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Preparing trial-ready lawyers with the help of a community
Every 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 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.
A strong community’s impact on education
An integral part of the ITP program is the community’s involvement in the final day’s mock trial. Members of the Salem community and local high school students participate as jurors and witnesses. This support is vital, Hill says, because they play a part in training future legal professionals.
Peter Alotta has volunteered for five years now. He finds the work to be personally rewarding, and he also sees how significant the program is for students.
“To have the ear of a judge who will answer questions about the legal process and judicial procedure in an informal setting is precious,” Alotta says. “This is as close as many students will come to an actual trial during law school.”
Drew Moneke, a local high school civics teacher, has been bringing students to take part in the mock trial since 2005.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for high school students to participate in and see firsthand what they are learning about in the classroom,” he says.
The mock trial gives the high schoolers the chance to find their voice, learn about the importance of honoring others, and to wrestle with what justice truly means, Moneke says. Students come away with a renewed interest in the law and the ability to see that practicing law is an art that can be learned and polished.
Hill hopes those volunteers see that they, too, can practice law.
“It’s inspiring to not just teach current law students about preparing for a trial, but to also know that this process is getting future generations thinking about law school, too,” he says.
Thinking to the future
ITP has been training lawyers for decades now, but Hill wants to see the program continue to grow in resources, students and volunteers. His goal is to serve more students and prepare them to be good trial lawyers.
“In Oregon, in particular, we are in great need of more trial lawyers,” Hill says. “To expose students to trial practice early on can go a long way in filling the current gap.”
