The first-of-its-kind Syracuse Deposition Competition (SDC) fills a training void in legal academia by providing students with a unique platform to expand their arsenal of practical skills. Participants will gain invaluable insight through simulated real-world experience to enhance critical skills for conducting and defending depositions. The competition will take place virtually on November 1st – 3rd, 2024.
Today, depositions have become the standard and trials the exception. A forum to develop deposition skills is more necessary now than ever. Between the 1930s and 1960s, the percentage of federal civil cases that went to trial fell from 20% to 12%. By 1992, this number dropped to 3.5%.
Against this backdrop, conducting and defending depositions is an essential part of legal practice, described as an “art” that exceeds the scope of doctrinal education. The competition will feature a minimum of eight teams who compete by taking and defending depositions. Because of the unique nature of a new deposition competition, immediately prior to the release of the fact pattern, Syracuse Law will host a non-mandatory virtual training session to discuss the basics of deposition practice.
There will be no registration fee. Registration is now open.