The Geoffrey Fieger Trial Practice Institute

Go from the Classroom to the Courtroom

Hit the ground running as trial attorneys. The two-year TPI curriculum covers every stage of the trial process, from pre-trial preparation to jury selection to sentencing. By the time they graduate, TPI students have studied courtroom technology, how to present scientific evidence, and the performance skills they’ll need to engage jurors. Practicing lawyers and judges teach eight required TPI courses in our state-of-the-art courtroom, and offer valuable insights into what it means to pursue a career in trial advocacy.

Get cutting-edge training.  Today’s jurors expect technology in trials, and that’s what TPI grads give them. Our state-of-the-art in-building courtroom features evidence presentation equipment, remote witness capability, multi-angled cameras, court-management software, and electronic recording equipment to capture jury reaction and response. Knowing how to engage a jury using technology gives TPI students a career advantage.

Understand experts & evidence. TPI trains students on how to effectively use expert witness testimony in trials. Students also learn the fundamentals of courtroom scientific evidence: forensic pathology, chromatography, DNA analysis, paternity testing, traffic accident reconstruction, and fingerprint use.

Prepare to get hired. Our graduates are ready to excel as trial attorneys: state defenders and prosecutors, prosecutors, public defenders, criminal defense, and civil litigators. Spending two years in the TPI environment means that they've received the personalized feedback that they need stand out in the hiring process - from prepping a strong portfolio of application materials to dressing professionally and interviewing confidently.

Events

Spring 2024

  • Spring Wellness Snack Break, Tuesday, February 6, 2024, 12:00 p.m., MSU Law Haley Moot Courtroom
  • TYLA Regional Mock Trial Competition, February 8-10, 2024, Theodore Levin U.S. Courthouse, Detroit, MI
  • Fieger TPI Advocacy Class Visits - Week of March 4, 2024
  • Fieger TPI Informational Meeting - Tuesday, February 20, 2024, 12:15-1:00 p.m. in the MSU Law Haley Moot Courtroom, Room 428
  • Fieger TPI Applications are due - March 13, 2024, by 5:00 p.m.
  • Fieger TPI Interviews - Week of March 18, 2024, MSU Law Haley Moot Courtroom
  • Fieger TPI Annual Lecture Series - Thursday, March 21, 2024, 6:00-7:30 p.m., MSU Law Haley Moot Courtroom
  • Final 3L Trials, Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 21, 2024, MSU Law Haley Moot Courtroom & Veterans Memorial Courthouse