Randall D. Schmidt : Courses and Seminars
Intensive Trial Practice Workshop
LAWS 67503
This practicum teaches trial preparation, trial advocacy, and strategy through a variety of teaching techniques, including lectures and demonstrations, but primarily through simulated trial exercises. Topics include opening statements, witness preparation, direct and cross examination, expert witnesses, objections at trial, and closing argument. Practicing lawyers and judges are enlisted to provide students with lectures and critiques from varied perspectives. The practicum concludes with a simulated jury trial presided over by sitting state and federal court judges. Evidence is a prerequisite. Students taking the Intensive Trial Practice Workshop may enroll in Pre-Trial Advocacy. Completion of this workshop partially satisfies one of the requirements for admission to the trial bar of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. This practicum is open only to students entering their 3L year and limited to 54 with preference given to students who have been accepted into a Clinic course. Students who have taken Trial Advocacy (LAWS 67603), Advanced Trial Advocacy (LAW 93802), Poverty and Housing Law Clinic (LAWS 90512), or Trial Practice: Strategy and Advocacy (LAWS 91702) may not take this course. This practicum is offered for approximately six hours/day during the two weeks prior to the beginning of the Autumn Quarter. The student's grade is based on class participation.
Autumn 2009
Herschella G. Conyers, Craig B. Futterman, Mark J. Heyrman, Jason Huber, Randall D. Schmidt, Alison Siegler, Randolph N. Stone
Pre-Trial Advocacy
LAWS 67403
This seminar focuses on fundamental pretrial litigation strategies and skills, including creation and evaluation of legal and factual theories, pleading and motion practice, interviewing clients and witnesses, discovery planning, depositions, negotiations and pretrial preparation. The seminar employs a variety of learning methodologies, including lectures, small group discussions, simulated exercises, and videotaped performances by students. Evidence is a prerequisite. Students taking Pretrial Advocacy are also eligible to enroll in the Intensive Trial Practice Workshop. The student's grade is based on class participation. Enrollment is limited to 48 students with preference given to students who have been accepted into a clinic course. Students who have taken Advanced Trial Advocacy (LAWS 93802) may not take this course.
Spring 2010
Herschella G. Conyers, Craig B. Futterman, Mark J. Heyrman, Jason Huber, Randall D. Schmidt, Alison Siegler, Randolph N. Stone
Negotiation and Mediation
LAWS 98801
This course will introduce the theory and practice of negotiation and mediation across various contexts, including deal-making and dispute resolution.?It will give students an organized theoretical framework for analyzing various parties' positions and crafting thoughtful strategies.?Students will develop their practical skills and individual styles through a series of simulation exercises, which will be executed inside and outside of class and then discussed and critiqued.?Exposure to different techniques, styles, and contexts will be used to teach students what works best for them. Grades will be based on in-class exercises, a series of reaction papers based on out-of-class assignments, and a final negotiation that will be observed and evaluted by the instructors. Enrollment is limited to 32 students. Students who take this class may not take Negotiation Theory and Practice (46702).
Winter 2010
M. Todd Henderson, Jeff Leslie, Elizabeth W. Milnikel, Emily Satterthwaite, Randall D. Schmidt
Independent Research
LAWS 49901
Second- and third-year students may earn course credit by independent research under the supervision of a member of the faculty. Such projects are arranged by consultation between the student and the particular member of the faculty in whose field the proposed topic falls.
