This month, 52 students participated in Cardozo School of Law’s renowned Intensive Trial Advocacy Program (ITAP), a cornerstone of the school’s practical skills curriculum. 

The two-week immersive course, held each January, equips students with cutting-edge courtroom litigation strategies under the guidance of leading jurists and attorneys from across the country. This year’s program was particularly dynamic, featuring over 75 faculty participants, including public defenders, prosecutors, civil attorneys, and seven sitting judges. Ten attorneys traveled from around the nation to serve as team leaders, providing students with invaluable mentorship and hands-on training. 

Newly-named ITAP Program Director Zamir Ben-Dan noted, "ITAP was such a success last year that enrollment this year more than doubled. Moreover, there was sufficient consensus among the myriad attorneys and judges that worked with us that this group of students was amongst the best they had ever seen."

First launched in January 1983, ITAP has remained a premier experiential learning opportunity at Cardozo and this year marked the program’s 42nd anniversary and 43rd session, with more than 3,800 students having participated since its inception. With each passing year, ITAP continues to shape the next generation of litigators, reinforcing Cardozo Law’s commitment to excellence in legal education and advocacy.

In the Winter 2025 issue of preLaw Magazine, Cardozo was the only school to receive an A+ rating in Trial Advocacy Law.

Watch the video below to hear from students who participated in this year's program.