About National
Trial Advocacy College
The ability to effectively present an opening statement, competently conduct a direct examination, deliberately cross-examine an adverse witness, make a compelling closing argument, and, of course, handle a jury trial with confidence are learned skills that remain the keys to success for any litigator. No amount of second-chairing trials, attending one-day programs, or conferring with a senior lawyer can replace the real thing—doing it. That is what this program has been about for over 40 years.
A Premier Intensive at an Incredible Value
Whether you are a lawyer in a big firm struggling to obtain trial experience, or practicing in a small shop facing a myriad of litigation challenges, this program makes economic sense. For five days you are immersed in substantive material and critical practice that would normally take years to experience, all while earning 36.5 hours of live-interactive credit, plus access to a pre-recorded, on-demand session carrying 2.0 hours of Ethics. Add in five days of networking with other lawyers from all around the Commonwealth and country, and you might even create some future business to add to your new skills.
We’re here to assist any lawyer interested in developing or polishing heightened advocacy skills through an intensive five days of personal training.
The Experience
LECTURES AND DEMONSTRATIONS
All participants attend daily live lectures and demonstrations by some of the finest speakers and lawyers in the country. Lectures are presented on various aspects of trial. Each lecture is followed by a Demonstration of the lessons taught, conducted by faculty members, using the same case file you will be using in small groups. Following the demonstration, another faculty member will Critique the Demonstrations.
SMALL GROUP
SKILLS PRACTICE
Small group practice is the heart of the College, and the majority of the schedule is devoted to it. You will be assigned to a small group of students with similar trial experience, and each small group will be assigned to a smaller event room in the law school. At registration, you'll be directed to a board that lists your group and room assignment, an the faculty members assigned to your group. In the small groups, your faculty member(s) will lead you through demonstrations and exercises, and provide critiques of your performance.
The faculty changes out Monday morning, and you may have one or two faculty assigned during either/both of the faculty “flights.”
MOCK TRIALS
Mock trials are the culminating event of the College. You will receive a new case file on Sunday night (it will be posted to the Materials tab above at the same time), and you will thereafter be assigned to two-person trial teams, opposed by a team from a different small group. Most of Tuesday will be devoted to preparation for the trials, with the help of your faculty member(s).
Trials are held on Wednesday morning and afternoon. Those not trying the case act as witnesses for their colleagues. You can expect a useful critique of your performance by the judge following the conclusion of your trial.
During the course, program participants will work with two case files, ranging from relatively simple to quite sophisticated, so that the participants can develop and practice their advocacy skills in different contexts. The files afford lawyers of all levels of experience—whether they handle civil, criminal, or commercial matters—opportunities to attack problems that will challenge them.
Each registrant will also receive a copy of the new Trying Cases to Win: In One Volume by Stephen A. Saltzburg and Herbert J. Stern—a $120 value. This book mirrors the instruction presented, and you will find it a valuable resource long after the College is completed.
Each attendee have the opportunity to video record his or her individual performances and critiques, including his or her performance as lead counsel in the mock trial. Tripods will be provided.
Support Materials
National Trial Advocacy College was founded in 1981 by Professor Stephen A. Saltzburg, then of the University of Virginia School of Law and now George Washington University Law School, and the Honorable Herbert J. Stern, then United States District Court, Newark, New Jersey.
Virginia CLE and the University of Virginia School of Law partnered with Saltzburg and Stern to build the annual institute into a highly anticipated forum of national and international importance, with Stephen Saltzburg as its director for more than four decades.
The College has attracted a distinguished faculty of trial attorneys, judges, professionals, and experts, many of whom have long tenures with us. With an enrollment of nearly 150 lawyers per year, the College has refined the skills of thousands of lawyers from across the world, from Australia to South Africa to Japan.
The format of the program has remained its cornerstone: lectures and demonstrations by prominent faculty, followed by extensive training in small groups with instructors. Attendees practice and perform every advocacy skill in a simulated setting within these groups, then receive constructive critique from the faculty and peers. After this hands-on trial skills training, lawyers are paired to prepare and try a case against another pair of attendees before an experienced trial judge.
In 2026, the College is thrilled to be partnering with William & Mary Law School to offer the program on their beautiful campus in historic Williamsburg.
Our History
“A complete immersion in hands-on training like I've never experienced.”
— ATTENDEE