College of Trial Advocacy

The mission of the College of Trial Advocacy Committee (“COTA”) is to plan and coordinate a program which will provide a forum for inexperienced trial attorneys to learn basic trial skills through lectures and mock trials in a courtroom setting.

  COTA is offered on a bi-annual basis and will be offered in 2007. It has been approved for 19.25 hours of CLE credits, including .50 hours in Legal Ethics. The course is designed to have 5 midweek 3-hour lectures and 4 Saturday morning 3-hour workshops. COTA has been a resounding success for over 20 years, with 100+ attendees in recent years. This five-week program covers all topics of trial from jury selection to closing argument.

  The COTA Committee generally has 2 to 3 meetings about six months prior to the scheduled program date. Tasks, such a checking availability of lecturers and judges for the direct and cross-examination workshop, are assigned at these meetings. Committee members with 10+ years litigation experience may volunteer to be a workshop judge.

  It is the Committee’s overall goal to teach inexperienced lawyers basic trial skills in order to make them better advocates for their clients. The committee has a specific goal to attract at least 150 participants for future programs.

Apply for the College of Trial Advocacy Committee Waiting List