Special Topics and Lecture Series

Rutledge Liles (l) chats with Tom Brown. Their two law firms endowed two of Program's special topics courses.

The Pre-Law Program has developed concepts for four undergraduate courses which focus on the application of specific skills and perspectives such as: analytical thinking and problem solving, critical reading and writing, oral communication, research, task organizing and management, the values of serving others, and promoting social justice and knowledge. Each of these courses have been endowed by local law firms and each contain a lecture series component.

Peggy Baldt chats with Professor Harriet Howe, who created and has taught Child Advocacy.

The first endowed Program course entitled "Social Responsiblity and the Law" was awarded a $25,000 endowment from the local law firm of Brown, Terrell, Hogan, Ellis, McClamma, and Yegelwel. Professor David Courtright has taught the course since its inception and continues to teach it every Spring semester. A second Program course, entitled "Pre-Law Seminar: Ethics, Standards, and Values" was endowed by the law firm of Liles, Gavin & Constantino. Rutledge Liles is a past president of the Florida Bar. This course has been taught during the Fall semester, since its conception in 1999. The third course, "Child Advocacy" has been taught during the Spring semester since 2001. This course was endowed in full by local attorney Maria Keebler.

Dr. Michael Radelet, a nationally-known expert on the death penalty, served as a guest lecturer for the Social Responsibility and the Law course.

The fourth course, Mock Trial, was created in 1995. The course was one of the country's first three-hour credit courses in Mock Trial. It has been adopted by numerous other academic institutions and continues to serve as a model course. For further information, please click on the link to the Program's separate Mock Trial page below.

Click here for Mock Trial page.

Provost Workman congratulates Maria Keebler, who endowed the "Child Advocacy" course and is a contributor to the Pre Law Scholarship.

Attorney Tom Brown (L), former Arts & Science Dean Lew Radonovich, Marty Edwards, former Florida Bar President Rutledge Liles, and Professor of History David Courtwright confer. Liles and his wife endowed the course: "Pre-Law Seminar: Ethics, Values, and Standards," which is taught in the Fall semester.