The Advocacy Series:

• Trial Advocacy - The Complete Course (thirty hours) - for law schools
• Trial Advocacy - A Comprehensive "Introduction" (four hours) - for bar associations, law firms and lawyers
• Appellate Advocacy - Writing and Arguing - (two hours to two days) for bar associations, law firms and lawyers
• Dramatic Skills - The Actor's Art in the Courtroom and Beyond (two hours to two days) for lawyers, educators, business leaders and other professionals. Judge Schudson joins clinical psychologist Fred 'Doc' Heide and improv actor Lee Becker to offer the Charisma Series--entertaining keynotes, lectures and seminars.
• Individual Litigation Coaching - for lawyers

Trial Advocacy - The Complete Course (thirty hours)

Designed for law schools, Trial Advocacy is a "scholar-in-residency" seminar. Featuring substantial role-playing and mock-trialing, Judge Schudson's Trial Advocacy may be unique. It includes group coaching, individual mentoring, and an evening of theatre and discussion with professional actors and directors.

1999 - 2009, Judge Schudson taught Trial Advocacy at the University of Wisconsin Law School where, each semester, the students, in their anonymous evaluations, rated the course as one of the law school's best.

"Fantastic teacher -- enthusiastic, motivated, knowledgeable -- two hours never went by so fast in a law class. I learned so much -- loved his holistic approach -- creative, passionate, structured."

University of Wisconsin law student

Trial Advocacy - A Comprehensive "Introduction" (four hours) - for bar associations, law firms and lawyers

“Thank you for your inspiring presentation.  It was an incredibly interesting and fascinating 100 minutes. I could easily have listened to you for another 100 minutes and I know my classmates felt the same way. Thank you for inspiring me. You are a dynamic speaker and I am grateful.”

Thomas J. Watson, Public Relations Coordinator
State Bar of Wisconsin

Appellate Advocacy - Writing and Arguing - (two hours to two days) for bar associations, law firms and lawyers

With insights from his seven years as a litigator, ten years as a trial judge, and twelve years as an appellate judge, Judge Schudson guides bar associations, law firms, and individual lawyers through the appellate process -- a process that, for the excellent lawyer, begins long before an appeal.

• anticipating appellate issues while preparing for trial

• preserving appellate issues during trial

• protecting and pursuing appellate issues in post-judgment litigation

• writing solid, strategic and brief briefs

• understanding what appellate judges want and need

• delivering compelling oral arguments

• winning

Appellate Advocacy, from keynotes to comprehensive seminars, is tailored to fit bar associations, law firms, and lawyers.

“Judge Schudson is an inspiring teacher. His keynotes amaze and motivate; his seminars offer keen insight, warmth and wit. Judge Schudson may be America's most creative and compelling professional educator.”

Attorney Steven V. Licata, former Executive Director
The Thomas J. Watson Foundation

Dramatic Skills - The Actor's Art in the Courtroom and Beyond (two hours to two days) for lawyers, educators, business leaders and other professionals. 

For law schools, bar associations, law firms and individual lawyers, Dramatic Skills - The Actor's Art in the Courtroom, takes three distinct shapes:

1. an entertaining keynote introducing dramatic concerns every lawyer should have and dramatic skills every lawyer can learn

2. an advanced seminar for bar associations, law firms, and litigators who are ready to refine their dramatic skills

3. an advanced seminar for small groups or individual litigators who are ready to practice the actor's art in the courtroom

And for lawyers and countless other professionals, Judge Schudson joins clinical psychologist Fred 'Doc' Heide and improv actor Lee Becker to offer the Charisma Series--in and Beyond the Courtroom:

1. Charisma in the Courtroom (one or two day seminar)
   
   "Charisma" dramatically improves communication. Research establishes that charismatic skills -- verbal and nonverbal -- can be learned. This seminar presents the psychological findings underlying the power of charisma, teaches charismatic communication skills, and helps lawyers apply them to trial and appellate advocacy.
     

2. Clobbering Courtroom Jitters (half-day or one day seminar)
   
   Through theatrical exercises, cognitive-behavioral techniques, and legal lessons, attorneys train to tame the tensions that tie their tongues. To paraphrase a famous actor, even if you can't get the butterflies out of your stomach, you can teach them to "fly in formation."
     

3. Persuading with the Power of Paralinguistics (half-day or one day seminar)
   
   For attorneys and other professionals who depend on verbal communication, this very specialized seminar prepares the voice to expand its repertoire, find its range, and coordinate with the body for maximum impact.
     

4. Influencing with the Power of Emotion (half-day or one day seminar)
   
   For attorneys and other professionals who must develop and maintain "emotional intelligence" to win their cases, treat their patients, counsel their clients, and close their biggest deals, this very specialized seminar helps participants understand and practice the emotional expressiveness at the heart of "charisma."
     

5. Cracking the Charisma Code (one hour keynote)
   
   This entertaining, demonstration keynote introduces "charisma" concepts and helps lawyers, doctors, educators, therapists, business leaders and other professionals recognize and realize the value of charismatic clout.
     

6. Helping Humor Help (half-day or one or two day seminar)
   
   For communicators everywhere, and often in the toughest spots, humor can be the key. But not everyone is funny. And some funny people blunder when trying to be funny. This seminar (adapted from the one-week "humor for therapists" program presented at the Medical College of Wisconsin) helps professionals harness humor to help.

Individual Litigation Coaching

On an individual basis, Judge Schudson is available for consultation and coaching for specific litigation -- trial and appellate. 

“Absolutely amazing class! The course took us all on a great progression through many trial skills. Personally, this course gave me the courage and ability to tackle public speaking and trial advocacy skills. In all honesty, this course had one of the only 'Dead Poets Society' moments I've ever experienced -- inspired me to not only be a better lawyer, but a better person.” 

University of Wisconsin law student