Center for Trial and Appellate Advocacy
What We Do
The Center for Trial and Appellate Advocacy is home to students, faculty, alumni, and friends interested in advocacy of all forms: civil and criminal; trial and appellate; federal, state, and global. Current students can take advantage of our innovative curriculum, participate in our nationally-ranked trial advocacy and appellate advocacy co-curriculum programs, and network with our faculty and alumni. Alumni and friends can benefit from our forthcoming CLE and advanced training programs.
St. John’s Law mock trial program ranked #4 in the nation!
Advocacy is both an art and science. Great advocates weave together the law of evidence and procedure with the traditional tools of persuasion.
At St. John’s Law, we have a long history of producing great trial and appellate advocates. The Center for Trial and Appellate Advocacy highlights St. John’s Law’s commitment to producing the next generation of outstanding advocates.
The Center for Trial and Appellate Advocacy is home to students, faculty, alumni, and friends interested in advocacy of all forms:
- Civil and criminal
- Trial and appellate
- Federal, state, and global
Current students can take advantage of our innovative curriculum, participate in our trial advocacy and appellate advocacy co-curriculum programs, and network with our faculty and alumni.
Our Program
The 1L curriculum provides the foundation for future coursework in advocacy. Great trial and appellate lawyers must be well-versed in Civil Procedure, Criminal Law, and the other fundamental subjects in the first year.
At St. John’s Law, students benefit from our innovative Introduction to Law and Lawyering courses. The Lawyering course, which is offered in an intensive, intersession format, introduces students to the fundamental skills of interviewing, counseling, negotiation, and drafting.
In the upper years, Evidence and Professional Responsibility form the building blocks of further coursework in advocacy. Evidence teaches the rules of the courtroom: how to admit and exclude evidence via the Federal Rules of Evidence. Professional Responsibility introduces the rules and ethical principles that govern the lawyer’s conduct both in and out of the courtroom.
From there, students can take Trial Advocacy and Appellate Advocacy. As their names suggest, these courses teach students how to try a case or litigate an appeal. These are hands-on classes that are taught in low-enrollment formats. Trial Advocacy culminates in a full mock trial, while Appellate Advocacy concludes with a mock oral argument. Special sections of Trial Advocacy and Appellate Advocacy are offered to students in our award-winning Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute and Moot Court Honor Society programs.
St. John’s Law offers a unique opportunity for students to gain particular expertise in discrete aspects of trial practice through its innovative “Advanced Trial Advocacy” courses. In the past several semesters, sections of this course have been offered in direct and cross-examination, jury selection, and argumentation.
Great advocates excel not only in the courtroom but in the work leading up to a trial or appeal. Thus, St. John’s offers a variety of drafting and dispute resolution courses to help students round out their advocacy education.
Finally, all students have the opportunity to hone their advocacy skills through our in-house and partner clinics and our externship program. Each of our 10 clinics place students in the “first chair” role, directly representing clients in real cases. We also offer many externships that allow students to appear “on the record” in court.
Justice Albert H. Bosch Award
Established by Justice Albert H. Bosch, a graduate of the class of 1933, and awarded to the students in the graduating class who has demonstrated excellence in the area of trial or appellate advocacy.
International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award
Awarded to the student in the graduating class who achieves the highest grade in Evidence.
Tyler Ramaker Memorial Award
Established by the family and friends of the late Tyler Ramaker, a member of the Moot Court Honor Society, and awarded to the graduating Moot Court student who demonstrates outstanding service, leadership through action, dedication, and cooperative teamwork. The Dean selects the recipient, upon therecommendation of the Moot Court Honor Society’s incoming Executive Board.
New York City Trial Lawyers Alliance Trial Advocacy Award
Awarded to the student in the graduating class who has shown excellence in civil trial advocacy.
Center for Trial and Appellate Advocacy Award for Excellence in Mock Trial
Awarded to the graduating member of the Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute who best demonstrated talent in the art and science of trial advocacy through external competitions.
Center for Trial and Appellate Advocacy Award for Excellence in Moot Court
Awarded to the graduating member of the Moot Court Honor Society who best demonstrated talent in the art and science of appellate advocacy through external competitions.
CourtCall Awards for Advocacy
These awards are presented to the students in the Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute and the Moot Court Honor Society who received the highest grade in Trial Advocacy and Appellate Advocacy, respectively.
Recent graduates from the Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute and Moot Court Honor Society have an impressive employment rate. Their employers include:
- Administration for Children's Services
- Ahmuty, Demers & McManus
- Bracewell
- Bronx District Attorney
- Brooklyn Defenders
- Clyde & Co.
- Cullen & Dykman
- Fried Frank
- Hahn & Hessen
- Jackson Lewis, P.C.
- Koster Brady & Nagler
- Legal Aid of Nassau County
- Nassau District Attorney
- Nationwide Insurance
- New York City Law Department/Corporation Counsel
- New York County (Manhattan) District Attorney
- Queens District Attorney
- Suffolk District Attorney
- Winston & Strawn