All rise …
The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law has launched a $6 million fundraising initiative in support of its advocacy program. Dubbed “A New Day in Court,” it will raise funds to renovate student courtrooms, establish an endowed faculty chair of advocacy and support student experiential learning.
The initiative also includes renaming the program to the Thomas Mauet Advocacy Program, in honor of professor emeritus and trial expert Thomas Mauet, who retired as advocacy program director in 2016.
The advocacy program prepares students for careers in the courtroom, with a strong emphasis on experiential classes that allow students to act as litigators and try cases against each other. The program also teaches core advocacy skills such as client interviews and fact gathering that are essential for any lawyer, even those not practicing in court.
Kevin R. Boyle, a 1997 alumnus of University of Arizona Law and a founding partner of the Los Angeles-based firm Panish Shea & Boyle LLP, has contributed $1 million to the effort, establishing the Kevin R. Boyle Trial Courtroom, which will take the place of the college’s current trial courtroom and a classroom. When renovations are completed, the Kevin R. Boyle Trial Courtroom will be a modernized space with room for 50 observers in the gallery and a space that can serve as a jury room or a conference room.
The practice of law has evolved tremendously since the college’s current courtroom spaces were built in 1977, with the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating change even more. With the “A New Day in Court” initiative, University of Arizona Law will create fully functional, state-of-the-art spaces that give students experience in modern courtroom settings.
In addition to the new Kevin R. Boyle Trial Courtroom, the planned renovations will overhaul the college’s existing appellate courtroom to become a flexible space that doubles as a classroom. The lobby space adjacent to the courtrooms will be renovated to provide a view of courtroom activities plus new study spaces and enhanced audiovisual capabilities.
“We already have one of the country’s top advocacy programs, and this initiative will ensure that our students and professors have the learning spaces and resources to match the quality of the program,” said Marc Miller, dean of law school. “Advocacy is a fundamental skill for all lawyers – not just litigators – and with this renovation, we’re literally putting it front and center in our law school. These investments will give University of Arizona Law the ability to offer students the best possible education in advocacy.”
The school plans to build on its current success. Its advocacy program holds an “A” ranking from PreLaw magazine
Above: Draft rendering of the new Kevin R. Boyle Trial Courtroom
