Application Form. Area of Concentration in Criminal Prosecution & Defense Practice

Transcription

1 Application Form Area of Concentration in Criminal Prosecution & Defense Practice This area of concentration offers advanced training in trial advocacy skills, constitutional theory and hands on practical experience essential to becoming a capable practitioner in the criminal justice area. 1. Candidates should discuss this application with the Managing Director of Criminal Justice Programs early in their second year. It preferable but not mandatory that your Proposal To Satisfy Requirements be filed BEFORE you register for the 4 th Trimester to ensure success. 2. UPON COMPLETION of all requirements please fill out and submit to the Managing Director the Candidate s Certificate of Completion and Supervisor s Certification of Completion of Requirement forms signed by the relevant supervisor(s).(attached) Please submit ALL Certificates in one package at one time AFTER you know and record your grades for all required courses. Overview of Requirements: In addition to basic required bar courses and pre-requisite courses (which include Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure I, Evidence, Constitutional Law I, Professional Responsibility and Trial Practice) candidates for graduation who wish to have their transcript show Criminal Prosecution & Defense Practice as an area of concentration must earn a minimum grade of B- or higher in each of the five required courses selected from the cluster of courses noted below. The area of concentration will carry an Honors distinction where the combined average of the grades for the five required courses is B+ or higher. Candidates must also satisfy the major research paper, practical writing, practical work experience and pro bono requirements set forth below. All decisions with respect to satisfaction of the requirements for the area of concentration and appropriate notation shall be made by the Managing Director of Criminal Justice Programs. Co-Curricular Activities Candidates are encouraged to actively participate in national, local community and school sponsored organizations which address criminal justice issues including: Amnesty International, American Civil Liberties Union, National Legal Aid & Defender Association, Death Penalty Focus of San Diego, the ABA s Criminal Justice Section and Section on Individual Rights & Responsibilities, and California Western s Association of Trial Lawyers of America Chapter, Criminal Justice Society and Public Interest Law Foundation

2 PROPOSAL TO SATISFY REQUIREMENTS for Area of Concentration in CRIMINAL PROSECUTION AND DEFENSE PRACTICE 1. Name: 2. Address: 3. Telephone: 4. Number of Trimesters remaining before graduation: 5. Date of Application: 6. Required Courses: A total of 5 courses are required. A candidate must take at least one (1) practicum core course from Group A and two (2) substantive courses from Group B. The remaining two (2) required courses may be selected from either Group A or B or Group C (Closely Related Courses). Select from the three groups below the required courses you intend to take and specify the trimester and year each course will be taken. Group A: Core Practicum Courses (check at least one (1) and specify trimester and year course will be taken) Trimester Year Course Advanced Criminal Litigation (Prac)+ (+ satisfies Practical Writing Requirement) Advanced Prosecution Function (Prac) California Innocence Project (Prac) California Sentencing (Prac) Evidence Advocacy (Prac) Forensic Evidence (Prac) Criminal Appellate Advocacy ( Prac) + Traffic Court Clinic (Prac) Group B: Core Substantive Courses ( check at least two (2) and specify trimester and year course will be taken) Trimester Year Course Advanced Criminal Justice ( SWR) Constitutional law II Criminal Law Theory Criminal Procedure II Culture and Criminal Justice International Criminal Law Problem Solving and Preventive Law The Criminal Trial White Collar Crime

3 Wrongful Conviction Seminar Group C: Closely Related Courses ( check no more than two and specify trimester and year course will be taken) Trimester Year Course Advanced Legal Research (Prac) Accounting for Lawyers American Legal History II ( E0/SW) Civil Rights & Constitutional Litigation+ Constitutional Law Seminar Current Issues in Constitutional Law Domestic Violence Seminar (SWR) Federal Income Tax Human Rights Law( SWR) Immigration Law Jurisprudence (SW/EO) Juvenile Justice (Prac) Juvenile Justice Seminar (SW/OP) Law and Literature Legal History Seminar: American Political Trials (SWR) Legal History Seminar: The Warren Court ( SWR) Legislation ( SW/EO) Mental Health Law Negotiation 7. Major Research Paper: Candidates must complete a major research paper in the area of criminal justice to satisfy the area of concentration requirement. The paper must be written in conjunction with a course or seminar, unless for good cause shown, the Managing Director otherwise approves an alternative arrangement. The topic of the research paper must be pre-approved by the Managing Director. I propose to satisfy this requirement by taking Course Trimester Year Proposed Topic: 8. Practical Writing Requirement: Candidates must also complete a practical writing requirement. This requirement can be satisfied by completion of one of the courses marked with a + or by an appellate brief or a memorandum of points and authorities involving an issue of criminal law or procedure which was submitted to a court during an internship, clerkship or pro bono program and certified by the student s immediate supervisor as being equal in quality to the work of a competent practitioner. I propose to satisfy this requirement during by: (explain below)

4 Trimester Year 9. Practical Work Experience Requirement: Candidates must complete an approved program of practical work experience in the criminal justice arena. This requirement can be met by an internship or comparable work experience ( approximately 280 hours) approved by the Managing Director with an approved agency such as a District Attorney s Office, a Criminal Division of a City Attorney s Office, a U.S. Attorney s Office, a Criminal Division of an Attorney General s Office, a Federal Defender s Office, a Public Defender s Office, an Alternate Public Defender s Office, a judicial clerkship with a criminal judge, or other public agency or private criminal defense law firm approved by the Managing Director. I propose to satisfy this requirement during by: Trimester Year CWSL internship Other: specify agency/firm: 10. Pro Bono Requirement: A candidate must complete a minimum of 50 hours of pro bono work in the criminal justice arena with a public or private program approved by the Managing Director. I propose to satisfy this requirement during by: Trimester Year specify program: 11. Co-Curricular Activities:(Optional) I plan to participate in the following organization(s): Proposal Approved by Managing Director of Criminal Justice Programs Date

5 CANDIDATE S CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION (Note: Submit this only after you know your grade for ALL courses) I certify that I have completed the following requirements for an Area of Concentration in Criminal Prosecution and Defense Practice. A. Required Courses: 1. Required Practicum ( Group A ) Grade 2. Required Substantive Courses (Group B) Grade 3. Required Substantive Courses (Group B) Grade 4. Required Course ( Group A, B or C) Grade 5. Required Course ( Group A, B or C) Grade B. Major Research Paper: Title: Course Grade C. Practical Writing Requirement: Satisfied by: Course (Prac)+, Grade Memorandum of Points & Authorities ( attach certification form signed by supervisor) Appellate Brief ( attach certification by supervisor) D. Practical Work Experience Requirement: Satisfied by: CWSL internship Other ( attach certification form signed by supervisor) With agency/firm E. Pro Bono Requirement (50 hours):(attach certification form signed by supervisor) Satisfied by: agency/firm F. Co-Curricular Activities: List organizations in which you participated or held office below ========================================================================== Approved: Managing Director of Criminal Justice Programs Date

6 Verified by: SUPERVISOR S CERTIFICATION of Completion of Requirement I certify to the Dean of California Western School of Law, San Diego, California, that has completed under my supervision: (student) ( check ) 50 hours of pro bono assistance 280 hours of practical work experience A Memorandum of Points and Authorities of a quality equal to that of a competent practitioner Other: by : (Name of Supervisor) (Date) (Agency/Firm) (Telephone)