10110102Civil Litigation 1
Course Information
Description
Outlines the initial stages of civil litigation, including initial client contact, investigation, pleadings, discovery, and motions. Prerequisite(s): completion or concurrent enrollment in 110-101 Introduction to Law & Legal Ethics
Total Credits
3
Course Competencies
  1. Research and apply statutory rules of civil procedure
    Assessment Strategies
    Statutory Exercise, Document Drafting Projects, Portfolio Assignments and Team Projects
    Criteria
    Work product reflects thorough consideration of all potentially applicable governing statutes related to the legal question(s) presented
    Work product demonstrates a rational connection between the statute(s) students have identified as authoritative and the legal question(s) presented
    Work product is free from typographical errors, carefully follows all applicable written and/or verbal instructions, accurately cites to primary authority/statutes and is submitted in a timely fashion

  2. Maintain accurate and detailed time-keeping records of all work product electronically submitted
    Assessment Strategies
    Timekeeping Requirement, connected with Document Drafting Projects, Portfolio Assignments, Statutory Exercise and Team Projects
    Criteria
    Time-keeping records accurately reflect the amount of time spent on each separate item of work product electronically submitted via Blackboard for grading
    Time-keeping records are concise, yet sufficiently detailed to enable instructor to determine what, exactly, the work-performed consisted of, including assignment name(s), number(s), and related client information
    Time-keeping is completed contemporaneously with the work performed
    Time-keeping records are generated by means of appropriate/approved time-keeping software (e.g., CLIO) and are timely submitted in appropriate document format (e.g., PDF

  3. Utilize proper structure, wording, grammar, punctuation, and citation in all written work product
    Assessment Strategies
    Document Drafting Projects, Portfolio Assignments and Team Projects
    Criteria
    Work product is written using the appropriate structure / document template(s) specified by the instructor
    Work product shows evidence of professional level of accuracy in grammar, spelling and punctuation
    Work product accurately cites to primary and/or secondary sources of law in accordance with Harvard Bluebook’s Uniform System of Citation or collateral course materials (handouts, instructions, etc.)
    Work product is always time-sensitive and must be submitted in accordance with applicable deadlines, and where appropriate, timely “served” on opposing side (classmate/partner)

  4. Identify and apply ethical standards and responsibilities that affect lawyers and non-lawyer members of the litigation team in civil litigation
    Assessment Strategies
    Team Projects, Portfolio Assignments and Document Drafting Projects
    Criteria
    Work product/documents fully comply with all applicable rules of professional conduct
    Work product/documents resulted from a strategic process designed to ensure full compliance with all applicable rules of professional conduct
    Discuss/develop strategies to ensure accountability and remedy mistakes relating to any lapse in compliance with rules of professional conduct

  5. Recognize the impact of the Rules of Evidence on the civil litigation investigative / discovery process and long-term trial strategy
    Assessment Strategies
    Team Project
    Criteria
    Work product reflects thorough consideration of all potentially applicable governing statutes related to the legal question(s) presented
    Work product demonstrates a rational connection between the statute(s) students have identified as authoritative and the legal question(s) presented
    Work product is free from typographical errors, carefully follows all applicable written and/or verbal instructions, accurately cites to primary authority/statutes and is submitted in a timely fashion
    Where appropriate, work product reflects a weighing/balancing of competing interests of the parties to the litigation and the potential for different outcomes based upon the same set of agreed facts

  6. Compose effective civil litigation documents suitable for filing with the appropriate trial court, state or federal
    Assessment Strategies
    Document Drafting Projects, Portfolio Assignments, and Team Projects
    Criteria
    Work product/documents are clear, concise, and complete
    Work product/documents accurately track with correct templates/required formatting
    Work product/documents fully comply with applicable statutes, common law principles, rules of professional conduct, and/or project deadlines.
    Work product/documents appropriately advocate on clients’ behalf with goal of persuading the court to resolve disputed questions of law, or fact, or both, in clients’ favor
    Work product/documents are timely “served” on opposing side (classmate/partner)

  7. Compose useful legal correspondence to achieve clients’ goals
    Assessment Strategies
    Portfolio Assignments and Team Projects
    Criteria
    Work product/documents are clear, concise, complete and accurate, which includes abiding by all of the formal conventions of business letter/professional letter writing
    Work product/documents fully comply with applicable rules of professional conduct
    Work product is free from typographical errors, carefully follows all applicable written and/or verbal instructions, accurately cites to primary/secondary authority and is submitted in a timely fashion
    Work product/documents assist the clearly assist in diagnosing / addressing / resolving clients’ legal problems

  8. Compose internally-used legal documents (legal memoranda) that are valued by the litigation team
    Assessment Strategies
    Portfolio Assignments and Team Projects
    Criteria
    Work product/documents are clear, concise, complete and accurate
    Work product/documents fully comply with applicable rules of professional conduct
    Work product is free from typographical errors, carefully follows all applicable written and/or verbal instructions, accurately cites to primary/secondary authority and is submitted in a timely fashion
    Work product/documents truly help the civil litigation team to properly diagnose / address / resolve clients’ legal problems

  9. Define terminology connected with eDiscovery and explore the intersection between law and technology in the civil litigation investigative / discovery process
    Assessment Strategies
    Team Project
    Criteria
    Work product reflects thorough consideration of all potentially applicable governing statutes related to the legal question(s) presented
    Work product demonstrates a rational connection between the primary and/or secondary sources of law students have identified as authoritative and the legal question(s) presented
    Work product is free from typographical errors, carefully follows all applicable written and/or verbal instructions, accurately cites to primary/secondary authority and is submitted in a timely fashion
    Where appropriate, work product reflects a weighing/balancing of competing interests of the parties to the litigation and the potential for different outcomes based upon the same set of agreed facts