The University of New Brunswick Faculty of Law and the Faculté de droit of the Université de Moncton will again provide the Intensive Trial Advocacy Program (ITAP), a week-long academic program designed exclusively for practicing lawyers. The 2026 English program runs from Saturday, June 20 to Friday, June 26, 2026, at UNB Law, while the French program will be held at UdeM in 2027.
ITAP is designed to train lawyers in basic trial techniques applicable to civil, criminal, and administrative law hearings and trials. It is ideally suited to lawyers with two to twelve years of experience, who have had some familiarity with litigation but limited trial experience.
The program format is based on those developed in the United States by Professor James Seckinger of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, and Notre Dame Law School and adapted to Canadian court practices and procedures. The course materials have been developed by Professor James E. Lockyer, K.C., of the Faculté de droit of the Université de Moncton.
A hands-on approach to trial advocacy
The organization, format, materials, and teaching methods represent an important co-operative venture between academic teachers and practicing members of the bench and bar. The program breaks with traditional continuing legal education by substituting for the lecture, panel, and demonstration formats, a “learning by doing” approach through continual participation in simulated trial sessions, coupled with individual and group critique by experienced trial counsel and judges. Demonstrations are used, but as part of an integrated program which places the major emphasis on individual participation and performance.
Each participant will have the opportunity to try a simulated case as part of a two-person team. The trials will be held on Friday, June 26th and provide each registrant with an opportunity to exercise, in a full trial setting, the skills acquired during the week.
The program is structured around small group teaching to ensure that each participant receives adequate individual attention. There will be 32 registrants, and for much of the learning period these sections will be further broken down into groups of 8 registrants working with instructors. The program is intensive and demanding with eight hours of instruction each day plus several hours of necessary preparation each evening.
Law Society Continuing Professional Development
This program will fulfill the Law Society of New Brunswick’s annual requirement for 12 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours. It consists of 47 hours of classroom work over seven (7) days. Past programs of this nature have been accredited by the Law Society of New Brunswick with up to 47 hours of CLE credit. Please review the requirements for your provincial law society’s professional development programming.
Register now
ITAP enrollment is limited to 32 participants. Please register online to secure your spot in the 2026 Intensive Trial Advocacy Program (English), scheduled for Saturday, June 20 to Friday, June 26, 2026, at UNB Law. The cost of the 7-day program is $3800 + tax ($4370). Once successfully registered, payment can be made by cheque payable to the University of New Brunswick.
For questions relating to registration and programming, please contact Alexa Gualazzi, Public Engagement Officer, at alexa.gualazzi@unb.ca.