Autumn 2009
Randall D. Schmidt
Employment Discrimination Project
LAWS 67113
Randall D. Schmidt and his students operate the Clinic's Employment Discrimination Project. The Project focuses primarily on pre-trial litigation. In individual cases, the Project represents clients in cases before the Illinois Department of Human Rights (Department ) and the Illinois Human Rights Commission (Commission ) and seeks to obtain relief for clients from race, sex, national origin, and handicap discrimination in the work place. Additionally, in its individual cases and law reform/impact cases, the Project seeks to improve the procedures and remedies available to victims of employment discrimination so that complainants have a fair opportunity to present their claims in a reasonably expeditious way. To accomplish this goal, the Project, in addition to litigation, is also active in the legislative arena and participates with other civil rights groups in efforts to amend and improve the Illinois Human Rights Act. Second-year students in the Project can expect to handle several cases individually and second chair other cases along with third-year students. Second-year students will autonomously handle cases that the Department is investigating. In these cases, students interview clients and witnesses, assist in the preparation of written briefs and memoranda explaining why the client was the victim of discrimination, and represent clients at informal hearings before the Department. Second- and third-year students will jointly handle cases in the Commission and at various pre-trial stages. They will be involved in discovery (drafting requests, responding to the employer's discovery, reviewing the information produced in discovery, etc.) and pretrial preparation (i.e., interviewing witnesses, drafting the pretrial memorandum, etc.). Second-year students will be given the opportunity to attend status hearings and hearings on contested motions, along with the third-year student assigned to the case. Moreover, if the case goes to trial, the second-year student will be actively involved in all phases of trial preparation and will attend the trial. Third-year students in the Project are assigned cases that are awaiting trial in the Commission. In these cases, third-year students attend status conferences, argue contested motions, engage in discovery, negotiate with the employer, and prepare the case for trial. If the case goes to trial, the third-year student will be expected to be the lead attorney on the case. The Project also handles, or is otherwise involved in, several appeals each year. Both second- and third-year students work on these appeals researching and drafting appellate briefs. If possible, third-year students present the oral arguments in the appeals. It is suggested, but not required, that all students in the Employment Discrimination Project take the Employment Discrimination course. Third-year students participating in the Employment Discrimination Project are required to take Evidence. Third-year Students are strongly encouraged to take, prior to their third year, Pretrial Advocacy and either the Intensive Trial Practice Workshop or Trial Advocacy. Enrollment in the Employment Discrimination Project is limited and preference will be given to students who take Pretrial Advocacy and the Intensive Trial Practice Workshop. The student's grade is based on class participation. The credit awarded to this seminar is governed by the new rules for credit for clinical work. Academic credit varies and will be awarded according to the Law School's general criteria for clinical courses as described in the Law School Announcements and by the approval of the clinical staff.
Autumn 2009
Randall D. Schmidt
Employment Discrimination Project
LAWS 67113
Randall D. Schmidt and his students operate the Clinic's Employment Discrimination Project. The Project focuses primarily on pre-trial litigation. In individual cases, the Project represents clients in cases before the Illinois Department of Human Rights (Department ) and the Illinois Human Rights Commission (Commission ) and seeks to obtain relief for clients from race, sex, national origin, and handicap discrimination in the work place. Additionally, in its individual cases and law reform/impact cases, the Project seeks to improve the procedures and remedies available to victims of employment discrimination so that complainants have a fair opportunity to present their claims in a reasonably expeditious way. To accomplish this goal, the Project, in addition to litigation, is also active in the legislative arena and participates with other civil rights groups in efforts to amend and improve the Illinois Human Rights Act. Second-year students in the Project can expect to handle several cases individually and second chair other cases along with third-year students. Second-year students will autonomously handle cases that the Department is investigating. In these cases, students interview clients and witnesses, assist in the preparation of written briefs and memoranda explaining why the client was the victim of discrimination, and represent clients at informal hearings before the Department. Second- and third-year students will jointly handle cases in the Commission and at various pre-trial stages. They will be involved in discovery (drafting requests, responding to the employer's discovery, reviewing the information produced in discovery, etc.) and pretrial preparation (i.e., interviewing witnesses, drafting the pretrial memorandum, etc.). Second-year students will be given the opportunity to attend status hearings and hearings on contested motions, along with the third-year student assigned to the case. Moreover, if the case goes to trial, the second-year student will be actively involved in all phases of trial preparation and will attend the trial. Third-year students in the Project are assigned cases that are awaiting trial in the Commission. In these cases, third-year students attend status conferences, argue contested motions, engage in discovery, negotiate with the employer, and prepare the case for trial. If the case goes to trial, the third-year student will be expected to be the lead attorney on the case. The Project also handles, or is otherwise involved in, several appeals each year. Both second- and third-year students work on these appeals researching and drafting appellate briefs. If possible, third-year students present the oral arguments in the appeals. It is suggested, but not required, that all students in the Employment Discrimination Project take the Employment Discrimination course. Third-year students participating in the Employment Discrimination Project are required to take Evidence. Third-year Students are strongly encouraged to take, prior to their third year, Pretrial Advocacy and either the Intensive Trial Practice Workshop or Trial Advocacy. Enrollment in the Employment Discrimination Project is limited and preference will be given to students who take Pretrial Advocacy and the Intensive Trial Practice Workshop. The student's grade is based on class participation. The credit awarded to this seminar is governed by the new rules for credit for clinical work. Academic credit varies and will be awarded according to the Law School's general criteria for clinical courses as described in the Law School Announcements and by the approval of the clinical staff.
