Newark, NJ – While many aspects of the practice of law have remained the same, recent decades also have introduced some radical changes. Good lawyers still need to write well, gather facts from reticent witnesses, and think quickly on their feet. Today, they also need to be skilled negotiators and mediators as more and more cases never make it to trial. As lawyers increasingly specialize, transactional lawyers also now look for training as highly developed as that historically available to litigators. And no matter what the practice, lawyers need to be proficient in technology to make the best use of research and discovery.

Unfortunately, few law schools adequately prepare students for these aspects of practice, preferring an historical approach that shies away from integrating theory, doctrine, and skills.

Moving beyond that tradition, Seton Hall University School of Law has initiated an innovative hands-on program to provide students with training in the practical aspects of the practice of law. Overseeing that effort is David Feige, author of “Indefensible,” a biographical account of his days as a Bronx public defender.

Director of the Seton Hall Law “SKILLS” program, Feige brings nearly 15 years of experience as a defense attorney to assist Seton Hall Law students in developing the skills required of today’s attorneys. As Feige explains, successful attorneys need to know how to unfold the “stories” of their clients, possess a confidence in their abilities, and have faith in their instincts. Skills that might not always come naturally, but ones that can be developed through training, practice and perseverance, he says.

“It’s not merely enough to think like a lawyer, says Feige. “You have to be able to stride into a courtroom powerfully and confidently. Story telling also is such a critical part of being a courtroom lawyer. Through opening, direct examination and the closing, you have to be able to unfold the stories of your clients so someone else wants to listen.”

And then there are the other aspects of practicing law to be covered by the SKILLS program such as knowing how to read financial statements to prepare an IPO, translate chemistry into a patent application, and draft a will for the client who may forget to return after Congress changes the laws again.

A nationally known lecturer on trial skills, Feige also serves on the faculty of the National Criminal Defense College, and teaches trial skills for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy, the Missouri Public Defender’s office and public defender offices around the country.
He has been published in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, and magazines including Fortune, Slate and The Nation. He also frequently provides commentaries on the criminal justice system for National Public Radio and its New York affiliate WNYC, and Court TV. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago and J.D. from the University of Wisconsin.
In 2002, he was presented with the National Legal Aid and Defender Association’s Reginald Heber Smith Award, and in 2004 the Rider University’s Law and Justice award. Also in 2004, he was awarded a Soros Media Justice Fellowship. As a part of that fellowship, he wrote “Indefensible,” published by Little, Brown & Co in 2006.

The Seton Hall Law School SKILLS program is the result of a two-year planning process, spearheaded by Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Kathleen Boozang, involving federal judges, transactional and litigation practitioners, and Seton Hall Law faculty. The SKILLS program builds on the practice-oriented training that Seton Hall has traditionally offered. In the first year, Legal Research & Writing increasingly integrates technology, most recently by requiring students to work with e-discovery software to build a case. When they return for their second year, students argue an appellate case in the fall, and in the spring take a revamped trial practice course. In their third year, students tackle such litigation topics as advanced electronic discovery and the effective use of expert witnesses. They also have the opportunity to take advanced advocacy courses or shift to learning alternative dispute resolution or transactional skills.

Feige will be working with several corporate practitioners who have collaborated with Seton Hall over the last two years to develop a hands-on course for students planning a transactional practice. The first iteration of the semester-long course revolves around an asset purchase that requires students to negotiate and draft the deal from start to finish.

In addition, Seton Hall Law School's Center for Social Justice houses five clinics, a pro bono program and two new special projects – the Urban Revitalization and International Human Rights/Rule of Law projects supported with funding from the New Jersey State Bar Foundation – all of which provide students with opportunities to represent real clients starting on their first day of law school. The law school also is significantly expanding its externship offerings, particularly in public interest settings.

“We are delighted to have David Feige assisting us with these efforts,” said Boozang. “David’s evident passion for the practice of law and his extensive experience translate into an exceptional opportunity for our students to develop the skills that will allow them to make an immediate and significant contribution no matter what area of law they decide to pursue.”
 

The only private law school in New Jersey, Seton Hall University School of Law was founded in 1951, and is located in the city of Newark. Seton Hall Law School offers both day and evening programs leading to the Juris Doctor (J.D.), Master of Laws (LL.M.) and Master of Science in Jurisprudence (M.S.J.) degrees. For more information on Seton Hall Law School, visit law.shu.edu.