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Baylor University School of Law this fall will debut what it says is the country's first master of law program focused exclusively on litigation management.

The school's largely online Executive LL.M. in Litigation Management aims to teach seasoned lawyers how to keep litigation costs from spiraling out of control and to utilize the latest technology and strategies to maintain a handle on massive lawsuits.

A number of law schools around the nation already offer LL.M.s in litigation or trial advocacy, but Baylor administrators say their new program is different because it will center on the many facets of managing litigation, not just on how to win in court. It is the first master of law program for Baylor, which is known for its trial advocacy program. That program is currently No. 3 in U.S. News & World Report's specialty rankings.

“We are not teaching you how to try the lawsuit,” said Baylor law professor Liz Fraley, who created the LL.M. program with faculty colleague Jim Wren. “This is: Samsung calls you and says, we've been sued by Apple, or we're suing Apple and it's hundreds of millions of dollars at issue. How do you design a plan that makes it cost-effective, outcome effective, and where you discover the case in a way that doesn't take five years and billions of dollars? That's what this program is about.”

The program will include courses on the fundamentals of 21st century litigation management and strategy; managing e-discovery; proving and attacking damages; data analytics and cyber security; regulatory issues, managing complex arbitration and alternative dispute resolution issues; and practical strategies for navigating through trial. Classes will be taught by attorneys, judges, and other experts in the field of litigation management.

“We have been talking almost every day to people from around the nation who are the cream of the crop and who are already doing litigation management well,” said Wren in an announcement of the new program. “We're going out there and finding the people doing various aspects in the very best way and we're bringing them in. It's going to be a melting pot of the best practices out there.”

The 14-month program is open to lawyers with at least three years of experience. Most classes will take place online, with students spending about 10 hours a week on their coursework. Because the program is intended for working professionals, the online classes can be completed on student's individual timelines, Fraley said. Students will also convene at Baylor for three two-week sessions over the course of the program.

Administrators believe the new LL.M. will draw interest from plaintiffs lawyers who manage large cases; outside defense counsel; and in-house counsel who want to get up to speed on the latest strategies and techniques.

“We're focusing on, “What is the goal?'” Fraley said. “For a trial lawyer the goal is to win the lawsuit. There are a number of corporate clients for whom the goal is, 'I never want to see the inside of a courtroom.' How do you make that happen? What forum should you be in?”

Baylor has already heard from companies interested in sending their employees to the program, she added, and the early response has been enthusiastic. The school hopes to enroll 25 to 30 students in the initial cohort, but could scale up to accommodate more, she said.

The LL.M. program costs $50,000, and the application period is open.