Cecil D. Branstetter Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution Program Curriculum
The Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution Program’s carefully designed curriculum combines a thorough background in the legal doctrines and theories underlying modern litigation with courses approaching the various aspects of litigation from a variety of perspectives, including psychological and economic. Students learn the methods our justice system uses to resolve disputes, including conventional trials, private agreements, court-approved settlements, arbitration, or other forms of alternative dispute resolution. They also gain a practical understanding of the structure of the court system, the theory and practice of settlement negotiation, and how conventional trials work.
Core Courses
- Complex Litigation (Professor Nagareda, Spring Semester)
- Civil Litigation Capstone Seminar [year-long / 7 credits] (Professors Nagareda and Sherry)
2009-10 Electives
Students may choose program electives from among the following course offerings:
- Advanced Evidence and Trial Advocacy (Professors Riley/Warnock, Spring Semester)
- Appellate Litigation Clinic (Professor Newbern, Fall Semester)
- Appellate Practice and Procedure (Professor O'Hara, Fall Semester)
- Civil Practice Clinic (Professor Hurder, Spring Semester)
- Evidence (Professor Bloch, Fall Semester; Professor Kay, Spring Semester)
- Federal Courts and the Federal System (Professor Fitzpatrick, Spring Semester)
- Law & Economics (Professor Edelman, Spring Semester)
- Legal Interviewing and Counseling (Professor Hurder, Spring Semester)
- Negotiation (Dean Guthrie, Fall Semester)
- Pre-Trial Litigation (Magistrate Judge Brown, Spring Semester)
- Securities Litigation Policy Seminar (Professor Rose, Spring Semester)
- Trial Advocacy (Fall & Spring Semesters)
2009-10 Short-Course Electives
Short courses, which typically focus on specific legal issues or trends, are frequently taught by renowned visiting professors or practitioners, and are typically scheduled over one or more weekends.
- International Civil Litigation in U.S. Courts (Professor Hannah Buxbaum, Fall Semester)
- International Commercial Arbitration (Professor Peter Rutledge, Spring Semester)
- Products Liability (Professor John Goldberg, Spring Semester)
