Hofstra Law and its Office of Career Services have partnered with leading legal consultants and content providers, DOAR and Hotshot, as well as Professor John Tsiforas, to create the Summer Skills Institute, a series of online training modules in legal technology, transactional law and litigation. The Institute is modeled on programs offered by leading law firms to train their summer and junior associates.
The Summer Skills Institute is open to Hofstra Law students.
Essential Technology Skills for Lawyers
Presented by Professor John Tsiforas
Beginning June 3, this series of five segments focuses on the fundamental and complex functions attorneys need to know to leverage Microsoft Word and Excel, Adobe Acrobat, and litigation software for basic and sophisticated legal tasks.
Beginning the week of June 1, this five-week program provides law students with an overview of basic business law concepts, and an opportunity to speak with practicing attorneys on the skills essential for transactional law practice. The program is offered in partnership with Hotshot, a digital learning platform for law students and attorneys.
Beginning the week of July 6, this five-week program provides law students with an overview of basic litigation concepts, and an opportunity to speak with practicing attorneys on the skills essential for litigation practice. The program is offered in partnership with Hotshot.
Beginning the week of July 6, this series of four segments explores how finders of fact, including jurors, judges, and arbitrators, consume and process information, and how that has changed over the last decade given the proliferation of technology. The program is offered in partnership with DOAR, a leading global consulting firm advising lawyers at top tier law firms and major corporations on complex, high-stakes legal disputes.
For more information about Hofstra Law’s Summer Skills Institute, contact lawcareer@hofstra.edu.
Essential Technology Skills for Lawyers
Presented by Professor John Tsiforas
This series of five segments focuses on the fundamental and complex functions attorneys need to know to leverage Microsoft Word and Excel, Adobe Acrobat, and litigation software for basic and sophisticated legal tasks.
Schedule
Wednesday, June 3 | Live Session | noon-1:30 p.m.
Excel for Lawyers Part 1
This course is a two-part remote workshop for Excel users. Many attorneys use Excel for simple tasks. Some attorneys, however, leverage the power of Excel for more complex tasks, such as organizing and analyzing privilege logs and evidence, and exhibits; comparing potential damages scenarios; developing financial models; and calendaring court dates. The course provides an excellent foundation for using Excel and developing basic and sophisticated Excel Skills.
Wednesday, June 10 | Live Session | noon-1:30 p.m.
Excel for Lawyers Part 2
View Part 1 above for full course description.
Wednesday, June 17 | Live Session | noon-1:30 p.m.
PDFs for Lawyers
This course is a remote workshop for Adobe Acrobat users. With e-filing in the federal and state courts, attorneys must be able to convert documents to the proper PDF format. Moreover, attorneys often need to create searchable PDFs from Word and other programs, organize pages with PDFs, edit text in PDFs, sign PDF documents without printing, redact privileged or sensitive information from PDFs, bates-stamp PDFs, and convert scanned PDFs into searchable PDFs. This course will cover all these tasks.
Wednesday, June 24 | Live Session | noon-1:30 p.m.
Word for Lawyers
This course is a remote workshop for Microsoft Word users. Word is one of the most used tools by attorneys. Although it is a powerful tool, it can also be a frustrating tool. This course shows attorneys how to properly use Word’s most important features, including track changes, table of contents, pagination, styles, numbering, headings, outline views, and References.
Wednesday, July 1 | Live Session | noon-3 p.m.
Electronic Tools for Litigation
This course is a remote workshop for current students who are interested in learning the basic functions of litigation software. In this course you will learn how to use time maps, case repositories, reading and annotation tools for deposition transcript, and tools for organizing evidence.
This 5-week program is offered in collaboration with HOTSHOT to provide students with foundational training in transactional law. Hotshot was created by Hofstra Law alumnus Ian Nelson ’99, and is a digital learning company that helps law students and lawyers develop their legal, tech, and business skills. Hotshot’s subscribers include Am Law 100 and 200 firms and top law schools.
This session is for students interested in gaining exposure to transactional law and legal careers representing clients in planning, negotiating, structuring, and documenting business transactions. The program provides law students with an overview of basic business law concepts, and an opportunity to speak with practicing attorneys on the skills essential for transactional law practice.
Schedule
Week 1 | June 1-5
Students should use the beginning of the week to review the materials before the live sessions.
Friday, June 5 | Live Session | 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Overview of M&A Deal
This segment is facilitated by Hofstra Law alumnus Joseph Sulzbach ’13, Associate, Morrison & Foerster, and covers topics: M&A Practice and Deal Process Overview.
