Trial Advocacy Program
The Trial Advocacy Program at Saint Louis University School of Law provides students with an in-depth and comprehensive emergence into the art of courtroom advocacy. Our director of trial advocacy, Professor Thomas Stewart, is an award-winning trial attorney with 23 years of experience in litigation and the art of trial advocacy.
Additionally, some of the top lawyers and judges in the greater St. Louis metropolitan area serve as adjunct faculty in the program, providing SLU LAW students with a unique opportunity to learn the practice of courtroom advocacy from the perspective of current members of the practicing bar.
Trial Advocacy I
Students in Trial Advocacy I learn the fundamental components of a trial from jury selection to closing argument. The Trial Advocacy I program culminates with a half-day final trial held in front of live jurors in the courtrooms of the Civil Courts Building immediately adjacent to Scott Hall.
Trial Advocacy II
Advanced trial advocacy courses are offered in areas of criminal law, civil law and family law. These advanced courses provide students with in-depth expertise into the actual handling and management of clients, in addition to the art of advocacy in the courtroom setting.
Competitions
SLU LAW's Trial Advocacy Program also competes in regional and national trial team competitions across the country. SLU LAW has earned a national reputation as a successful trial advocacy program though the strong performances displayed by our trial team members in the four to five competitions they participate in each year.
Evidence and Advocacy
Our Trial Advocacy program served as the inspiration for Evidence and Advocacy, a truly unique course that is now offered each spring semester to upper division students. This course combines the study of the rules of evidence with the art of courtroom advocacy allowing students the opportunity to learn evidentiary theory and then put that theory into action into a courtroom setting.
To learn more about the Trial Advocacy Program at SLU LAW, contact Professor Thomas Stewart or Professor Kerrin Kowach.