Course Description

601:596. INTERVIEWING, COUNSELING AND PRETRIAL ADVOCACY; BANKRUPTCY WORKSHOP (3) S

Cooper


LE:24


A skills course that involves following a client from the initial interview, through preparation of a bankruptcy petition, to representation of the client before a judge in defense or prosecution of a motion or trial. The course is taught in the context of a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case, and role-playing clients, based on real-life experiences, are brought in to add to the realism of the representation.  The class is divided into small “law firms” in which each student will handle a debtor client, a Chapter 7 trustee, and one or more creditor clients.  The course involves interviewing skills, client and firm interaction, preparation of plaintiff and defendant briefs, replies and responses, and oral argument before a judge.  The course focuses on the practical application of bankruptcy law, but does not require bankruptcy knowledge as a prerequisite.