This is a truly innovative and experimental class which pushes the limits of cutting-edge persuasion theories and techniques. New Millennium combines both lecture and practice sessions focusing on new non-verbal behavior techniques and other experimental approaches to advocacy, as well as traditional legal exercises.
This class provides an intensive immersion in theory through the use of readings from Aristotle to neuroscience, and provides exposure to theories in many different disciplines, both legal and non-legal. Students see what it takes to be persuasive. After all, if you don’t know the theory – the “why” behind the “what” – how will you know what works?
Through the use of such techniques as mirroring, anchoring, storytelling and personality profiling, students begin to see the methods that work for them and the methods that work on varying jurors. By coordinating with several local community sources, volunteer panels are gathered for student voir dire presentations, focus group exercises, and mock trials. Our volunteer jurors span all age groups and professions. Students see firsthand how different jurors, and different juries, are persuaded through different methods; a truly invaluable experience. Students also work with state and federal courts on guided research and empirical studies regarding recent judicial developments by interviewing judges, jurors and counsel.
This class is designed for the advanced advocacy student who has a strong interest in honing his or her persuasive abilities and techniques. With an extensive reading list combined with several group and individual projects, the student must be committed to learning and must be open to innovative and experimental theories and techniques. Advocacy, Practice and Theory for the New Millennium seeds ideas and develops techniques that students will carry with them in all their persuasive endeavors.