Any particular courses to take in 2L and 3L that might help get a job in Prosecution or litigation more broadly?

[DenningsRubbish]

Hello,

 

I am applying for electives for my 2L year. I want to do litigation or work as a prosecutor in the future. Does it matter much which courses I should take? Should I focus mostly on business law courses, criminal law courses, or community legal clinic courses? I am applying to do a competitive moot in my second year, but aside from that I am not sure what employers might prefer.

 

Thank you in advance

[Ripcord]

I would definitely recommend doing a moot, it was an experience unlike any that you might get in law school and really gives you a quick taste of what an actual litigation file might look like. My school also had a few courses on Civil and Criminal Trial Advocacy, where you go through the life of a file and the course culminates in a mock trial of sorts. I do remember that you could only do either or, so if that's the same thing in your school, you might have to choose between the prosecutor life, or civil lit life (at least, just for the course). 

I found that the hard and true "coursework" did not afford me as much hands-on experience that mooting or legal clinics did. I am a firm believer in having that hands-on experience for advocacy related work. Reading the rules of civil procedure is one thing, drafting pleadings or penning a factum is completely different. I feel that you learn more in an intimate setting like a competitive moot and truly get a feel for what the life of law outside the bounds of the classroom feels like. 

So if you truly want the best experience in the field of advocacy, I highly recommend you apply to competitive mooting (and internal moots if you school offers any) and look into legal clinics or courses that give you that hands-on experience. While nothing will replicate real-life, these were the experiences in law school that came close. 

[CleanHands]

12 minutes ago, Ripcord said:

I would definitely recommend doing a moot, it was an experience unlike any that you might get in law school and really gives you a quick taste of what an actual litigation file might look like. 

I'm wrapping up articles with a prosecution service and have been hired back as a Crown prosecutor once I get called.

I vehemently disagree with this, and I interact with criminal lawyers daily and am certain that almost all of them would as well. Clinical experience (or volunteer experience for that matter) handling actual criminal files is vastly superior experience to moots.

@DenningsRubbish - Here's a previous thread that you may find useful. No point in rehashing what was already said there: 

ETA: I don't know much about civil litigation, but I can tell you that prosecution services will want to see demonstrated interest in criminal law specifically, not just in litigation broadly.

Edited June 26, 2022 by CleanHands

[Philosophy]

2 hours ago, CleanHands said:

I'm wrapping up articles with a prosecution service and have been hired back as a Crown prosecutor once I get called.

Congratulations! 

[CleanHands]

11 minutes ago, Philosophy said:

Congratulations! 

Thank you kindly. 🙂

I don't mean to derail the thread. That was just my "I'm not a Crown but I'm almost a Crown" caveat to accompany my input. lol

[Judgelight]

I didn't do anything in law school. Focus on the interview and demonstrating you are a well rounded candidate. 

Or just be related to a judge/Crown and get hired that way lol.

[Psychometronic]

9 hours ago, Ripcord said:

I feel that you learn more in an intimate setting like a competitive moot and truly get a feel for what the life of law outside the bounds of the classroom feels like. 

Factum research and writing is only a small sliver of civil litigation. Civil litigators barely even go to court these days. I am not opposed to mooting (I mooted in law school and it was really fun) but I want to point out that the mooting experience is very far from what the day-to-day of litigation is like.

Mooting can still sharpen your legal research, drafting and oral advocacy skills, which are good skills to have. Even if you do a moot for the fun of it, that’s a good enough reason as any.

To OP: I don’t see how business law courses will be useful for litigation except for the part that teaches you how to run your own firm. 

[MapleLeafs]

Are there any must take litigation courses (other than evidence and civ pro) 

[Damages]

1 hour ago, MapleLeafs said:

Are there any must take litigation courses (other than evidence and civ pro) 

Practical courses: Advocacy, ADR, Clinic (litigation)
 

Popular civ lit subject matter: family law, business law (business organizations) insurance law (or advance tort), employment law, real estate law, advanced contract law (or construction law) and wills and estates law

Good to take: criminal procedure because litigants sometimes get into trouble with criminal law. Need to know enough to be able to refer them to crim law practitioner at the right time. Tax law because litigation lawyers should know tax consequences for settlement or court awards.

 

[Byzantine]

Heading into 2L as well and also interested in litigation. Anyone have an advice on whether to prefer courses taught by practicing lawyers versus professors? 

[Damages]

56 minutes ago, Byzantine said:

Heading into 2L as well and also interested in litigation. Anyone have an advice on whether to prefer courses taught by practicing lawyers versus professors? 

There is no clear rule on this. Always ask your upper years for their feedback.