LAW COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

LAW-2518 Appellate Practice and Advocacy Ms. Melissa Allen Celli, Hon. William J. Meade, 3 credits day; 3 credits evening.

This seminar type course has two aims: 1. To provide an understanding of appellate law (court structure and jurisdiction, rules of appellate practice, and standards of review); and 2. To develop persuasive advocacy skills, both written and oral. The course will begin with a discussion of the structure and jurisdiction of both Massachusetts and federal courts and the post-conviction interplay between those courts. We will also examine rules of appellate practice, including pre-appeal preservation of rights and record preparation, and how those pre-appeal factors affect the standards of review. We will then proceed to the core of the appeal: the brief and oral argument. We will discuss elements of persuasive written advocacy and tactics for effective oral argument. To this end, there will be short written assignments throughout the course, which will be discussed and critiqued as a group. The course will culminate in the drafting of an appellate brief and a mock oral argument. The final appellate brief may be used to satisfy the student’s Legal Writing Requirement.

Elective Course

Meets Skills Menu Requirement

Meets Civil Litigation Concentration Requirements

May Fulfill Legal Writing Requirement

Meets Experiential Learning Requirement

Final Paper Required

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