WHAT LAWYERS WHO PRACTICE IN THIS FIELD DO
Civil litigators represent parties in disputes in state and federal court, in administrative tribunals, and in alternate dispute proceedings such as arbitration and mediation. Such disputes are between two or more people or entities, and remedies usually include money or judgments that require a party to do something or to stop doing something.
- Civil litigation cases can include matters such as landlord/tenant cases, personal injury cases, breach of contract cases, employment discrimination cases, business/commercial disputes, real estate law, and medical malpractice, among others.
- Attorneys who practice in this area can work for law firms, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, or corporations.
- Civil litigators may develop a specialty or focus area over time; however, this pathway lists courses that would be generally useful in any type of civil practice.
COURSES THAT CAN PREPARE YOU
The Chase curriculum requires foundational courses for all students and offers additional courses for specialized expertise.
Required
- Civil Procedure I & II
- Torts I & II
- Constitutional Law I & II
- Evidence
Advanced
- Remedies
- Advanced Torts
- E-Discovery
- Insurance Law
- Kentucky Practice & Procedure
Skills
- Deposition Strategies
- Interviewing, Counseling & Negotiating
- Legal Drafting - Litigation
- Mediation
- Applied Complex Litigation
- Pretrial Litigation
- Trial Advocacy
- Voir Dire Strategies
- Witness Preparation
- Advanced Appellate Advocacy
Experiential
- Constitutional Litigation Clinic
- Sixth Circuit Clinic
FACULTY MEMBERS WHO TEACH CIVIL LITIGATION-RELATED COURSES
Professors
- John Bickers
- Anthony Chavez
- Ursula Doyle
- Jack Harrison
- Dennis Honabach
- Kenneth Katkin
- Jennifer Kinsley
- Jennifer Kreder
- Michael Mannheimer
- David Singleton
- Jeffrey Standen
- Henry Stephens
Adjunct Faculty Members
- Erin Corken
- Joseph Mordino
- Steven Ray
- Thomas Rouse
- Judge Karen Thomas
- Scott Van Nice
- Stephen Wirthlin, Jr.
CAREER PATH EXPERIENCES THAT CAN SET YOU APART
Here are some of the ways in which to develop necessary practice skills.
- Work as a summer associate or law clerk at a law firm, nonprofit, or government agency handling civil litigation cases.
- Complete an internship or externship with a federal or state court judge overseeing civil litigation cases.
- Complete skills courses to develop necessary advocacy, negotiation, client counseling, and drafting skills.
- Take advantage of networking opportunities to meet civil litigators.
- Shadow civil litigators or observe courtroom proceedings to learn more about this area of practice.
- Participate in skills competitions such as the Opening Statement Competition, Closing Argument Competition, Client Counseling Competition, or Arbitration Competition.
BAR EXAMINATION FACTOR
Civil Procedure and Evidence are tested with both essay and multiple choice questions in nearly all jurisdictions. Many, but not all, practice areas are also tested on the bar exam; check your jurisdiction’s website for specific topics tested.
HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM myGPS
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