Litigation Skills Program

The Litigation Skills program provides rigorous, hands-on training, enabling students to gain the practical skills necessary for professional legal practice.

Litigation Skills for a Modern Legal Environment

In the Litigation Skills Program, students learn the skills necessary to succeed both inside and outside the courtroom. Litigation departments at major law firms, government agencies, prosecution and defender offices, and legal service organizations continue to staff and hire at record numbers. Our Litigation Skills students acquire the skills necessary to successfully navigate all types of legal careers and are prepared to practice.

Taught by a faculty of experienced trial lawyers and judges, almost 75 percent of second and third-year law students enroll in this six-credit course.

What Are Litigation Skills?

Litigation Skills Include:
  • Theme/story telling
  • Fact investigation
  • Pleadings
  • Discovery
  • Objections
  • Openings Statement
  • Closing Argument
  • Jury Selection
  • Witness and client interviewing
  • Direct and cross
  • Advanced and expert witness examination
  • Taking a deposition
  • Impeachment techniques
  • Write and argue motions
  • Complaints and answers
  • Laying the foundation, introducing exhibits
  • Developing a theory of the case
  • Effectively dealing with evidentiary weaknesses
  • Identifying evidentiary matters
  • Learning how to effectively introduce evidence

Career Skills Include:

Arguing Effectively

  • Improve at framing arguments both in writing and verbally.
  • Understand and learn how to advocate from both sides effectively.
  • Anticipate and prepare for counter-arguments.
  • Effectively present your position in a non-litigation setting.

Communication Skills

  • Connect with people and communicate complicated ideas in a simple way.
  • Communicate in a clear, concise, complete, compassionate, and courteous manner.

Building Confidence & Strengthening your Weaknesses

  • All lawyers have weaknesses. Part of being a great lawyer is recognizing those weaknesses and learning how to address them - Building Confidence.
  • Our professors individualize our students' training so that they grow as people and lawyers in training.

Litigation Skills Are for Every Law Student

  • Litigation skills are learned, not inherent.
  • Any personality type can be developed into an effective litigator.
  • The most successful litigators are the most prepared and most willing to work.
  • Students willing to dive into the facts of a case and take the time to master the rules can succeed in a litigation career.

Learn Directly from 60+ Judges and Prominent Attorneys

  • Full-time faculty members direct the program, and outstanding adjunct faculty of more than 65 highly experienced trial attorneys and judges from both state and federal courts assist with the demonstrations, trial, and pre-trial courses. 
  • Receive critique and feedback on skills and technique from sitting judges and practicing lawyers in small group sessions.
  • Meet and network with prominent members of the local legal community and connect with future mentors and employers.
  • The larger legal community also benefits from this faculty who participate in CLE programming organized by the Litigation Skills Program.

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  • Litigation Skills Leadership & Faculty

    Jeannie M. Jontiff is the Director of the Litigation Skills Program. The adjunct faculty of the program is comprised of experienced law firm partners, trial lawyers, federal, state and appellate court judges, prosecutors, and public defenders who work closely with students in small group simulated courtroom and law office presentations.

    • Ramon Abadin, Esq.
    • Shawn Abuhoff, Esq.
    • Gina Beovides (Hon.)
    • Michael Braunstein, Esq.
    • Eric Bustillo, Esq.
    • Beatrice Butchko (Hon.)
    • Chris Clark, Esq.
    • Jeffrey M. Cohen, Esq.
    • Erick Cruz, Esq.
    • Melissa Damian (Hon.)
    • Miesha Darrough (Hon.)
    • Joseph De Maria, Esq.
    • Stephen Demanovich, Esq.
    • Gregory Deutch, Esq.
    • Jason Dimitris (Hon.)
    • Pedro Echarte (Hon. Ret.)
    • Javier Enriquez (Hon.)
    • Scott Feder, Esq.
    • Aimee Ferrer, Esq.
    • Allyson Fritz, Esq.
    • Maria Privolos Gonzalez, Esq.
    • Jonathan Goodman (Hon.)
    • Monica Gordo (Hon.)
    • Alan Greenstein, Esq.
    • David Heffernan, Esq.
    • Kevin Hellmann (Hon.)
    • Celeste Higgins, Esq.
    • Kathleen Hoague, Esq.
    • Jennifer Hochstadt-Azar, Esq.
    • David Hope, Esq.
    • Paul Huck (Hon.)
    • Chiaka Ihekwaba (Hon.)
    • Zachary James (Hon.)
    • Mason Kerns, Esq.
    • Daniel Klein, Esq.
    • Gail Levine, Esq.
    • Guy Lewis, Esq.
    • Karen Lungarelli, Esq.
    • Jose Martinez (Hon.)
    • Bronwyn Miller (Hon.)
    • Oliver Morales, Esq.
    • Prya Murad, Esq.
    • Joseph Nascimento, Esq.
    • Philip Nicholas III, Esq.
    • Stephanie Panoff, Esq.
    • Bernardo Pastor, Esq.
    • Samantha Ruiz-Cohen (Hon.)
    • Nushin Sayfie (Hon.)
    • Kenneth Schurr, Esq.
    • William Seitz, Esq.
    • Lourdes Simon (Hon.)
    • Samuel Smargon, Esq.
    • Elena Smukler, Esq.
    • Bertila Soto (Hon.)
    • Alejandro Soto, Esq.
    • Lee Stapleton, Esq.
    • Philip Stein, Esq.
    • Sarah Steinbaum, Esq.
    • Laura Stuzin (Hon.)
    • Daniela Torrealba, Esq.
    • Edwin G. Torres (Hon.)
    • Rachel Walters, Esq.
    • Abbie Waxman, Esq.
    • Randy Weber, Esq.
    • Benjamin Widlanski, Esq.

