The Academy of the Advocate offers an exceptional study abroad experience in St Andrews, Scotland, where students can choose from three specialized advocacy courses. The School of the Appeal hones both written and oral appellate advocacy skills, while the School of the Trial focuses on the art of trial advocacy and persuasive storytelling. For those with prior mock trial experience, the Advanced School of the Trial provides intensive, personalized training to sharpen trial techniques.
The School of the Appeal
(3 semester/5 quarter hours)
The School of the Appeal focuses on the art and craft of both oral and written appellate advocacy. Students receive classroom instruction on each, followed by a series of joint student/faculty planning and outlining sessions that culminate in the drafting and critiquing of written appellate arguments, along with the presentation and critique of oral appellate arguments. The School of the Appeal draws on the setting of St Andrews and the rich history surrounding it as a living reminder of the power of the spoken word.
The School of the Appeal shares an instructional component with the School of the Trial, as both receive lectures on Professionalism and Civility—lectures that illuminate the professional and ethical challenges faced by trial and appellate advocates. The School of the Appeal also places the role of the appellate lawyer in the context of the long and shared history and traditions of the British and American legal systems. Consequently, the School of the Appeal, like the School of the Trial, includes lectures and corresponding field trips that focus on the development of democracy, the jury trial, and the right to appeal.
The School of the Appeal is limited to 28 students.
The School of the Trial
(3 semester/5 quarter hours)
The School of the Trial focuses on the art of trial advocacy. Students receive classroom instruction, augmented by small group discussions that cover all facets of the trial process—from jury selection to closing argument—as well as the building blocks necessary to become ethical, persuasive trial advocates. Classroom instruction is enriched by joint faculty/student planning sessions that culminate in trial advocacy exercises with faculty feedback and critique. Storytelling, as a method of persuasion, is a central theme that runs through the School of the Trial—and the history, architecture, and idyllic backdrop of St Andrews is utilized as both a striking setting for storytelling exercises as well as a compelling example of the power of the spoken word.
The School of the Trial shares an instructional component with the School of the Appeal, as both receive lectures on Professionalism and Civility—lectures that shed light on the professional and ethical challenges faced by trial and appellate advocates and offer practical advice through advocacy exercises in an intimate, small group setting. The School of the Trial is also designed to place the role of the trial lawyer in the context of the long and shared history and traditions of the British and American legal systems. Consequently, the School of the Trial includes lectures and corresponding field trips focused on the development of democracy, the jury trial, and the right to appeal.
The Advanced School of the Trial
(3 Semester/5 Quarter Hours)
The Advanced School of Trial (ASOT) was created for experienced mock trial students. The ASOT’s objective is to focus on and sharpen trial skills and advanced techniques through several advocacy exercises and trials. With a maximum of only twelve (12) students, the ASOT offers intensive, personalized training with some of the top advocacy coaches in the nation.
The eight slots for the ASOT are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Every applicant for the ASOT will be considered based on the following criteria:
Graduation from the School of Trial in a previous Academy,
or have a
Recommendation letter from an advocacy coach or professor,
and
Demonstrated success in law school mock trial competitions.
The Baylor Law School Academy of the Advocate at St Andrews has been approved by the American Bar Association Accreditation Committee.
