About the Certificate
The Juris Doctor certificate in Trial Advocacy and Litigation is designed for students who want to focus their studies on the art and science of trial advocacy. At Beasley School of Law, JD students gain the skills and experience to be ready for the courtroom upon completion of their studies. While pursuing their JD degree, students in the Trial Advocacy and Litigation certificate program take a minimum of eight law courses, receiving a notation on their transcript upon successful completion.
Time Limit for Certificate Completion: 4 years
Campus Location: Main
Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The certificate program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis.
Non-Matriculated Student Policy: The certificate may not be taken on a non-matriculated basis.
Admission Requirements and Deadlines
Application Deadline:
Eligible students complete a registration form and return it to Professor Sara Jacobson in 611 Klein Hall.
Coursework Required for Admission Consideration: Applicants must be pursuing the Juris Doctor degree.
Master’s Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: Not required.
Bachelor’s Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: Not required.
Certificate Requirements
Number of Credits Required to Complete the Certificate: 19-23, depending on the student's choice of eight required courses
Required Courses:
Second-Year Day / Third-Year Evening
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated Trial Advocacy Program (ITAP) Courses | ||
| JUDO 0460 | Trial Advocacy I (Fall) | 2 |
| JUDO 0461 | Trial Advocacy II (Spring) | 3 |
| JUDO 0517 | Civil Procedure II (Spring) | 2-3 |
| JUDO 0540 | Evidence (Fall) | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 10-11 | |
Third-Year Day / Fourth-Year Evening
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LLM Litigation Strategy Lectures | 0 | |
| All students select courses from Menu A, Menu B, and Clinical, as shown on their Certificate Registration form: 1 | 9-12 | |
| Menu A 2 | ||
| Pennsylvania Civil Procedure | ||
| Appellate Advocacy | ||
or JUDO 0835 | Appellate Advocacy | |
| Criminal Procedure II | ||
or JUDO 0932 | Criminal Procedure II | |
| Interviewing, Negotiating and Counseling | ||
| Advanced Trial Advocacy (Criminal) | ||
| Advanced Trial Advocacy (Civil) | ||
| Mediation Advocacy & Practice | ||
| Advanced Trial Advocacy (Speech Making) | ||
| Public Advocacy for Social Change | ||
| Complex Civil Litigation | ||
| Intrnl Litgtn & Arbitrtn | ||
| Anatomy for Litigators | ||
| LRW III: Civil Motions Practice | ||
| Innocence and Wrongful Convictions | ||
| Legal Research and Writing III: Experts in Civil Litigation | ||
| Mindful Lawyering: Techniques for Effective Counseling, Negotiation and Advocacy | ||
or JUDO 5054 | Mindful Lawyering: Techniques for Effective Counseling, Negotiation and Advocacy | |
| Commercial Arbitration Law and Procedure | ||
| Social Justice Lawyering Seminar | ||
Moot Court: one year's participation | ||
Trial Team: one year's participation | ||
| Menu B 2 | ||
| Envrnmntl Lit/Superfund | ||
| Patent Prosecution | ||
| Media and Telecommunications Law | ||
| Conflict of Laws | ||
| Employment Discrimination | ||
| Federal Courts and Jurisdiction | ||
| Juvenile Justice | ||
| Political and Civil Rights | ||
or JUDO 1006 | Political and Civil Rights | |
or JUDO J655 | Political and Civil Rights | |
| Health Care Law: Medical Malpractice | ||
or JUDO 0874 | Health Care Law: Medical Malpractice | |
| Employment Law | ||
| Federal Criminal Law | ||
| International Criminal Law | ||
| E-Discovery: Preservation through Presentation in the Digital Age | ||
| Supreme Ct/Current Term | ||
| Citznshp Immgrtn Refugee | ||
| Death Penalty | ||
| Access to Justice in Civil Matters | ||
| Forensic Evidence, Science, and Medicine | ||
| Families in Law and Public Policy | ||
| ICC Moot Court | ||
| Legal Research Writing III: Legal Drafting Seminar | ||
