At the National Student Leadership Conference’s high school summer law program, the courtroom becomes your classroom as you assume the role of trial attorney and battle for justice. Work hand-in-hand with practising attorneys as you examine the evidence, research the issues and build your case. Guilty or innocent, prosecution or defense, you and your co-counsel affect the outcome.
Program Highlights
Sharpen your skills of persuasion
Workshops in effective opening and closing statements, direct and cross examinations, objections, and jury selection prepare you to take on a courtroom.
Bring a criminal to justice
Apply the courtroom techniques you've learned as you become a lawyer and argue a challenging murder case in a state courthouse.
Learn from the professionals
Leading trial, jury, forensic, and legal experts from top firms and the Department of Justice share professional strategies for working in the court system.
Visit leading law schools
Discover what it takes to pursue a law degree from admissions officers and current students.
Dates & Locations
Note: Space is limited. Please login to the online application to see up-to-date session availability.
Georgetown University
- June 17 - June 25
- June 29 - July 7
- July 12 - July 20
- July 24 - August 1
Yale University
- June 24 - July 2
- July 6 - July 14
- July 17 - July 25
The NSLC is not sponsored by Yale University.
Hands-on Simulations
The NSLC’s high school summer law program 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.
Our college-level lecture series from practicing attorneys will give you a foundation of knowledge on the fundamentals of trial preparation and courtroom techniques.
Topics include:
- Homicide Laws
- Witness Preparation
- Opening Statements
- Direct Examination
- Evidentiary Procedure and Cross-Examination
Meet Law Professionals
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.
Examples of past speakers include:
Justice David Souter
U.S. Supreme Court
Justice Anthony Kennedy
U.S. Supreme Court
Professor Joe Daly
Professor and drafter of the Vietnam Constitution
Judge Reggie Walton
U.S. District Judge, District of Columbia District Courts
Justice Dennis Eveleigh
Connecticut Supreme Court
Dean Heather Gerken
Dean, Yale Law School
Behind-the-Scenes Tours
An important part of the NSLC’s high school summer law program is seeing the sites around some of our nation’s greatest cities. These trips are designed as both sightseeing tours and exclusive educational trips specifically tailored to the area of Law:
Trips may include:
Georgetown University
U.S. Federal Courthouse | U.S. Supreme Court | U.S. Attorney's Office | Drug Enforcement Agency | Law School Visit | Historic D.C. Monuments at Night | Capitol Hill and Smithsonian Museums
Yale University
Yale Law School | Connecticut Supreme Court | US Attorney’s Office | New Haven Courthouse | Times Square | Rockefeller Center
Leadership Training
At the heart of the NSLC is a leadership curriculum designed to build concrete leadership skills that will help you succeed. 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
- Intrapersonal Communication
College Credit Option
American University (AU) and NSLC have a unique partnership that enables you to earn college credit by enrolling in a supplemental online course designed to correlate with your NSLC program’s area of study. By enrolling in this credit course, you will enjoy a stimulating, innovative, and personalized college-level learning experience that builds on your NSLC accomplishments. The course is for one credit and is taught in a self-paced, asynchronous format across six weeks, allowing ample time to complete assignments. The course is designed to work within the framework of NSLC; students are not expected to complete coursework while on campus. Students may register for college credit via their personal student portal (myNSLC) once they have enrolled in an NSLC session.
Click here to learn more about this opportunity.
Tuition
Program tuition includes housing, all on-campus meals, course materials, academic expenses, and activities. Tuition also includes chartered, air-conditioned motor coaches for off-campus briefings and tours. Note: Students are responsible for the cost of travel to and from the program as well as individual spending money for souvenirs, laundry, and a few off-campus meals during fields trips and tours.
Click here to view our cancellation and refund policy.
| Location | Tuition |
|---|
| Washington, D.C. | $3,795 |
| New Haven | $3,895 |
