Berkeley Law offers a range of experiential courses, which are listed every semester in the Schedule of Classes under Experiential Learning. These courses teach the skills necessary for effective, responsible, and reflective lawyering, including advocacy, legal research and writing, litigation strategy and tactics, transactional drafting, negotiation, mediation, and legal problem-solving. These courses are taught in a variety of ways but always include simulation techniques like role-play, exercises, and substantial instructor feedback.
The J.D. Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing Program includes two required courses for first-year students. Legal Research and Writing (fall) teaches predictive legal writing; Written and Oral Advocacy (spring) teaches persuasive legal writing and oral argument. In both classes, students learn how to conduct legal research and select on-point cases, how to read and interpret cases, analogical reasoning, and basic Bluebook skills.
Experiential courses designed solely for LL.M. students include the required course, LL.M. Legal Research and Writing, which is offered during the fall semester (and in the summer for the Executive Track students). This course teaches students about the U.S. court systems, legal reasoning, legal research, and effective written communication of objective legal analysis. LL.M. students may also enroll in optional, LL.M.-only courses, such as Advanced Legal Writing for LL.M.s and Oral Advocacy for LL.M. students.
All J.D. students must complete one or more experiential courses totaling at least six units.