LAW & ADVOCACY

Do you have the power to persuade? Do you want to put the guilty behind bars or save the innocent from injustice? At the National Student Leadership Conference on Law & Advocacy, the courtroom becomes your classroom as you assume the role of trial attorney and battle for justice.

The NSLC on Law & Advocacy uses an interactive approach to learning that gives you an opportunity to immerse yourself in the challenging complexities of the judicial process. You and your team will prepare and try a case in a real courtroom. You will research the evidence, prepare your witnesses, craft your arguments and ultimately present your case before a judge. Your performance will determine the fate of the accused.

While at the NSLC, you will meet with and learn from leaders in the legal community. In past years, NSLC students have heard from special guest speakers including Supreme Court Justices, Attorneys General and accomplished trial attorneys.

• Justice David Souter, U.S. Supreme Court
• Professor Joe Daly, Professor and drafter of the Vietnam Constitution
• Judge Reggie Walton, US District Judge, District of Columbia District Courts.
• Mr. Mike Lakey, Partner, Mayer Brown LLP

At the NSLC, you will enjoy college-level lectures from practicing attorneys on the fundamentals of trial preparation and courtroom techniques. The lecture series will give you a foundation of knowledge vital for success not only during the conference but also in your future career as a practicing attorney. Topics include:

• Homicide Laws
• Witness Preparation
• Opening Statements
• Direct Examination
• Evidentiary Procedure and Cross-Examination

At the heart of the NSLC is a leadership curriculum designed to build concrete leadership skills that will help you succeed. From the beginning of your program you will learn to work as a team during an exciting Ropes Challenge Course. Interactive lectures and small-group workshops will give you an opportunity to build upon your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. Leadership topics tailored to the Law & Advocacy program include:

• Personality Styles and Group Dynamics
• Conflict Resolution
• Negotiation
• Public Speaking
• Stress & Time Management

Students attending the Law & Advocacy sessions at American University have the unique opportunity to spend the day at the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. Students will begin their day in a question and answer session with Judge Paul Friedman, an accomplished federal judge who has also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and as President of the District of Columbia Bar. Students will then move to his courtroom, observing trials firsthand and gaining maximum exposure to the diverse world of law.