Center for Excellence in Advocacy
"The events sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Advocacy were a valuable part of my legal education. They gave me the opportunity to interact with and gain perspectives of practicing lawyers."
— Seyed (Masood) Dehnivafar
The Center for Excellence in Advocacy builds on the law school's long history of graduating outstanding trial lawyers and judges. Through an innovative combination of scholarship, advocacy, skills training, and advocacy-related research, the Center trains law students to be persuasive, ethical, and skilled advocates.
The Center for Excellence in Advocacy encompasses a broad range of professional areas, including civil and commercial litigation, criminal law, appellate practice, trial advocacy, arbitration, and mediation. Effective advocacy crosses all practice areas. Although not every law student will become a trial lawyer, all students benefit from learning effective advocacy and negotiating skills. Washburn Law students are encouraged to enroll in advocacy courses before graduation — and most students do.
Learning From Experts
The Center brings students together with experienced trial and appellate lawyers and judges. Through its lecture-luncheon series, students meet regularly with practicing lawyers to discuss advocacy techniques (and trial practice). Students attend Center-sponsored workshops and conferences. The Center annually hosts visiting jurists, advocates, and advocacy scholars in residence, offering students extended opportunities to meet outstanding trial lawyers and judges.
National and Regional Reputation
The National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) selects Washburn Law as a regional training facility for its skills-based programs. Both the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit and the Kansas Court of Appeals visit Washburn Law, hearing oral arguments in the law school's courtroom and meeting with students.
