Loyola Law School has one of the most respected trial advocacy programs in the United States. U.S. News & World Report ranks it among the top 15 in the country, and it has placed in the national top 10 for most of the past two decades. The Civil Litigation and Advocacy specialization gives LLM students direct access to that program.
You build a strong foundation in the rules that govern American litigation through courses in Civil Procedure and Evidence. You then put that knowledge to work in Trial Advocacy, where you prepare witnesses, deliver opening statements and closing arguments, and examine witnesses in front of experienced trial lawyers who coach you at every step. Depending on your goals, you can go further with electives such as Advanced Trial Advocacy, Appellate Advocacy, Deposition Strategies and Techniques, Mediation, and Evidence for Trial Lawyers.
Much of your training takes place in Loyola's Advocacy Center, which houses fully equipped courtrooms and a jury room designed to replicate real U.S. court facilities. Your professors include accomplished litigators, former prosecutors, and judges who bring the courtroom into the classroom. Loyola's alumni include some of the best-known trial lawyers in the country, and many practice in the state and federal courts just minutes from our downtown Los Angeles campus.
This specialization is a strong fit if you plan to practice litigation, if you handle cross-border disputes or international arbitration, or if you want to bring American advocacy skills back to your practice at home. You graduate with practical courtroom experience and a clear understanding of how disputes are resolved in the U.S. legal system.
This specialization is available only to students who begin the LLM in the Fall term.