The Advocate's Advantage
Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
Advocacy is both an art and a science. It can be taught, studied, practiced, and written about. To us, advocacy is a passion – something inside a litigator’s heart and their brain. To us, advocacy is our advantage. Through this blog, we aim to educate ourselves while also sharing resources and helping others through an online community. Here, at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, the Advocacy Program is always looking for ways to further our skills and understanding of the law.
And so, The Advocate’s Advantage was born…
Five Interchangeable Skills for Moot Court and Mock Trial
Introduction Before coming to law school, I had no idea that there was such a thing as moot court or mock trial. To be quite honest, I thought they were interchangeable, and essentially the same thing! Instead, I came to learn (as everyone else did) when the 1L Louis...
Theory, Theme, Execution
Introduction As a law student, professional, and member of Haub Law’s Advocacy program, I have had the privilege to observe and participate in courtroom proceedings. One thing that has become clear to me is the difference between arguing your case and arguing the law....
The “Grieving Families Act” Harmful or Helpful?
Introduction New York State Senate Bill S74A was recently approved by the New York Legislature. Known as the “Grieving Families Act,” it seeks to significantly expand the right to recover damages in wrongful death actions in New York.[1] It is expected to be signed by...
Advocacy in the Pre-Trial Stages
Introduction It may come as a surprise to some that a lawyer can, and should, prepare a case for settlement in the same manner as they prepare a case for trial. An attorney’s preparation for trial, including a deep and thorough analysis of the facts, legal issues, and...
The Burden of Proof
The Burden of Proof By Philip M Halpern Date of Publication: 2020 396 Pages 5/5☆ What This Book is About In litigation, the term “burden of proof” is understood to be the requirement that a litigant must prove their case to a certain standard set forth by the court in...
A View of COP27: The United Nations Climate Change Conference
Introduction Advocacy goes beyond the courtroom. A good advocate can find themselves negotiating international treaties and making change for the world while still applying many of the concepts we learn in domestic U.S. classrooms. Mastery of material, charismatic...
The Definition of an Advocate
Introduction In combination with my personal life experiences and my law school experience, I created my own personal definition of an advocate. In my perspective, to be an advocate is of course a legal one. We all have different opinions of what an advocate may be....
Point-Counterpoint: Debating the Logic of FRE 404
Introduction Character Evidence is a difficult evidentiary concept to understand. Federal Rule of Evidence (“FRE”) 404 prohibits the admissibility of character evidence when used to show propensity of a particular conduct.[1] Propensity means “[a] natural tendency to...
Differences Between New York Evidence & Federal Evidence Rules
Part I: Opening Statement Indulge me for a few minutes. Imagine you’re an Assistant District Attorney (“ADA”) in Brooklyn Criminal Court. You are conducting the direct examination of the complainant in a gang assault case. This is how the testimony goes during your...
The Disappearing Oral Argument: Why Your Written Brief is so Important
Appellate advocacy has undergone massive change since the founding of the Supreme Court in 1789. In its early years, the Court only required oral advocates to submit brief statements that merely outlined the points of their case.[1] As a result, the Justices listened...
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Advocatesadvantage@law.pace.edu
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