Friday, June 5 | Live Session | 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
M&A Deal Structures
This segment is facilitated by Hofstra Law alumnus Michael Schnipper ’04, Partner, Nixon Peabody, and covers topics: Deal Structures, Direct Mergers, Forward Triangular Mergers and Reverse Triangular Mergers.
Week 2 | June 8-12
Students should use the beginning of the week to review the materials before the live sessions.
Friday, June 12 | Live Session | 10:30-11:30 a.m.
M&A Term Sheets
This segment is facilitated by Hofstra Law alums Michael Ellis ’06, Partner, Proskauer, and Christina Robinson ’16, Associate, Proskauer, and covers topics: The Working Group List and M&A Term Sheets.
Friday, June 12 | Live Session | 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Acquisition Agreements
This segment is facilitated by Hofstra Law alums Michael Ellis ’06, Partner, Proskauer, and Christina Robinson ’16, Associate, Proskauer, and covers topics: Principal Acquisition Agreements, Reps & Warranties in M&A Deals, Caps & Baskets, Earn Outs, and Side Letters.
Week 3 | June 15-19
Students should use the beginning of the week to review the materials before the live sessions.
Friday, June 19 | Live Session | 10:30-11:30 a.m.
M&A Due Diligence and Disclosure Schedules
This segment is facilitated by Hofstra Law alumnus Peter Guinnane ’16, Associate, Clifford Chance, and covers topics: Disclosure Schedules, Due Diligence for M&A Deals, Due Diligence Request Lists, and Reviewing Assignment and Change of Control Clauses.
Friday, June 19 | Live Session | 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
M&A Closings and Closing Documents
This segment is facilitated by Hofstra Law alumnus Peter Guinnane ’16, Associate, Clifford Chance, and covers topics: M&A Closings, Closing Checklists, Simultaneous and Delayed Closing, Officer’s Certificates, and Secretary’s Certificates.
Week 4 | June 22-26
Students should use the beginning of the week to review the materials before the live sessions.
Friday, June 26 | Live Session | 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Securities Offerings Part 1
This segment is facilitated by David Manno ’97, Partner, Sichenzia Ross Ference, and covers topics: US Securities Law for Securities Offerings and IPO Process.
Friday, June 26 | Live Session | 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Securities Offerings Part 2
This segment is facilitated by David Manno ’97, Partner, Sichenzia Ross Ference, and covers topics: Publicly Traded Securities and Debt vs. Equity Offerings.
Friday, July 3 | Live Session | 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Panel Discussion and Virtual Networking
This panel discussion with transactional law practitioners will discuss the transactional matters that business lawyers routinely handle, including working with clients in planning and implementing business transactions; negotiating and drafting legal documents; and advising and counseling clients on the applicable laws and regulations governing various aspects of the deal. A virtual networking session with the panelists will follow the panel discussion.
Foundational Training in Litigation
Presented with Hotshot and Hofstra Law Alumni
This 5-week program is offered in collaboration with Hotshot to provide students with foundational training in litigation. Hotshot was created by Hofstra Law alumnus Ian Nelson ’99 and is a digital learning company that helps law students and lawyers develop their legal, tech, and business skills. Hotshot’s subscribers include Am Law 100 and 200 firms and top law schools.
This session is for students interested in gaining exposure to litigation and legal careers that involve litigation. The program provides law students with an overview of the basic litigation process, and an opportunity to speak with practicing attorneys on the skills essential to litigation.
Week 1 | July 6-10
Students should use the beginning of the week to review the materials before the live sessions.
Friday, July 10 | Live Session | 10:30-11:30 a.m.
The Lifecycle of Litigation
This segment is facilitated by Hofstra Law alumnus Judge Leonard Austin ’77, Appellate Division, Second Department, and covers topics: Civil Litigation Practice, The Phases of Civil Litigation, and Preparing for Trial.
Friday, July 10 | Live Session | 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Pleadings
This segment is facilitated by Hofstra Law alumnus Judge Leonard Austin ’77, Appellate Division, Second Department, and covers topics: The Complaint and Answering a Complaint.
Week 2 | July 13-17
Students should use the beginning of the week to review the materials before the live sessions.
Friday, July 17 | Live Session | 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Motion Practice
This segment is facilitated by Hofstra Law alumnus Adam Browser ’91, Counsel, Ruskin Moscou & Faltischek, and covers topics: Introduction to Motion Practice, Motion to Dismiss, and Motion for Summary Judgment.
