John P. Gismondi Civil Litigation Certificate Program
Are you drawn to the real life drama of the courtroom? Do you have dreams of becoming a trial attorney? If so, then the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (PittLaw) may just be the place for you. Through its unique John P. Gismondi Civil Litigation Certificate Program, PittLaw can provide you with a unique curriculum devoted exclusively to training the trial lawyers of tomorrow.
During the first year of law school, all students take the same courses. Those students who wish to register for the Gismondi program, do so at the beginning of their second year of law school. During their second and third years, all students enrolled in the certificate program will take certain required courses, as well as a number of specialized classes. The core courses, which are designed to provide a basic foundation in civil litigation, include: Federal Jurisdiction, Evidence, Complex Litigation, and Conflicts of Law. Next, our trial lawyers in training move on to the heart of the Gismondi program, a collection of specialized courses taught exclusively by a pre eminant group of practicing trial attorneys whose insight and experience offer an invaluable perspective in the classroom. Together with our core courses, these select courses provide a level and depth of litigation training unlike that available at most any other law school. These courses include the following:
- Trial Advocacy
- Litigation Planning and Strategy
- Expert Testimony: Legal Basis and Practical Application
- Techniques of Pleading and Discovery
- Trial Evidence: The Rules in Action
- Advanced Torts
In each of these courses, class size is kept small so as to enrich the learning experience. Students not only are taught legal rules and principles in a typical lecture format, but more importantly, they are assigned to "role play" in a variety of real world litigation scenarios, each designed to develop specific skills which are essential to successful trial work. For example, a student may be asked to conduct an initial interview with a client and then help their law firm decide whether to accept representation of the client; take a pre trial deposition of the crucial witness from the opposing side in the case; cross examine an expert witness; give a convincing closing argument to the jury at the end of a hotly contested trial; and much, much more. All of these exercises are done under the watchful eye of our team of experienced trial attorneys. With their supervision, guidance, and insight, students quickly gain greater self confidence and a richer appreciation for the many nuances of trial work.
Students complete their training by taking a required litigation skills clinic or practicum selected from this group of options: Health Law, Tax Clinic, Environmental Clinic, Elder Law Clinic, Legal Services, or Family Law. In all of these clinics, students have the potential of representing real clients in actual court proceedings.
The students in the John P. Gismondi Civil Litigation Certificate Program will complete their law school education having developed a set of skills which better prepares them to do courtroom work than traditional law school graduates, and that advantage, in turn, makes the Gismondi certificate students more attractive to law firms seeking to hire young and enthusiastic litigation associates.
If you have any questions about the program, please contact Professor Marvin Fein, Director of John P. Gismondi Civil Litigation Certificate Program