Crisis in the Classroom: Using Simulations to Enhance Decision-Making Skills

Criticism leveled against the traditional law school curriculum, which has been principally based on the Langdellian appellate case method, has been on the rise during the past two decades. Factual investigation, communication, and negotiation skills are among the key skills underrepresented in the traditional curriculum. As law schools move to fill this gap, some law schools have adopted simulations typically used to train government and military personnel to hone students problem-solving and decision-making skills. Borrowing on a model honed at the S. J. Quinney School of Law at the University of Utah law school, I describe the challenges and benefits that I encountered in developing and implementing a counter-terrorism simulation involving law students as well as undergraduate public policy students.