A family and a business struggle with a real death and a real lawsuit. The case is yours. Now what? In this seminar, students will represent opposing parties in a civil action based upon real events involving the death of a college student while on spring break in Mexico. Through discussion, role plays, simulations and out-of-class assignments, students will gain perspective on what's at stake when handling a serious and complex matter in the real world -- from the first client meeting to settlement. The goal of the class is for students to learn the skills they need to be effective counsel in civil actions, including fact gathering, interviewing clients and witnesses, drafting a complaint, preparing interrogatories and responses, conducting depositions, evaluating the strength of a case, and preparing a settlement memoranda. Beyond developing important technical skills, students will develop their abilities to communicate effectively, evaluate options, make decisions, assess risk, exercise judgment, and counsel wisely -- the real skills they will use every day as lawyers. Students will be evaluated based on class participation and written work. NOTE: This seminar satisfies the Upper-class Professional Skills requirement. ** A student who fails to attend the initial meeting of a seminar (designated by an (S) in the title), or to obtain permission to be absent from either the instructor or the Registrar, may be administratively dropped from the seminar. Students who are on a wait list for a seminar are required to attend the first seminar meeting to be considered for enrollment.