LAW-2400 Advanced Practice Skills
This course is designed to provide students with the essential skill-set needed to commence a legal practice in the area of plaintiff's personal injury litigation. Over the course of the semester, students will be exposed to and demonstrate "fluency" in virtually every aspect of the tort litigation practice, including: case selection and evaluation; evidence assembly; pre-litigation considerations and options; liability and damage analysis; case valuation; settlement negotiations; ADR options; court selection; preparation of "most common" pleadings; discovery practice; client communications; common traps and nightmare avoidance; trial preparation; trial choreography; and post settlement/trial matters. This course is specifically intended to provide students interested in joining an existing personal injury practice, or those interested in opening their own practice, following admission to the Massachusetts Bar, with the knowledge and practical skills required in daily practice. This is not a "lecture" course. Rather, the course is structured so as to maximize each student's exposure to the essential elements of a successful tort litigation practice. Students will prepare pleading, discuss case strengths and weaknesses, confront unexpected issues, and defend their decisions. The student's final grade will reflect active participation in classroom discussion; evaluation of written assignments; and a final assignment involving case-related tasks covered throughout the semester. Most law students who successfully complete first year "Torts", are aware that a person who is injured as a result of the negligence of another person or entity, is legally entitled to be compensated for the injuries and losses suffered. That said, in the absence of considerable hands-on experience, few have the knowledge to obtain that compensation on behalf of a client, upon graduation from law school. This course is for those who want to learn what it takes to successfully represent clients injured or killed as a result of negligence. This course is specifically designed for the student intent on pursuing a legal career devoted to high quality, personal injury practice, who seeks fluency in a wide range of essential skills, strategy, and procedure. Grading wil be based on written assignments.