Check Out Our  2024 Course Schedule

Frequently Asked Questions

Each course description will include the trial skill to be taught at that program. One trial skill will be taught at a TLC weekend or 5-day seminar; 2-3 trial skills will be taught at a TLC 8-day seminar. Please click on the Courses tab and view the 2023 Course Calendar to see the upcoming TLC courses. You can click on the "Register" button for the course you are interested in.

Financial aid should be requested at the time you submit your registration or application. A financial aid package will be granted within 5 days of receipt of your final registration (or acceptance of our invite to join the 3-Week College.) 

Applicants to the Trial Lawyers College 3-Week Seminar are offered admission on a competitive basis. Admission decisions are made by the TLC Board of Directors based on the strength of the application and the overall pool of applicants competing for admission for that program. Key factors include trial experience, the 850-word essay, and character references. The Board is interested in learning as much as possible about applicants’ personal qualities and background, as well as their professional experience and goals. We do not invite or consider letters/emails of recommendation or other supplemental materials such as court decisions. The Board will learn everything it needs to know from the online applications. All admissions decisions are made at the same time, not on a rolling basis. Decisions are made approximately two months prior to the course to afford invitees ample time to make arrangements to be away from home and office for 3 weeks. Applicants will be notified via e-mail of the board’s decision (accepted, declined or placed on a waitlist). Requests for financial aid are confidential and are not made known to the Board during the selection process. Requests will be considered if the applicant is accepted and chooses to attend the Seminar. All financial aid at TLC is need-based and can include interest-free payment plans as well as scholarships. Visit the ‘Courses’ page for application deadlines, notification dates and detailed course information. You can register or apply online by clicking on the 'Courses' tab, and then viewing the 'Course Catalogue'.

Important tip when filling out an application for the 3-week College: The application asks applicants to state any criminal convictions, list 3 (non-family) references, state any need for financial aid, and provide an essay. Please have all of this information at hand prior to beginning the application.

Given the high cost of providing courses at easily accessible venues nationwide and those venues’ strict cancellation policies, TLC is no longer able to grant tuition refunds. To lessen the impact of this change in policy on our tribe, we offer the following options: 1) in the case a student needs to cancel, they can contact the Registrar with the name of a replacement student who is prepared to take their place, especially important to cover the cost of the committed lodging. 2) If no replacement is found for their reserved spot prior to the program, we will apply 50% of the paid tuition as a credit toward a future program and use the other 50% toward the unused lodging expense.

All courses provided by the Trial Lawyers College are CLE accredited by the State in which the course is held. It is the student’s responsibility to apply for reciprocal CLE credit in the state (or states) in which the student practices law. Within 4-6 weeks after the student completes and submits the required online evaluation of the course attended, the Registrar will e-mail the paperwork needed by students to apply for their CLE credits. For more important information, visit the CLE Credits page.

You can register online by visiting our "Course" page. Register as soon as possible to assure a place in the course(s) you want to attend. If you delay, the course may be full (or the application deadline for the Trial Lawyers College 3-Week Course may have passed). Registrants will receive a confirmation notice via e-mail at the address provided during registration. Registration is not considered final until payment arrangements have been made with the Financial Officer.

See the Courses Tab.  Every effort is made to ensure that course information is accurate, however, changes or corrections may occur.  In those situations, an email will be sent by the Student Services Coordinator with updates.

Registration is open to U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents (Green Card holders) who meet all of the following criteria:

1. The registrant is currently licensed to practice law in the United States;
2. The registrant is a member in good standing of a State Bar; and
3. The registrant does not currently represent insurance companies, large corporations or governmental entities other than legal services or public defenders. Note: Paralegals from qualifying law firms may attend the Trial Skills Foundation course (formerly titled ‘Psychodrama for Lawyers’) with a qualifying attorney from their firm and permission of the Executive Director.

Financial aid is awarded based on need only and includes both interest-free monthly payment plans (2-3 different payments) and/or scholarships from our Scholarship Fund which is made up by contributions from fellow Alumni who chose to “pay it forward” to help others out until they are in a position to “pay it forward” for another student. We use the annual income information and the reported special circumstances supplied on the registration or application form to make a decision on financial aid. Financial aid packages will be granted within 5 days of receiving your final registration (or upon your acceptance of our invitation to attend the 3-week College.) 
Students reporting an income in excess of $100,000 will only be eligible for an interest-free payment plan.

Students reporting an income between $75,000-$99,999 will be eligible for an interest-free payment plan and/or a 15% scholarship off the course fee.

Students reporting an income between $50,000-$74,999 will be eligible for an interest-free payment plan and/or a 25% scholarship off the course fee.

Students reporting an income of less than $49,000 will be eligible for an interest-free payment plan and/or a 40% scholarship off the course fee.

Special arrangements will be made with students reporting less than $25,000 in annual income.

HOW DO I APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP AND HOW DOES TLC DECIDE WHO RECEIVES ASSISTANCE?
No. There is no disadvantage whatsoever in the registration process for financial aid applicants. Requests for financial aid are confidential and are not considered during the registration or application selection process.   

WHAT IS THE DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID? 
Financial aid should be requested at the time you submit your registration or application. A financial aid package will be granted within 5 days of receipt of your final registration (or acceptance of our invite to join the 3-Week College.) 

WILL APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID HURT MY CHANCE OF BEING ADMITTED TO A COURSE? 
No.  Due to the generosity of our Alumni who contribute to the Scholarship Fund, and TLC's commitment to ensure that no student's training is inhibited by cost, TLC's Registrar will work with each student on an as-need basis for that individual course, striving to be fair and to assist as many students in need as possible.

The 7-Step Certification Program was established in 2006 to offer an alternative way to graduate from the Trial Lawyers College. Since then, more than 70 lawyers have graduated from the program. Students can graduate from the Trial Lawyers College by completing 7 skill seminars within 5 years and then completing a Graduate Course. The 7 skills that will need to be completed are:
1. Intro to Psychodrama
2. Discovering the Story
3. Voir Dire
4. Opening Statement
5. Direct Examination
6. Cross-Examination
7. Closing Argument
Intro to Psychodrama must be one of the first three skills learned. This is specific to the Trial Skills Foundation Course. The other trial skills can be completed in any order. If there are 2 skills taught at a seminar, only 1 may be applied toward completing a skill. The Student Services Coordinator will help you track which skills are completed and which ones need completion.

THE GRADUATE SEMINARS 
We offer two graduate seminars: Graduate Course 1 or Graduate Course 2, which are not sequential but rather curriculum focus. Only Alumni can attend these seminars, so you will be immersed in the TLC methodology,
Graduate Course 1 focuses on the theatre arts as they apply in the courtroom including body language, voice, movement, creativity, spontaneity, and having fun with your practice.
Graduate Course 2 focuses on teaching how to structure the story of your client's cases.

HOW DO I ENROLL?
You begin the process by attending 1-3 Trial Lawyers College Seminars. Trial Skills Foundation must be one of the first 3 seminars you attend to qualify for consideration for the 7-Step Program.

After attending Trial Skills Foundation you will complete the following:
1. Notify the Registrar with a statement of interest
2. Complete the application
3. Submit an 850-word essay at the end of the application
4. The criteria for your acceptance to this program will be as stringent as for the 3-week program, it simply grants you more flexibility in time (5 years) to complete your training. You will be notified via e-mail of the decision (accepted or declined).

WHAT IS THE ESSAY?
In 850 words or less, please tell us about yourself and why you want to complete the Trial Lawyers College 7-Step Program. For example, what life experiences have most shaped you?

For additional questions, please e-mail: Registrar@triallawyerscollege.org.