Seton Hall’s skills curriculum is designed to be a supervised training environment where experienced instructors can create specific scenarios to target essential skills across a wide range of common legal situations. It allows students to consistently practice and refine their skills while receiving immediate and personalized feedback that will ultimately prepare them for their bar exams and real client representation.
Our Legal Practice Curriculum consists of three required simulation courses and a number of electives, as well as optional legal practice competitions.
These required courses teach fundamental lawyering skills across all areas of practice: legal analysis, writing, research, oral presentation, advocacy, and client communication skills.
Learn fundamental skills and develop the habits of reflective, ethical, culturally competent, professional practice. Throughout the course students will step into the role of a lawyer and perform legal skills within complex simulations that reflect the challenges of the real world. Skills covered include legal analysis, research, and writing; client interviewing and counseling; negotiation; oral argument. Learn More
Build on the legal research, analysis, and writing skills taught in Introduction to Lawyering. Students will refine their abilities to craft legal briefs and deliver oral arguments in the context of appellate practice. To fulfill the requirements of this course, students will draft and submit a final appellate brief and present a final oral argument before a distinguished panel of legal professionals. Prompts are crafted by members of the Appellate Advocacy Moot Court Board, a select group of 3L students who earn credit for their work. Learn More
Learn the art of persuasion through exercises focused on the integration of storytelling and thematic development into direct examination, cross-examination, opening statements, and closing arguments. While the simulations take place in the context of a courtroom, the skills developed in this course are applicable across the spectrum of legal work, including corporate negotiations, zoning board presentations, and trials and hearings.
These optional courses give students the opportunity to continue honing their practical skills under the supervision of expert practitioner-teachers. Elective courses fall within two general areas of focus: litigation skills and conflict management.
Learn the skills needed for pre-trial practice, such as drafting discovery documents and pre-trial motions and taking depositions. We also offer advanced trial skills classes where students can build on the basics learned in Persuasion and Advocacy. Most of these courses are instructed by federal judges who bring years of practical experience as well as their time on the bench to teach students best practices in litigation. Some examples of the elective litigation classes offered include:
Develop fundamental skills for resolving disputes outside of the courtroom, including negotiation, mediation, and arbitration. Given the reality that more than 90% of cases are resolved without a jury trial, the skills taught in these courses are critical to every area of legal practice. Some examples of the conflict management classes offered include Dispute Resolution Processes, Advanced Negotiation Skills, and Family Law Mediation.
Seton Hall sponsors teams of students for both interscholastic intra-school competitions focused on areas such as appellate advocacy, mock trial, and international moot court. Participating in these competitions is an excellent way for students to gain additional hands-on experience.
Take place at Seton Hall among Seton Hall Law students.
This spring semester competition is open to all 1L students in good standing (weekday and weekend).
Students are provided with a closed problem, complete with facts and applicable case law. Students argue in two preliminary rounds, after which the field is decreased to the top 32 students. The remaining students go head-to-head in a seeded competition that continues until one student remains as the champion.
Contact: Professor Jodi Anne Hudson
This competition is open to 2L and 3L students and offers a one-credit opportunity to refine your advocacy skills.
Students work as partners to submit a compelling appellate brief and argue in tournament-style oral argument rounds in February and March. The competition culminates in a final argument evaluated by distinguished members of the judiciary who also provide feedback to the participants, lending a real-world perspective.
Awards recognize excellence, honoring the Finalists, the Best Brief Authors, and the Best Oral Advocates. Exceptional participants may earn an invitation to join the prestigious Interscholastic Moot Court Team.
Contact: Professor Lara Pennington
Take place against other law schools at various locations.
The Seton Hall Mock Trial Board (MTB) trains students to participate in interscholastic national mock trial competitions.
Students learn how to conduct a trial including opening statements, direct- and cross-examinations, and closing arguments.
As part of the selection process for the team, students participate in an Opening Statement Competition during the fall semester. Once selected for the team, students are eligible to participate in one national trial competition per semester for one credit.
All 2L, 3L and 4L day, evening, and weekend students may try out for the MTB. Persuasion & Advocacy and Evidence are prerequisites for national mock trial competitions.
Contact: Professor Jamie Pukl-Werbel
The Interscholastic Moot Court Board at Seton Hall Law School is an organization dedicated to competing in appellate moot court competitions throughout the country.
The Board also manages the John J. Gibbons National Criminal Procedure Moot Court Competition.
Board members engage in competitions on various legal topics such as criminal law, family law, internet law, constitutional law, entertainment law, and civil rights. Each member competes in one competition per year, with a few students competing in one each semester depending on their success. The Board is an excellent way to improve both writing and oral advocacy skills.
The Interscholastic Moot Court Board is open to all law students in good standing who have completed at least one semester of law school and who are:
Contact: Professor Jodi Anne Hudson
The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition is the world's largest moot court competition, with participants from over 500 law schools in more than 80 countries.
The competition is a simulation of a fictional dispute between countries before the International Court of Justice, the judicial organ of the United Nations.
Each team prepares oral and written pleadings arguing both the applicant and respondent positions of the case. The problem each year involves unresolved and cutting-edge issues in international law.
Selection for the team is through tryouts that are coordinated by coaches from the Seton Hall Law School International Law Society.
Contact: Professor Amy G. Cuzzolino
In addition to simulation training, Seton Hall Law students are able to develop and hone their legal practice skills through real-world, real-client training, including externships, pro bono service, and clinical courses.
