Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution Concentration

Concentration Advisor: Professor David Levine

UC Hastings has long enjoyed a particularly strong reputation for scholarship and training in the civil litigation and alternative dispute resolution fields. The Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution Concentration offers students a chance to focus their studies in this area with an eye towards joining fellow alumni who rank among the most successful judges, litigators and mediators in the nation. The concentration's requirements include core courses, participation in a clinical program, judicial externship or advanced trial advocacy, and exposure to alternative dispute resolution. Students must also complete at least three electives from the breadth of relevant courses the Hastings faculty has approved for the concentration. The concentration provides the general litigation and dispute resolution skills and knowledge required in practice, as well as opportunities to apply classroom learning in simulated and real-world environments. The electives allow students to focus on areas of law corresponding to their individual interest and desired blend of theory and practice.

Perhaps the most important requirement is the capstone Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution Concentration Seminar, which must be taken in the fall of the student’s third year of law school. The seminar fosters a sense of community among students with a shared interest in civil litigation and dispute resolution, and between concentrators and faculty and others engaged in research and practice in the civil litigation and dispute resolution fields.