A CDTA Student’s Checklist For Year Four
Year Four of the CDTA’s unique, distinct curriculum includes 3.5-hour weekly sessions on the following subjects:
- Trial Advocacy
- Wills & Trusts
- Business Associations
- Community Property
- Legal Memorandum & Brief Drafting
- Remedies
Like traditional law schools, CDTA’s curriculum is designed to teach students the substantive law of core subject areas. In year four, students delve into business entities (Business Associations), the marital (Community Property), testamentary, and inter vivos dispositions of property (Wills & Trusts), and the enforcement of clients’ rights (Remedies).
Unlike traditional law schools, CDTA emphasizes training and developing students to be capable and competent advocates in any courtroom. In year four, we focus on trial advocacy and legal writing, two important, practical skills that every attorney-advocate needs to practice law effectively.
Fourth-year law students must continue to develop their advocacy skills in their last year at CDTA. Simply put, these important advocacy tools may be divided into oral and written skills. Critical thinking skills; logical, clear and concise writing skills; effective reading skills; and persuasive presentation skills will beneficially impact a student’s future success as an attorney-advocate.
Graduation is near for 4th-year students, thus necessitating that they shape and sharpen their style of trial advocacy based on their attitudes, character traits, and communication, people, and social skills. This also includes the ability to write persuasively and draft effective legal briefs and memorandums. The 4th-year at the CDTA requires students to build, develop, and refine their communication skills, both written and oral.
The California Desert Trial Academy focuses on providing an academic experience that emphasizes a practical approach to becoming a lawyer. Law students in their 4th-year at the CDTA focus on trial advocacy skills. These skills are crucial for any graduate who wishes to be a true attorney-advocate. At CDTA, we train, educate, and develop students to be exceptional attorneys and trial advocates. Call us today at (760) 342-0900 or find out more online here.