Taught by an appellate practitioner
and former justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, this class will highlight
the good and the bad of appellate advocacy, as seen through the eyes of a
former appellate practitioner, trial attorney, trial judge and appellate
judge.  Students will explore what goes
into some of the practical and strategic decisions that have to be made in identifying
what issues to litigate on appeal, as well as what issues to abandon.  Students will also learn what the judges’
look for in effective brief writing, oral advocacy in an appellate setting, and
what will catch a justice’s eye when drafting a petition for review.  The instructor will also present a
behind-the-scenes look into how decisions are made by the appellate court.  The class will be a three credit seminar,
limited to 15 students (1 two hour meeting per week).  Grading will be based on a number of
projects, including the drafting of an appellate brief, arguing the briefed
case before the class, and then drafting a petition for review, as well as
classroom participation.  Students will
also have an opportunity to view an actual argument before the Wisconsin
Supreme Court, and then critique it.