About |
WHO WE ARE
As a 501(c)(3), we operate as a service organization made up of a volunteer network of lawyers, judges, and esteemed advocates across the globe. Since 1971, we have provided the legal advocacy skills that allow the advancement of people, the legal profession, and the pursuit of justice.
NITA began over the desks and dining tables of attorneys who had to learn the hard way. These lawyers wanted something better for the generations of attorneys who would follow them. Using their skills and their hard-won experience, they created advocacy programs that gave attorneys the opportunity to learn and practice skills such as taking depositions, making opening and closing arguments, examining witnesses, and more. This is still the foundation of who we are today.
WHY WE DO IT
We believe in a fair and impartial adversarial justice system. The training and development of skilled and ethical legal advocates can and does improve the administration of justice. We are driven by the following guiding principles:
INNOVATION:
NITA’s learning-by-doing method has transformed the way we teach advocacy. While it continues to be the best methodology for teaching, we are also exploring innovative teaching methods and subjects that reflect modern practice of advocacy in and out of the courtroom.
EXCELLENCE:
We are committed to being the premier advocacy teaching organization. That mission will be inclusive of all areas of legal practice, with an emphasis on diversity and regional demographics.
ETHICS:
Ethics are at the core of every aspect of NITA life. Ethics are central to every presentation to our clients, as an inherent value of the professionalism of advocates.
VOLUNTEERISM:
NITA was founded on the principle of attorneys giving back to the profession by volunteering to teach and mentor the next generation of advocates. We recognize and appreciate the efforts of those volunteers.
JUSTICE:
All of our efforts over the past forty-seven years were designed to promote the justice system by improving advocacy in the courts, insuring that every client will have access to competent legal representation before independent judges. As we continue to promote the rule of law, we have expanded our efforts to aid the quest for equal justice throughout the world.
COMMUNITY:
NITA is composed of people—participants, faculty, authors, staff, supporters, and organizations—who have come together to support the mission of improving the system of justice through education of law students, lawyers, judges, and the public. This community needs to be fostered and continued, to ensure that our mission is supported and maintained.
WHAT WE DO
We make you sweat. A lawyer walking into a courtroom to advocate for a client is like a tightrope walker working without a net. But, tightrope walkers train with a net for many years.
At NITA, we think lawyers should have the opportunity for safe training: a chance to learn and refine their skills without the stakes of a real courtroom.
NITA is here to mentor you in that safe environment. At a NITA training course, you’ll get the toughest critique you’ll ever receive in the safest, most supportive space you’ll ever find. In small groups, with a high teacher-to-student ratio, you will practice skills and witness other students doing the same.
Whether you are just beginning to learn to walk that tightrope or want to master harder skills, NITA will provide a safe, confidential environment. You can try new techniques without worrying about failure—NITA is your safety net as you practice.