William Mitchell Law Review Volume 13 | Issue 3 Article 1 1987 Why Don't Law Schools Teach Law Students How to Try Lawsuits? Edward J. Devitt Helen Pougiales Roland Follow this and additional works at: http://open.mitchellhamline.edu/wmlr Recommended Citation Devitt, Edward J. and Roland, Helen Pougiales (1987) "Why Don't Law Schools Teach Law Students How to Try Lawsuits?," William Mitchell Law Review: Vol. 13: Iss. 3, Article 1. Available at: http://open.mitchellhamline.edu/wmlr/vol13/iss3/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Reviews and Journals at Mitchell Hamline Open Access. It has been accepted for inclusion in William Mitchell Law Review by an authorized administrator of Mitchell Hamline Open Access. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. © Mitchell Hamline School of Law Devitt and Roland: Why Don't Law Schools Teach Law Students How to Try Lawsuits? WHY DON'T LAW SCHOOLS TEACH LAW STUDENTS HOW TO TRY LAWSUITS? HON. EDWARD J. DEvrrrt HELEN POUGIALES ROLANDt The current interpretation of the American Bar Association stan- dardsfor accreditationof law schools allows accredited law schools to offer trial skills courses as electives rather than required courses. Studies commissioned by federaljudges and the American Bar Associ- ation have identified advocacy deficiencies resulting, in part,from this interpretation and have recommended various solutionsfor those defi- ciencies in trial skills. The authors of this Article argue that, in order to remedy andprevent further deficiencies, the American Bar Associa- tion must include a trial skills course requirement in its accreditation standards.