Advocacy Certificate
Setting the bar for courtroom-ready skills.
You will benefit from a wealth of expertise as distinguished academics and experienced attorneys teach courses in trial advocacy, appellate advocacy, and dispute resolution. And you'll sharpen your practical skills through externships and clinics. Earning an Advocacy Certificate means you have developed the litigation and dispute resolution skills that will set you apart.
Requirements
To earn the Certificate in Advocacy, you must complete 18 credits from a menu of designated advocacy courses and participate in an advocacy program extracurricular event. You must have an average cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above, or an average grade of B or better in each course of your advocacy certificate curriculum, in order to receive the certificate.
Advocacy Certificate coursework and activities are designed to achieve key learning outcomes and competencies.
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses 1 | 10 | |
| Evidence | ||
| Trial Practice I | ||
| Trial Practice II | ||
| Elective Courses (at least one from each of the following sections) | 8 | |
| Advanced Litigation (choose at least one) | ||
| Illinois Litigation Racism, Injustice & Poverty | ||
| The Law of Jury Selection | ||
| Advanced Litigation Skills | ||
| Personal Injury Law and Advocacy | ||
| Intellectual Property Litigation | ||
| Advanced Evidence | ||
| Illinois Civil Litigation Practice | ||
| Federal Litigation Practice | ||
| Deposition Advocacy Workshop | ||
| Trial Practice - Modern Trials | ||
| Class Actions | ||
| Federal Courts | ||
| Terrorism Prosecutions: Civil Rights & Executive Power in Theory and Practice | ||
| Health Care Litigation and Medical Malpractice | ||
| Advanced Trial Practice | ||
| Trial or Appellate Advocacy Writing (choose at least one) | ||
| Supreme Court Seminar | ||
| Advanced Mediation Advocacy Practicum | ||
| Advanced Legal Research: Spec Topics | ||
| Advanced Legal Research | ||
| Advanced Writing for Legal Practice | ||
| Mediation Advocacy | ||
| Pre-Trial Litigation | ||
| Negotiations Seminar | ||
| Mediation Seminar | ||
| Advanced Mediation and Courthouse Practicum | ||
| Advanced Writing Workshop | ||
| Alternative Dispute Resolution | ||
| Appellate Advocacy Honors Program | ||
| Mediation Certification & Courthouse Practicum | ||
| Dispute Resolution (choose at least one) | ||
| Child and Family Law Mediation | ||
| Intntl Commercial Arbitration & the CISG | ||
| Co-Curricular Experience (choose at least one) | ||
| Education Law Practicum | ||
| Domestic Violence Practicum | ||
| Human Trafficking: Advancing Protections for Children Practicum | ||
| Workways of the U.S. Supreme Court | ||
| Criminal Law Practicum | ||
| Storytelling and Presentation Skills for Lawyers | ||
| Restorative Justice Workshop | ||
| Dispute Resolution Skills Teams | ||
| Immigration Practicum Advancing | ||
| Federal Tax Clinic I | ||
| Federal Tax Clinic II | ||
| London Comparative Advocacy Prgrm | ||
| International Arbitration Oral Advocacy | ||
| Family Law Practicum | ||
| Special Education Dispute Resolution | ||
| Community LawCtr Clinic I | ||
| Community Law Center Clinic II | ||
| Externship Intensive Field Placement | ||
| Legislation and Policy Clinic | ||
| Childlaw Clinic | ||
| Mediation Workshop | ||
| Health Justice Project | ||
| Advanced Health Justice Project | ||
| Health Justice Policy | ||
| Business Law Center Clinical & Seminar | ||
| Business Law Clinic II | ||
| International Commercial Arbitration | ||
| Total Hours | 18 | |
- 1
Completion of three graded credit hours of Corboy Fellowship or Trial Practice I Applied may substitute for Trial Practice I or Trial Practice II. Completion of six graded credit hours of the Corboy Fellowship or Trial Practice I Applied may substitute for both Trial Practice I and Trial Practice II.
Extracurricular Event
Additionally, you must attend at least one event sponsored by the Advocacy Center, including, but not limited to: conferences, lectures, colloquia, or advocacy competitions (volunteering).
Applying for Your Certificate
After completing all requirements, during your final semester you must complete an online application for the Certificate in Advocacy. You are required to submit your online application according to the following deadlines:
- Winter graduates: December 1 (Extracurricular Event Attendance can be submitted with your online application or as an amendment by December 15 to ggerardi@luc.edu)
- Spring graduates: March 1 (Extracurricular Event Attendance can be submitted with your online application or by as an amendment by May 1 to ggerardi@luc.edu)
You should submit your online application pursuant to these deadlines even if you are currently enrolled in certificate coursework and/or if you have yet to attend an approved Extracurricular Event. You are required to present a draft of your application to the Registrar during your graduation interview and this Sample Certificate in Advocacy may be helpful in that regard. The Advocacy Center Assistant Director will approve your online application and submit it to the Law School Registrar's Office upon completion of your last semester of schooling.
Please contact the Advocacy Center Assistant Director, Gina Gerardi, at ggerardi@luc.edu with any questions related to the Certificate in Advocacy.