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Civil Litigation

Civil litigation is an umbrella term for the broad spectrum of disputes that could wind up in court and that are not criminal in nature. For instance, civil litigators can represent clients who are injured in a car accident or seeking a divorce, or they can represent a large corporation who claims its intellectual property has been misappropriated.

Civil litigators are often referred to as trial lawyers, but much of their work is pre-trial. Indeed, civil litigators must hone their legal skills to represent clients from the inception of the dispute until the jury verdict and beyond. As a result, litigators may also engage in appellate advocacy.

Civil litigators often represent both plaintiffs or defendants—plaintiffs being the parties who initiate a lawsuit and defendants being the parties who are sued. In some areas of civil litigation, lawyers often "pick a side" and limit their practice to representing either plaintiffs or defendants. This is common in personal injury work as well as employer-employee disputes. In other areas, such as commercial litigation, civil litigators represent either side equally.

Civil litigators can be generalists, who represent clients in a broad spectrum of legal issues, or specialists, who focus on substantive areas, such as intellectual property, tax, or employment litigation.

Litigators may work for the government, in-house counsel and corporations, or public interest organizations. Many aspiring litigators gain useful experience in the field by clerking for a trial court judge.

Courses

Courses designated as "primary" are foundational, while those listed as "secondary" contain relevant and related content. "Co-curricular" courses are credit-bearing extra-curricular activities, while "experiential" courses are practice-based offerings. Please keep in mind that the focus of any course will vary depending on the instructor.

Primary Courses

Secondary Courses

Experiential Courses

Co-Curricular Activities

Faculty

The following faculty are knowledgeable about the topic and may be a useful resource for you.

Alyse Bertenthal

Alyse Bertenthal

Associate Professor of Law

Meghan Boone

Meghan Boone

Professor of Law

Jonathan Cardi

Jonathan Cardi

Professor of Law

Christine Coughlin

Christine Coughlin

Professor of Law

Timothy Davis

Timothy Davis

Bess and Walter Williams Professor of Law

Marie-Amélie George

Marie-Amélie George

Professor of Law

Allyson E. Gold

Allyson E. Gold

Associate Dean for Experiential Learning

Laura Graham

Laura Graham

Professor of Legal Writing

Raina Haque

Raina Haque

Professor of Practice

Christopher Knott

Christopher Knott

Associate Dean for Information Services

John H. Knox

John H. Knox

Henry C. Lauerman Professor of International Law

John Korzen

John Korzen

Associate Professor of Legal Writing

Chris Meazell

Chris Meazell

Professor of Practice

Sarah J. Morath

Sarah J. Morath

Professor of Law

Wendy Parker

Wendy Parker

Research Professor of Law

Wilson Parker

Wilson Parker

Professor of Law

Gregory Parks

Gregory Parks

Professor of Law

Sidney Shapiro

Sidney Shapiro

Frank U. Fletcher Chair in Administrative Law

Margaret Taylor

Margaret Taylor

Professor of Law

Steve Virgil

Steve Virgil

Clinical Professor of Law

Related Pathways

Appellate Advocacy

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Government

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In-House Counsel and Corporations

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Public Interest Organizations

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Dispute Resolution

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Judicial Clerkships

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