| Drug and Medical Device Law | ||
| Health Care Fraud: Investigation, Prosecution, and Compliance | ||
| Drug Law Policy and Practice: Marijuana Regulation | ||
| Crim Tax Litigatn/Procdr | ||
| Clinical 3 | ||
| Tort Litigation and Trial Practice (SEPTA) | ||
| Temple Legal Aid Office: Family Law Litigation Clinic | ||
| Small Claims Mediation | ||
| Criminal Defense Advocacy: Defender Association of Philadelphia | ||
| Federal Criminal Practice: Federal Defender | ||
| Criminal Prosecution: Philadelphia District Attorney | ||
| Federal Criminal Practice: United States Attorney | ||
| Federal Judicial Clerkship | ||
| Elderly Law Project | ||
| Philadelphia Housing Court | ||
| City Solicitor: Claims Litigation | ||
| Temple Legal Aid Office: Domestic Relations Mediation | ||
| Philadelphia District Attorney: Charging Unit | ||
| Ethics in Practice 4 | ||
| Pennsylvania Innocence Project | ||
| Consumer Bankruptcy Assistance Project | ||
| State Judicial Clerkship | ||
| Temple Legal Aid Office: Advanced Family Law Litigation Clinic 5 | ||
| Social Justice Lawyering Clinic | ||
| Access to Justice Clinic | ||
| Advanced Clinical Intensive: Community Lawyering Temple Legal Aid Office 5 | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 9-12 | |
- 1
Day students take two courses from Menu A, one course from Menu B, and one clinical from the approved list. Evening students take two courses from Menu A and two courses from Menu B if unable to take an approved clinical.
- 2
Any course in Menu A may count as a Menu B course, but no Menu B course may count as a Menu A course.
- 3
Day students select one clinical. In addition, a second clinical may be substituted for their Menu B course.
- 4
JUDO 0751 or a practicum may only count toward the clinical requirement with prior approval from the Director of Trial Advocacy.
- 5
Advanced work in the Temple Legal Aid Office for either the Family Law Clinic or the Community Lawyering Office can only count toward the clinical requirement with prior approval from the Director of Trial Advocacy.
GPA Required to be Awarded the Certificate: 3.0 minimum in advocacy coursework, with a 2.5 minimum overall
Culminating Events: Beyond coursework, all students are required to fulfill two additional obligations to earn the Trial Advocacy and Litigation certificate:
- Serve as either a Teaching Assistant for the Integrated Trial Advocacy Program (ITAP), Introduction to Trial Advocacy (ITA), or Advanced Trial Advocacy (ATA); a witness for the LLM program's weekend trials; or a witness at the Regional Championship of the National Trial Competition hosted by Temple each February.
- Complete the LLM lecture series, which requires attendance at five lectures. In-person attendance is required. Lectures are generally held in Room 1C from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Lecture topics include:
- Advanced Experts
- Damages: Depositions
- Damages: Experts
- Depositions II
- eDiscovery and Litigation
- Expert Witnesses
- Persuasion: Lawyer Likability and Civility
- Persuasive Pleadings
- Psychology and Persuasion
- Science Series: Accident Reconstruction
- Science Series: Neuroscience and the Law
- Trial Technology
- Voir Dire and Jury Selection
- Witness Preparation
- Witnesses and Storytelling
If a class conflict prevents a student from attending in person, the lecture may be viewed on Canvas but only with advance permission from the Director of Trial Advocacy. Lecture dates are subject to change, depending on the needs of the LLM program. Changes are announced on Canvas as soon as the need for a change is determined.
Contacts
Certificate Program Web Address:
https://law.temple.edu/academics/degrees/jd/certificates/litigation/
Submission Address for Application Materials:
Complete and submit a registration form to Professor Sara Jacobson in 611 Klein Hall.
Department Contacts:
Director of Trial Advocacy:
Sara Jacobson
Associate Professor of Law
215-204-0661