Mitchell Hamline School of Law

Academics

Skills Simulations

Realistic scenarios, real-time feedback, advanced skill development

At Mitchell Hamline, students’ real work with clients is supplemented by realistic learning scenarios throughout the curriculum. You’ll be presented with a set of hypothetical facts and be asked to play a variety of roles in resolving the situation. Simulations offer both real-world context and real-time feedback from professors and legal practitioners.

Our legal practicum and advanced simulation courses immerse students in the areas of general practice and advocacy through innovative hands-on learning exercises pioneered by Mitchell Hamline faculty and staff.

Advocacy and the Problem-Solving Electives

  • Advocacy

    Learn the basic skills all lawyers use in the representation of clients. Students observe and discuss model demonstrations of client communication, persuasion, and advocacy skills and then practice these skills in a small-group setting.

  • Negotiation

    Learn negotiation in a variety of contexts, including transactional settings, multi-party deals, conflict resolution, and litigation settlement strategy.

  • Transactions and Settlements

    Learn negotiation, drafting, client counseling, and advocacy in both the transactional and litigation contexts.

Advanced Simulations

    • Advanced Advocacy

      Get training in trial advocacy skills for each stage of trial. Areas covered include: ethics, psychology of persuasion, opening statement, direct examination, exhibits, objections, cross‑examination, and closing argument.

    • Arbitration Skills

      Learn the skills required to be an effective arbitrator or arbitration advocate. Students will participate in arbitration simulations and role playing

    • Client Interviewing and Counseling

      Learn skills of initial client interviewing, assessing client’s goals, developing and evaluating alternative strategies for achieving those goals, helping clients make decisions, and other aspects of effective continuing client communication.

    • Deals and Disputes

      Develop negotiation, client counseling, research, and writing skills through a complex transactional simulation.

    • Expert Witness Advocacy

      Develop trial advocacy skills working with expert witnesses in a Daubert hearing, direct and cross-examination, and a jury trial

    • Legal Practicum: General Practice

      The Legal Practicum: General Practice course provides real-world, hands-on experience in matters involving the general practice of law. Through this course, participants resolve a number of legal issues–negotiating their client’s DWI charge in district court, arguing for or against an attorney’s disciplinary action at the Court of Appeals and conducting a full-day tort trial in front of a mock jury are just a few examples.

    • Mediation

      Through discussion, simulations, and role-play, learn the structure and goals of the mediation process and the skills and techniques mediators use to aid parties in overcoming barriers to dispute resolution.

    • Pretrial Litigation

      Learn the major facets of pretrial litigation. Students study litigation planning, pleadings, discovery, motion practice, and related elements. Students participate in simulated and written exercises involving these skills which are critiqued by experienced practitioners.