Law, Advocacy & Public Persuasion

3 Credit Hours

For those attorneys who choose to pursue careers in government, politics or business, the crucial determiner of success is often the ability to persuade within the public arena. But contemporary legal practice requires virtually every attorney to influence an array of "public" audiences: corporate boards, governmental bodies, bar associations, law firm management committees, stockholder meetings, community groups, and the public at large. Indeed, today's complete lawyer - whether deal-maker or litigator, whether in private practice or public service - will persuade audiences beyond those involved in a trial or a negotiation, and frequently when the stakes are highest. This course will train lawyers to influence public audiences with both the written and spoken word; it seeks to provide practitioners with four primary tools: (1) an understanding of the lawyer's historical and contemporary role as public persuader; (2) strategic sensibilities in approaching non-lawyer audiences; (3) the tactical ability to use more powerful language and arguments for persuasive effect; and (4) improved capabilities as public speakers/presenters, through intensive practice and critique.