Experiential Learning

Experiential Learning

INSIGHTS FROM LEGAL PRACTICE IN THE CLASSROOM

Western State seeks to foster law students’ development as legal professionals throughout law school. When faculty brings examples from their practical legal experience into the classroom, they engage their students and illustrate how theory comes together in practice. These exercises provide a lens outside of the standard case method of instruction to help students understand the law and its application and helps students prepare for the day to day reality of practicing law.

Some classroom examples include:

ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL SKILLS:

• LAW467 Criminal Law Externship (formerly Prosecutor/Public Defender Externship) 3 Credits
• LAW511 Judicial Appellate Externship 3 or 8 Credits
• LAW514 Judicial Trial Externship 3 Credits
• LAW517 Civil Practice Externship 3 Credits
• LAW520 Externship Seminar: Criminal (formally Prosecutor/P.D. Externship Seminar 2 Credits
• LAW521 Externship Seminar: Civil 2 Credits
• LAW413 Arbitration 2 Credits
• LAW468 California Legal Research 2 Credits
• LAW423 Contracts Drafting 1 Credit
• LAW488 Interviewing and Counseling 3 Credits
• LAW215 Factual Investigation 3 Credits
• LAW499 Legal Clinic Seminar 2 Credits
• LAW461 Mediation 3 Credits
• LAW463 Negotiations 2 Credits
• LAW518 Pre-Trial Civil Litigation (Formerly Pretrial Practice) 3 Credits
• LAW519 Pre-Trial Criminal Litigation 3 Credits
• LAW227 Solving Legal Problems 3 Credits
• LAW488 Interviewing and Counseling 3 Credits
• LAW490 Trial Practice: Civil 3 Credits

• The courses listed here are representative of those approved by the faculty for advanced professional skills credit. This list is not exhaustive. A student is advised to check each semester’s class schedule for the most up-to-date list of approved courses.

*Satisfies the Upper Division Writing Requirement and counts towards the six credit Advanced Professional Skills Requirement.