Experiential Learning
WashULaw offers students countless opportunities to learn while doing. Our award-winning Clinical Education Program consistently ranks among the nation’s premier programs, providing law students with hands-on opportunities working directly with clients, attorneys, judges, and legislators to learn professional skills in a real-world environment. In addition to clinical placements and externships, students can select from a growing number of simulation courses that will allow them to “simulate” the lawyering experience through practice-based problems and exercises. These offerings include a robust trial advocacy program and a rich moot court and trial competitions program.
Clinical Education
With 18 distinct law clinics and externships, including programs in Washington, D.C., New York City and internationally, WashULaw students have an unparalleled ability to hone their skills as future practitioners, while also increasing access to justice for a wide variety of clients.
Trial Advocacy Program (TAP)
Program experience, excellence, and guaranteed opportunities for all law students are the hallmarks of WashULaw’s Trial and Advocacy Program (TAP). The TAP curriculum focuses on pretrial and trial advocacy courses that blend theory and practice using problem-solving and simulations where students act as lawyers. TAP includes foundational courses in Legal Practice and Research, Evidence, Pretrial Practice and Settlement, and Trial Practice and Procedure. Once students have mastered the basics, they move on to advanced litigation and appellate advocacy courses including Advanced Trial Advocacy and Advanced Trial Advocacy – Civil. Students can also elect to take other practice courses such as Civil Rights Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation, Media Litigation, Securities Law Litigation & Arbitration, Jury Instructions & the Trial Process, Appellate Advocacy Seminar, Appellate Advocacy, and International Tribunals Practice & Procedure. TAP has earned the Emil Gumpert Award for Excellence in Teaching Trial Advocacy from the American College of Trial Lawyers. You can learn more about TAP by viewing this video of Judge David Mason who is the head trial couch of the trial team.
Moot Court and Trial Competitions
WashULaw’s curriculum includes a rich program of lawyering skills competitions. Both first-year and upper-class students are encouraged to develop their lawyering skills through our various competitions. Some of the competitions earn academic credit, and all of the competitions provide excellent training in valuable lawyering skills and professional values. Students can participate in trial and appellate skills competitions as well as competitions that involve client counseling, negotiation, mediation, and other alternative dispute resolution skills.