Winter 2010
Randall D. Schmidt
Employment Discrimination Project
LAWS 67113
Randall D. Schmidt and his students operate the Clinic's Employment Discrimination Project. The Project focuses primarily on pre-trial litigation. In individual cases, the Project represents clients in cases before the Illinois Department of Human Rights (Department ) and the Illinois Human Rights Commission (Commission ) and seeks to obtain relief for clients from race, sex, national origin, and handicap discrimination in the work place. Additionally, in its individual cases and law reform/impact cases, the Project seeks to improve the procedures and remedies available to victims of employment discrimination so that complainants have a fair opportunity to present their claims in a reasonably expeditious way. To accomplish this goal, the Project, in addition to litigation, is also active in the legislative arena and participates with other civil rights groups in efforts to amend and improve the Illinois Human Rights Act. Second-year students in the Project can expect to handle several cases individually and second chair other cases along with third-year students. Second-year students will autonomously handle cases that the Department is investigating. In these cases, students interview clients and witnesses, assist in the preparation of written briefs and memoranda explaining why the client was the victim of discrimination, and represent clients at informal hearings before the Department. Second- and third-year students will jointly handle cases in the Commission and at various pre-trial stages. They will be involved in discovery (drafting requests, responding to the employer's discovery, reviewing the information produced in discovery, etc.) and pretrial preparation (i.e., interviewing witnesses, drafting the pretrial memorandum, etc.). Second-year students will be given the opportunity to attend status hearings and hearings on contested motions, along with the third-year student assigned to the case. Moreover, if the case goes to trial, the second-year student will be actively involved in all phases of trial preparation and will attend the trial. Third-year students in the Project are assigned cases that are awaiting trial in the Commission. In these cases, third-year students attend status conferences, argue contested motions, engage in discovery, negotiate with the employer, and prepare the case for trial. If the case goes to trial, the third-year student will be expected to be the lead attorney on the case. The Project also handles, or is otherwise involved in, several appeals each year. Both second- and third-year students work on these appeals researching and drafting appellate briefs. If possible, third-year students present the oral arguments in the appeals. It is suggested, but not required, that all students in the Employment Discrimination Project take the Employment Discrimination course. Third-year students participating in the Employment Discrimination Project are required to take Evidence. Third-year Students are strongly encouraged to take, prior to their third year, Pretrial Advocacy and either the Intensive Trial Practice Workshop or Trial Advocacy. Enrollment in the Employment Discrimination Project is limited and preference will be given to students who take Pretrial Advocacy and the Intensive Trial Practice Workshop. The student's grade is based on class participation. The credit awarded to this seminar is governed by the new rules for credit for clinical work. Academic credit varies and will be awarded according to the Law School's general criteria for clinical courses as described in the Law School Announcements and by the approval of the clinical staff.
Spring 2010
Randall D. Schmidt
Admiralty Law
LAWS 71001
This course will cover the development and scope of this part of the jurisdiction of the federal courts, the role of the Supreme Court in the common law development of the substantive law of the admiralty, and several of the main elements of substantive maritime law: maritime torts, industrial accidents, collisions, salvage, and limitation of liability. The student's grade is based on class participation and a final examination.
Autumn 2009
Randall D. Schmidt
Independent Research
LAWS 49901
Second- and third-year students may earn course credit by independent research under the supervision of a member of the faculty. Such projects are arranged by consultation between the student and the particular member of the faculty in whose field the proposed topic falls.
Winter 2010
Randall D. Schmidt
Independent Research
LAWS 49901
Second- and third-year students may earn course credit by independent research under the supervision of a member of the faculty. Such projects are arranged by consultation between the student and the particular member of the faculty in whose field the proposed topic falls.
Spring 2010
Randall D. Schmidt
