Professional Skills Program
Berkeley Law offers a range of courses that are explicitly designed to introduce students to the theory and practice of professional lawyering skills through a combination of simulations (role-playing), demonstrations, lectures, and assigned readings.
The required First-Year Skills Program includes the Legal Research & Writing course, which is taught in the fall and introduces students to the basics of the court system, how to read cases, how to locate and select precedent, and how to write an objective legal memorandum. In the spring, students take the Written and Oral Advocacy course, which teaches further research techniques, persuasive writing skills, and how to write a brief to the court. Students then argue their position in front of a judge in a Moot Court setting.
A wide range of Elective Skills Courses are available to 2Ls and 3Ls. In these courses, students receive instruction, prepare and perform their role-play, and then receive substantial feedback. Many of Boalt’s skills courses are taught by experienced practitioners; others are taught by lecturers in residence. These classes are usually smaller-sized, and require a different kind of preparation and participation than traditional classroom courses. These courses focus on various areas of professional skills, including:
• pretrial civil and criminal practice
• civil and criminal trials
• evidence advocacy
• appellate advocacy
• transactions and business practice
• negotiation and dispute resolution
Berkeley Law also sponsors various competitions, including the James Patterson McBaine Honors Moot Court Competition and external advocacy competitions.
