Summer Springboard
Trial Law
ON THE CAMPUS OF BERKELEY
BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY INTO LAW WITH THIS INTERACTIVE COURSE ON THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
THIS IS A TWO-WEEK PROGRAM WHERE YOU’LL FOCUS ON ONE COURSE FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION.
Trial Law
- Assume the role of a trial attorney by researching evidence preparing arguments and examining witnesses.
- Explore every role in a challenging case including defense attorneys prosecutors witnesses jurors or judge.
- Gain a unique and personal view of the legal profession through interaction with seasoned lawyers or legal scholars.
- Explore foundational legal topics including US constitutional law legal writing contracts criminal law and torts law.
- Visit a courtroom, law school, or local law firm.
- Hear firsthand insights on trial law, law school, and the admissions process from experienced professionals.
Summer Springboard
Trial Law
About This Course
On the Berkeley campus, Summer Springboard’s Trial Law program offers high school students an immersive introduction to the legal field through interactive academic sessions and excursions that may include visits with legal professionals and real courtroom experiences.
Participants will develop practical skills by researching evidence, crafting and delivering statements, examining witnesses, and applying foundational legal concepts. The experience will be enhanced by visits that may include a local law firm, law school, or Bay Area courtroom. The course culminates in a mock trial designed to deepen students’ understanding of courtroom dynamics, the judicial system, and the path to a legal career.
TOPICS YOU'LL EXPLORE
Hands-on Learning
Master courtroom processes as you defend a challenging case from start to finish. Research the evidence, craft and deliver your opening statement, prepare and cross-examine witnesses, formulate your arguments, and have a strong closing statement to impress and win over the judge and jury.
Career Exploration
Students will explore the wide variety of professions within the field of law, including lawyers, paralegals, mediators, judges, and more. They’ll gain a deeper understanding of their unique motivations and aptitudes, discovering how these align with potential academic and career paths, empowering them to make informed decisions about their future beyond high school.
RESOURCES
Course Infosheet
Click here to view or download the printable infosheet for this course.
Program Catalog
Click here to request our catalog to learn more about our summer programs and courses.
Campus Page
Click here to view the website page for this campus and learn more.
“Summer Springboard was an amazing experience and I am so glad I chose to do this program. It taught so much about what I want to pursue in my future.”
– Taliha B. | Alumni Student
Summer Springboard
Trial Law
Meet Your Instructor
Session 1
Judge Marlo Nisperos was appointed to the Solano County Superior Court on March 12, 2024. Prior to being appointed, she served as Administrative Law Judge for the State of California. Judge Nisperos practiced criminal and family law and served as a Deputy District Attorney in Solano County. She graduated from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, and earned her bachelors of arts degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Mills College. Judge Nisperos served as the inaugural President of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Solano County, a Regional Governor for the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, a Director on the Solano County Bar Association board, and as Vice President of Sacramento Filipino American Lawyers Association.
Session 3
Tiffany Gilmartin is a senior administrative law judge in the Special Education Division for the State of California, Office of Administrative Hearings. She is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the Oregon National Guard where she is the Chief of Military Justice. Prior to law school, she taught English and English as a second language. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky, a master’s from the University of Southern California, and a juris doctor from Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Gilmartin is licensed to practice law in California and Oregon. In her free time, she likes spending time with her family, dogs, and running.
Session 5
Phillip Babich counsels clients on all areas of commercial real estate, including real estate development, acquisitions, sales, land use and development approvals and permits. He drafts and negotiates comprehensive purchase and sale agreements and lease agreements, tailored to the unique needs of both buyers and sellers, landlords, and tenants. In addition, as a litigator, Phillip handles disputes involving land use and zoning; property rights; declarations of covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&R’s); real estate development; energy project development; eminent domain, and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This includes administrative appeals, writ actions, actions in eminent domain, and civil trials. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law.
JUDGE MARLO NISPEROS
TIFFANY GILMARTIN
PHILLIP BABICH
“It was great here. Almost everything was perfect and I genuinely feel that I gained something from this. I finally know what I want to do in life and want to work hard for it.”
– Malcolm C. | Alumni Student
Summer Springboard
Trial Law
Dates & Tuition
| 2026 Dates |
|---|
| Session 1: June 14 – June 26, 2026 |
| Session 3: June 28 – July 10, 2026 |
| Session 5: July 12 – July 24, 2026 |
Click here to enroll in this course using our online enrollment form.
| Tuition |
|---|
| Residential Tuition: $5,998 |
| Commuter Tuition: $3,298 |
Tuition Protection Plan: Allows for cancellation for any reason up until the day of the program.
| Location |
|---|
| City: Berkeley |
| State: California |
| Campus: Berkeley |
Summer Springboard programs are not run by our campus partners (with the exception of Cal Poly, UW Foster, and NYSID which are run in partnership with SSB). Universities and their affiliated departments and partners do not control and are not responsible or liable in any manner for any part of the Summer Springboard program.