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.
294.42 sec. 001 - Oral Advocacy for LL.M. Students (Spring 2026)
Instructor: Benjamin Toledo Reyes (view instructor's teaching evaluations - degree students only)
View all teaching evaluations for this course - degree students only
Units: 1
Grading Designation: Credit Only
Mode of Instruction: In-Person
Meetings:
Sa 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Law 140
On 2026-01-24
Sa 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Location: Law 140
On 2026-01-24
Sa 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Law 140
On 2026-02-07
Sa 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Location: Law 140
On 2026-02-07
Sa 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Law 140
On 2026-02-21
Sa 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Location: Law 140
On 2026-02-21
Course End: February 21, 2026
Class Number: 33055
Enrollment info:
Enrolled: 17
Waitlisted: 0
Enroll Limit: 24
As of: 02/17 03:03 PM
Prepare to embark on an exhilarating, condensed three-weekend journey as you boldly venture beyond your comfort zone, diving headfirst into an electrifying course meticulously crafted to ignite your passion for the art of oral advocacy.
Unleash your inner legal powerhouse! Dive into the dynamic world of Oral Advocacy, a cornerstone skill for successful U.S. lawyers. Brace yourself for an exciting one-unit skills workshop that goes beyond the ordinary law school class. In this challenging course, you team up in small groups, over three Saturday sessions, unleashing your individual oratory prowess in oral advocacy, all under the watchful guidance of experienced trial lawyers and trial court judges. Get ready to transform yourself into a master of persuasion and leave your mark as an advocate!
This course is taught by Judge Benjamin T. Reyes II, Superior Court of California (Contra Costa County). Prominent visiting judges and reputable trial attorneys will complement your learning experience.
This compressed skills course will meet on three (3) Saturdays - January 24, February 7, and February 21, 2026 - from 10:00-12:00 and 13:30-16:30. Each student will be expected to present an opening statement (February 7, 2026) and a closing argument (February 21, 2026) on a simulated case. There will also be an optional video review session by appointment with Judge Reyes.
Readings will be from materials posted on bCourses, classroom PowerPoint presentations, and one text: Brian Johnson & Marsha Hunter, The Articulate Advocate, 2nd edition (2016)
Enrollment is limited to LL.M students. Attendance is MANDATORY for all three Saturday classes. Students are encouraged, but not required, to sign up for a brief video review session individually with Judge Reyes.
A brief video introduction of the instructor will be provided in bCourses. Each student is required to upload their own 2-minute brief video introduction. The DEADLINE for submitting the MANDATORY student video introduction is Wednesday, January 21, 2026 by 11:59 p.m. (2359 hrs.)
Due to the nature of this class, real-time attendance is required (without an alternative way to earn equivalent credit).
Judge Reyes is a Superior Court (trial court) Judge assigned to the Superior Court of California, Contra Costa County. He is currently assigned to the Court's Unlimited Civil Division, where he presides over motions, trials and other hearings. He was previously assigned as the Supervising Judge for the Family Law Court, and as a Criminal Court Judge. Judge Reyes has presided over 50 jury trials.
We also have special academic rules for these condensed courses:
-Students must attend each course session and cannot attend any course session remotely (even for illness or emergency situations).
-The Registrar’s Office will drop a student who does not attend each course session.
Due to the condensed nature of this course, in-person attendance at all course sessions is mandatory. Absences cannot be excused for any reason, including illness or emergencies. The Registrar’s Office will drop any student who misses a session.
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.
Prerequisites:
Record a brief video introduction of yourself consisting of two to three minutes and upload the video to bcourses. This is mandatory, with a submission deadline of Wednesday, January 21, 2026 11:59 p.m. (2359 hrs.) Failure to submit this video introduction may disqualify you from attending class. Reasonable extensions may be granted by Judge Reyes upon request.
Exam Notes: (None) This is an oral advocacy class. No papers are required.
Course Category: LL.M.-Only Classes
This course is listed in the following sub-categories: Simulation Courses
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.
Submit teaching evaluations for this course between 21-FEB-26 and 26-FEB-26
Exam Notes: (SP) Presentations that count for a significant portion of the grade
(Subject to change by faculty member only through the first two weeks of instruction)
Course Category: LL.M.-Only Classes
This course is listed in the following sub-categories:
Simulation Courses
If you are the instructor or their FSU, you may add a file like a syllabus or a first assignment to this page.
Readers:
No reader.
Books:
Required Books are in blue
- The Articulate Advocate: Persuasive Skills for Lawyers in Trials, Appeals, Arbitrations, and Motions
Brian K. Johnson, Marsha Hunter
ISBN: 9781939506030
e-Book Available: unknown
Price: To Be Determined