Law Schedule of Classes

NOTE: Course offerings change. Classes offered this semester may not be offered in future semesters.

Apart from their assigned mod courses, 1L students may only enroll in courses offered as 1L electives. A complete list of these courses can be found on the 1L Elective Listings page. 1L students must use the 1L class number listed on the course description when enrolling.


242.9 sec. 001 - Listening and Communicating:Stagecraft for Lawyers (Spring 2023)

Instructor: George Abraham Higgins  (view instructor's teaching evaluations - degree students only)
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Units: 1
Grading Designation: Credit Only
Mode of Instruction: In-Person

Meeting:

Tu 3:35 PM - 5:25 PM
Location: Law 295
From January 10, 2023
To February 21, 2023

Course Start: January 10, 2023
Course End: February 21, 2023
Class Number: 32608

Enrollment info:
Enrolled: 14
Waitlisted: 0
Enroll Limit: 17
As of: 08/24 11:03 PM


Effective lawyers must have the ability to creatively use facts to tell compelling stories in a fast-paced, live environment. Improv is the art of storytelling from the known facts developed during a live performance. In this course, students will develop advocacy skills by learning the fundamentals of improvisational theatre in an intense, focused, fun, and safe setting. Improv strengthens core skills a lawyer must have: the ability to pay attention, listen, work with the given evidence, build on it and tell compelling stories. Once those techniques are introduced, students will perform selected segments of a jury trial.

The assignments for the course will include readings from trial skills resource materials and a criminal case file.

George Higgins was the “Distinguished Practitioner in Residence” at Cornell Law School. He teaches Improv, Storytelling, and Trial Advocacy at Cornell. He has taught Trial Advocacy at Stanford. He has over 28 years of trial experience as a public defender and Navy prosecutor. He performed as an improviser at the Berkeley Rep performance lab, the Bay Area TheatreSports summer program, Stone Soup improv, and the (i)ncidentalists. He attended law school at the University of Michigan.


Attendance at the first class is mandatory for all currently enrolled and waitlisted students; any currently enrolled or waitlisted students who are not present on the first day of class (without prior permission of the instructor) will be dropped. The instructor will continue to take attendance throughout the add/drop period and anyone who moves off the waitlist into the class must continue to attend or have prior permission of the instructor in order not to be dropped.


Requirements Satisfaction:


Units from this class count towards the J.D. Experiential Requirement.


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Exam Notes: (None) Class requires a series of papers, assignments, or presentations throughout the semester
(Subject to change by faculty member only through the first two weeks of instruction)
Course Category: Simulation Courses

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Readers:
A reader will be used in this class.

Books:
Instructor has not yet confirmed their textbook order, please check back later.

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