Friday, July 17 | Live Session | 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Introduction to Discovery
This segment is facilitated by Hofstra Law alumna Marni Weiner ’15, Associate, Harris Beach, and covers topics: Litigation Holds, Civil Discovery, and E-Discovery.
Week 3 | July 20-24
Students will use the beginning of the week to review the materials before the live sessions.
Friday, July 24 | Live Session | 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Discovery Requests, Responses, and Objections
This segment is facilitated by Hofstra Law alumnus Marc Schneider ’93, Partner, Schneider Buchel, and covers topics: Discovery Requests, and Discovery Responses and Objections.
Friday, July 24 | Live Session | 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Document Review and Production
This segment is facilitated by Hofstra Law alumnus Joshua Ebersole ’12, Associate, Shearman & Sterling, and covers topics: Document Review and Production, and 10 Tips for Doc Review.
Week 4 | July 27-31
Students will use the beginning of the week to review the materials before the live sessions.
Friday, July 31 | Live Session | 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Privilege in Litigation
This segment is facilitated by Hofstra Law alumnus Andrew Luskin ’85, Partner, McLaughlin & Stern, and covers topics: Privilege in Litigation and Privilege Logs.
Friday, July 31 | Live Session | 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Depositions
This segment is facilitated by Hofstra Law alumnus Andrew Luskin ’85, Partner, McLaughlin & Stern, and covers topics: Introduction to Depositions, Tips for Deposition Prep, and Expert Witnesses.
Friday, August 7 | Live Session | 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Panel Discussion and Virtual Networking
Panel discussion with litigators discussing civil law, courtroom procedures, and all the steps involved in a civil lawsuit from filing the complaint to judgment. The litigators will help improve your understanding of the legal system and all the stages of litigation, including pre-trial and trial preparation, opening and closing arguments, cross-examinations and other processes involved in legal actions and disputes. Followed by a virtual networking session with the panelists.
Data Organization and Information Design Principles
This series of four segments is offered in partnership with DOAR , a leading global consulting firm advising lawyers at top tier law firms and major corporations on complex, high-stakes legal disputes. The segments explore how finders of fact, including jurors, judges, and arbitrators, consume and process information and how that has changed over the last decade given the proliferation of technology.
Monday, July 6 | Asynchronous Release Date 90-120 Minutes
Data Organization and Information Design Principles Part 1
This segment covers the fundamentals of information design and the fundamentals of PowerPoint and presentation. Students learn the following:
the ways people expect to see and interact with data through a comparison of digital natives vs. digital immigrants;
how information design can be perceived differently;
how complex and often voluminous information should be organized to best present it in a visually meaningful way; and
how PowerPoint can be used to communicate with jurors effectively.
Monday, July 13 | Asynchronous Release Date 90-120 Minutes
Data Organization and Information Design Principles Part 2
This segment covers application of information design principles to litigation presentations, including bench trials and jury trials, and jury research, including pre-trial research and real- time searching of potential jurors. Students learn the following:
how, when presenting before the court, case type and issues play a large part in determining how to provide information to the judge;
how to build information and reveal pieces systematically to create a stream of visual education;
how to keep jurors focused by using anchor graphics during deliberation alongside dynamic content and mixed media presentations, preventing the jury from zoning out;
how to present on behalf of both parties and use research methodologies to gain insight into the case that will, in turn, drive actual demonstratives used at trial; and
potential issues surrounding Internet searching and how it might lead to inadvertent communication between the lawyer and the juror, which will include suggestions for how to use a clean searching environment to minimize the risk of digital footprints.
Monday, July 20 | Asynchronous Release Date 90-120 Minutes
Data Organization and Information Design Principles Part 3
This segment covers data organization and use of presentation technology. Students learn the following:
how different sources of information can be considered for use throughout discovery, in support of expert witness testimony, and ultimately at trial;
how different exhibit types should be grouped, named, and managed through a centralized database in preparation for hearings and trial;
how transcript only depositions differ from videotaped depositions in the context of pre-trial research and presentation at trial; and
how to leverage the various types of presentation capabilities during a trial.
July TBD | Live Session | Time TBD
Data Organization and Information Design Principles Wrap Up Session Part 4
This segment includes a summary of segments 1-3, a Q&A session, and closing remarks.
Summer Skills Institute