Become Practice Ready

  • Litigate a case from start to finish.
  • Receive immediate feedback after each performance.
  • The program culminates in a final trial where students bring together the skills they acquired throughout the semester and conduct a full mock trial before real jurors.
  • Gain the practical experience employers are looking for.

Earn a Scholarship

Top students who distinguished themselves through their hard work and talent are rewarded with generous scholarships (figures shown from 2020 award winners):

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  • The Marco A. Vazquez Memorial Scholarship: $7,000

    The scholarship was established in 1996 in memory of Marco A. Vazquez, a 1993 graduate of the school of law, and is awarded each semester to an academically qualified second- or third-year law student who has completed the Litigation Skills Program and who has demonstrated financial need. Preference is given to Cuban/American students.

  • The John M. Hogan Fund for Public Interest Litigation: $5,000

    Awarded to memorialize John Hogan’s life and legacy. The law firm of Holland & Knight established the John M. Hogan Fund for Public Interest Litigation at Miami Law to be used to provide scholarship assistance to Hogan Scholars—law students who are certified legal interns with a preference given to students who wish to be placed at Legal Services of Greater Miami or the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office.

  • The Ervin A. Gonzalez Endowed Scholarship: $5,000

    The scholarship is awarded to a student that has shown excellence in litigation skills.

  • The Richard L. Lapidus Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund: $5,000

    The scholarship is awarded to a student who has excelled in the Litigation Skills program and demonstrated a clear understanding of legal ethics.

  • The Daniel S. Pearson Endowed Scholarship: $4,500

    The award is given to students who show great promise as trial lawyers and dedication to public service and the highest standards of professionalism.

  • The Litigation Skills Adjunct Faculty Scholarship: $4,000

    The scholarship is awarded to a second- or third-year law student who has shown excellence in advocacy, professionalism, and civility in the Litigation Skills I class and demonstrated financial need. The faculty confer on the recommendations, and the final determination is made by the director of the Litigation Skills Program, in consultation with the dean.

  • The John F. Evans Memorial Scholarship: $3,500

    The scholarship was established in 1989 in memory of John F. Evans, a criminal defense attorney, former deputy chief of the U.S. State Department’s Miami Strike Force, and founding partner of the law firm of Zuckerman, Spaeder, Taylor and Evans. It is awarded each semester to a second- or third-year student who has expressed an interest in trial practice.

  • The Honorable Theodore Klein Endowed Scholarship: $3,000

    Established in 2006 in memory of Theodore Klein, an outstanding lawyer, law professor, federal magistrate, and a leader among his peers. The scholarship is awarded each semester to a rising second or third-year law student who has demonstrated financial need, demonstrated ability and excellence in oral and written advocacy and has demonstrated a strong commitment to public service.

  • American Board of Trial Advocates: $1,000

    Awarded each year to a student who has excelled in the Litigation Skills Program and has demonstrated the highest level of professionalism and civility.

  • The Honorable Stanford Blake Award: $500

    The award is given to a second- or third-year student who has excelled in trial skills.

  • The Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton Scholar

    Established in 1995 by one of Miami’s leading law firms, it is awarded to a minority law student who has completed Litigation Skills and has expressed an interest in trial advocacy.

  • The Thomas Ewald Memorial Award

    This award is given each semester to the student in Litigation Skills who best exemplifies the devotion to high standards and ethical conduct followed by Tom Ewald.

  • Director’s Book Award for Excellence in Litigation Skills

    The award is given to a student(s) that shows great promise in trial advocacy.

For More Information

Contact Information

Professor Jeannie M. Jontiff
Director, Litigation Skills Program
305-284-2303
j.jontiff@miami.edu

Litigation Skills Office
3rd Floor, A310
Kozyak, Tropin & Throckmorton Suite
305-284-2303
litskill@law.miami.edu

Litigation Skills Staff

Lydia Sanchez
Senior Manager
305-284-3301
lsanchez@law.miami.edu

Yailin Nuñez
Program Assistant 
ynunez@law.miami.edu

Adys Pena
Program Assistant
305 284-2314
Axp1903@law.miami.edu

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