Course description

Professors Sean Luner and Greg Dovel.

Much of your success as a lawyer depends on your ability to persuade an audience — a potential client, an opposing party in a mediation, or a jury during a closing argument.

This seminar will teach you to create and deliver persuasive presentations using state-of-the-art methods.  The components of this course include: the analysis and development of persuasive arguments using principles of persuasion; the translation of the arguments into visual presentations using presentation models; and the persuasive delivery of the presentation.  This is not a class on written persuasion, nor is it a class on trial techniques.  Rather, you will learn how to analyze arguments and create and deliver presentations based on the arguments in any context.  The course materials include a series of handouts.

The following are representative excerpts from students’ evaluations of Persuasion:

“best class I’ve taken at USC Law”

“This course is AMAZING.  The only shame is that so few students will experience it.  This is the reason I went to law school and if you still care about being an awesome attorney & advocate, buck-up and take this course.”

“This was the best class I have taken at USC law.  It is a must for anyone who wants to litigate or will need to persuade.  Greg + Sean made class fun, interesting, + informative.  I feel like the skills I have learned will greatly benefit me as I go out into the legal world.  THANK YOU!!”

“This is a great course all law students should take it, especially those interested in litigation … The professors are so smart and good at what they do—being persuasive.  This is a great class.…”

“BEST CLASS I’VE TAKEN IN LAW SCHOOL!”

“This was the best ‘classroom performance’ I have seen in law school!  Please teach the other professors how to use PowerPoint!”