New & Noteworthy
Preparing trial-ready lawyers with the help of a community E
“You can learn about a trial in the classroom, but to actually practice being a trial attorney alongside talented and knowledgeable members of the bar is a more intentional and valuable way to learn these skills.” — Judge Norman Hill JD’94
very year, law students gather during winter break to participate in a Willamette Law tradition, the Intensive Trial Practice (ITP) program. This weeklong initiative provides students the chance to learn firsthand what it takes to be a trial lawyer. Students hear from local judges and attorneys about preparing for and participating in a trial. The program culminates in a mock trial where local community members play the parts of witnesses and jury members. Started by former Dean and Emeritus Professor Leroy Tornquist in 1978, this hands-on approach to trial practice has continually provided students with a one-of-a-kind opportunity to gain the skills needed to excel in the courtroom. Judge Norman Hill JD’94 co-taught ITP alongside Judge Mary James for five years prior to her retirement last year. Now, he oversees the program, consistently looking for new ways to broaden what students can learn, while simulating the intensity of a real trial.
“There is no born trial lawyer; it is a skill that is developed through trial and error and
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conscious professional development,” Hill says. “This program introduces students to these concepts early on in their career in order for them to come away with a sense of what’s needed to do this work.” Hill says the program truly feels like a real trial but with an added layer of feedback and training that enables students to learn quickly. “You can learn about a trial in the classroom, but to actually practice being a trial attorney alongside talented and knowledgeable members of the bar is a more intentional and valuable way to learn these skills.”
Experiential learning prepares students for practice Noting that most law school classes prepare students for the bar exam, Erin Casini JD’24 appreciated the chance
to learn and practice day-to-day tasks that an attorney must complete. “This was the first ‘experiential’ class I have taken,” Casini says. “Willamette encourages its students to take as many experiential classes as possible, so that once you graduate and pass the bar, you have some idea of what you are doing.” Knowing firsthand the importance of hands-on education opportunities, Janelle Debes JD’21 participated in the ITP program and is, today, a trial attorney. For Debes, ITP was one of her first exposures to trial preparation and documents. “Having this knowledge in the first year of practice allowed me to quickly grasp what was expected of me and anticipate the next steps in a case,” she says.
