as approved by the program adviser.

5. Students seeking this Concentration will be strongly encouraged to participate in pro bono legal service prior to graduation. Such pro bono work may be on behalf of a governmental agency, a non-profit organization, or indigent individuals. The program adviser will advise students of available activities and placements.