Juris Education interviewed Professor Joana Perini-Abbott, the Director of the Center for Advocacy at Lewis & Clark Law School, for an exclusive look at what sets the school's Trial Advocacy Program apart.
Lewis & Clark’s Trial Advocacy program is distinguished by its commitment to providing extensive, hands-on courtroom training to all interested students. While our teams have quickly achieved success in inter-school competitions, our core strength is accessibility.
This commitment is demonstrated by:
Furthermore, our program is deeply integrated with the legal community. Each fall, over 50 practicing attorneys and judges volunteer as lecturers and instructors in our introductory course. A tailored mentorship program also connects students with practitioners in their specific fields of interest, building invaluable professional networks.
Our program builds a comprehensive set of litigation skills. We teach the essential mechanics of trial work—from examining a witness to arguing before a court and persuading a jury—while encouraging each student to discover and refine their own authentic advocacy style.
Beyond technical proficiency, our curriculum emphasizes the cornerstones of a successful practice: legal ethics, professionalism, and sound judgment. We cultivate a learning environment where mistakes are viewed as essential for developing the sophisticated judgment required of a trial lawyer.
As a result, our graduates are courtroom-ready, equipped with the confidence and competence to argue motions, question witnesses, and deliver compelling arguments to a jury—a reality consistently affirmed by our alumni.
For more information on Lewis & Clark Law School's Advocacy Center, visit https://law.lclark.edu/centers/advocacy/
For information about Lewis & Clark Law School, visit https://law.lclark.edu/.
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