Litigation Skills Program

The Litigation Skills Program offers 7 different skills training courses and has provided advocacy training to an average of 210 students per semester since 1988. The performance-type courses (Civil Advocacy, Criminal Advocacy, and Appellate Advocacy) are designed around Kolb's Learning Theory and are taught by some of the top trial lawyers in Houston. The Program provides supervision and coaching for the Mock Trial teams, which have brought both national championships and national recognition to the Law Center. The Program also maintains an extensive video library of lectures and presentations by renowned national and regional trial attorneys.

COURSES

Trial Advocacy (Civil)
Trial Advocacy (Advanced Civil)
Trial Advocacy (Criminal)
Appellate Advocacy
Legal Negotiations
Pretrial Litigation
Attorney Communication & Persuasion Techniques
Mock Trial Teams
Practice Management

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS

Hippard Competition Workshop - Through lecture, demonstration and handouts, we provide students about to compete in a mock trial competition for the first time with instruction to increase their knowledge and raise the level of competition.

ALSO...

The Texas Litigation Primer, written by the Litigation Skills Program faculty, is designed to be the book on Texas Civil Trial Practice. Published in the Spring '96 semester, this book contains the "how to" for going to trial in Texas state courts. Edited by the Program's former Director, K. Byron McCoy, the Primer is the only trial practice book devoted specifically to Texas trial practice.

AND...

American Bar Association's Family Law Institute: Trial Training for Family Law Practitioners

For the past twelve years the Litigation Skills Program has hosted this renowned program in conjunction with the ABA. Faculty includes some of the nation's best Family Law practitioners. Former Litigation Skills Program Director McCoy served 8 years as the program chair and was awarded the 1995 ABA Family Law Section Chair's Award for his contributions to this program.