Litigation & the Judicial Process

A successful lawyer—whether a litigator or not—must master skills associated with trial, negotiation, settlement, mediation, and alternative dispute resolution—including international dispute resolution. The George Washington Law School’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Program challenges students to develop and enhance the lawyering skills required for effective representation in today’s complex practice of law, while giving them opportunities to put those skills into action.  

GW Law is dedicated to providing comprehensive instruction in professional skills and values, including academic opportunities in and outside the classroom for Juris Doctor degree candidates and an advanced course of graduate study in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Master of Laws Program. The curriculum complements the theoretical study of the law with actual experience in interviewing clients; drafting, preparing, and filing pleadings and motions; investigating facts; appearing before government agencies; mediating; arbitrating; and conducting trials before judges and juries. All this takes place in the heart of the Washington, DC legal community, just minutes away from dozens of important national and international organizations. That close proximity means GW Law students not only learn professional legal skills, but also use them in meaningful ways.  

Courses in this area examine the procedural and remedial rules that regulate civil and criminal litigation in our state and federal courts. Building upon the required Civil Procedure course, the key survey courses in this area are Adjudicatory Criminal Procedure, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Federal Courts, Conflict of Laws, and Remedies. Related simulation courses include Trial Advocacy, Federal Trial Practice, and Moot Court.

Foundation Courses

Evidence (6230)
Federal Courts (6232)
Conflict of Laws (6234)
Remedies (6238)
Criminal Procedure (6360)
Adjudicatory Criminal Procedure (6362)

Advanced Courses

  • Complex Litigation (6236)
  • Electronic Discovery and Evidence (6237)
  • Appellate Practice (6246)
  • Selected Topics in Civil Procedure (6247)**
  • Scientific Evidence Seminar (6248)
  • Civil Procedure Seminar (6249)
  • Admiralty (6293)
  • Insurance (6298)
  • Products Liability (6354)
  • Role of the Federal Prosecutor (6363)
  • Criminal Tax Litigation (6365)
  • Environmental and Toxic Torts (6449)
  • The Federal Circuit (6477)
  • Comparative Constitutional Law (6555)
  • Nation Building and the Rule of Law (6559)
  • Race, Racism, and American Law (6595)
  • Family Justice Litigation Clinic (6624)
  • Criminal Appeals and Post-Conviction Services (6625)
  • Vaccine Injury Litigation Clinic (6626)
  • Rising for Justice (6634)
  • Pre-Trial Advocacy (6643)
  • Advanced Appellate Advocacy (6653)
  • Law and Rhetoric (6654)
  • Judicial Lawyering (6669)
  • Government Lawyering (6671)
  • Military Justice (6873)
  • Comparative Military Law (6874)
  • Advanced Trial Advocacy (6675)*
  • Pre-Trial Practice in Civil Cases (6677)*
  • Ethics in Adjudication and Settlement (6678)*
  • Advanced Evidence (6679)*
  • The American Jury (6680)*
  • College of Trial Advocacy (6683)*
  • Pre-Trial Practice in Criminal Cases (6684)*

The following courses are open only to LLM degree candidates

  • Negotiation and Conflict Management Systems Design (6681)

  • Arbitration (6685)

*These courses have limited enrollment by J.D. students with the written permission of the program director.
**For 2021–2022, Civil Procedure Generic Courses may include Advanced Pre-Trial Advocacy.