Profile

James D. Dimitri

Clinical Professor of Law

Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
Lawrence W. Inlow Hall, Room 337
530 W. New York Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3225

Phone: (317) 274-4902
Fax: (317) 274-8565
E-Mail: jddimitr@iu.edu

SSRN

Education

B.S.,1990, Indiana University
J.D. (summa cum laude), 1993, Valparaiso University School of Law

Courses

Legal analysis, research, and communication; intramural moot court competition; advanced persuasive writing and oral advocacy

Bio

Before joining the IU McKinney faculty in 1998, Professor Dimitri worked in private practice and government, including three years as a deputy attorney general for the Indiana Attorney General’s Office. As a deputy attorney general, he litigated civil and criminal appeals, post-conviction relief proceedings, federal habeas corpus cases, and cases arising under the Indiana Tort Claims Act.

Applying his experience as an appellate practitioner, Professor Dimitri was a faculty advisor to IU McKinney's Moot Court Society for two decades. This work included advising the Moot Court Board in administering the Honorable Robert H. Staton Intramural Moot Court Competition. He also coached several national moot court teams, including championship-winning teams that competed in the ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition.

Drawing upon his advisory expertise, Professor Dimitri co-authored The Moot Court Advisor’s Handbook, which is currently in its Second Edition. Further, he is a founding member and past co-chair of the Legal Writing Institute’s Moot Court Committee. He has written and spoken about teaching trial and appellate advocacy; adopting best practices in typography and document design during the legal writing process; using technology to perform legal research, legal analysis, and legal writing; and employing neuroscience to inform lawyers' editing processes.

Professor Dimitri is a two-time recipient of the Indiana University Trustees’ Teaching Award, which recognizes outstanding teaching. He has also received the American Association of Law Schools’ Teacher of the Year Award. During the 2024–25 academic year, Professor Dimitri was selected as a Dean's Fellow in recognition of his exceptional teaching.

Publications

(SSRN: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=648263)

Books and Chapters

• Co-Author, The Moot Court Advisor's Handbook (2d ed. 2023).

Law Review and Journal Articles

• James D. Dimitri, Writing Engaging, Realistic, and Balanced Appellate Advocacy Problems, 16 Persps. 93 (2008).
• James D. Dimitri, Stepping Up to the Podium with Confidence: A Primer for Law Students on Preparing and Delivering an Appellate Oral Argument, 38 Stetson L. Rev. 75 (2008).
• James D. Dimitri, Brutal Choices in Curricular Design: Reusing Writing Assignments, 12 Persps. 27 (2003).
• James D. Dimitri et al., Recent Developments in Indiana Criminal Law and Procedure, 29 Ind. L. Rev. 855 (1996).

Other Publications

• James D. Dimitri, "WordWise: Writing for Screen Readers in the Wake of Indiana's E-Filing Initiative," 59 Res Gestae, Dec. 2015, at 25.
• James D. Dimitri, "WordWise: Best Practices in Document Design," 57 Res Gestae, May 2014, at 24, and 61 Res Gestae, March 2018, at 11.
• Co-Author, The Legal Writing Institute's Model Moot Court Oral Argument Judging Guidelines (2012).

Presentations

• "Neuroscience and the Lawyer as Writer: How the Science of Reading May Impact Legal Writing and Editing Skills," presented at the Central States Legal Writing Conference at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, Chicago, IL, September 2025.
• "From Fonts to White Space: Effective Document Design Practices in Legal Writing," presented at the 21st Biennial Conference of the Legal Writing Institute, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, Indiana, July 2024.
• "AI's Application to Legal Writing," presented as a part of IU McKinney's Faculty Colloquium Series, April 2024.
• "Straddling the Pedagogical Line: Teaching a Hybrid In-Person/Online Legal Writing Course," presented at the Rocky Mountain Legal Writing Conference, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, California, March 2024.
• "Straddling the Pedagogical Line: Teaching a Hybrid In-Person/Online Legal Writing Course," presented at the Legal Writing Institute One-Day Workshop, Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, University of Louisville, Kentucky, December 2023.
• "Designing Court Documents," CLE session presented to the Office of the Indiana State Public Defender, April 2023
• "How’s Your [F]instagram Game?: Using Instagram in Legal Skills Simulations," presented to the Legal Skills App of the Month Club Discussion Group, hosted by the AALS Section on Technology, April 2022
• "Staying on the Virtual Path: Using Teaching Tools from Online Courses in In-Person Courses," presented at the Rocky Mountain Legal Writing Conference, Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Phoenix, Arizona, March 2022.
• "What Remains Virtual?: Retaining Digital Tools for In-Person Courses after COVID-19," presentation at the Central States Legal Writing Conference at UMKC School of Law, Kansas City, MO, October 2021.
• "Using Reading Science to Teach Editing Skills," presentation at the Legal Writing Institute One-Day Workshop at Penn State Law, University Park, PA, December 2020.
• "Neuroscience & Legal Writing," presented at the Central States Legal Writing Conference at the UIC John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Illinois, September 2019.
• "Moot Court as a Writing Course," presented at the Beyond the First Year Legal Writing Conference at DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, Illinois, April 2018.
• "Bringing the Bench Memo into the Digital Age," presented at the Legal Writing Institute Moot Court Conference at The John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Illinois, April 2017.
• “Legal Writing in the Digital Age,” presented at the IU McKinney Annual Fall Continuing Legal Education Program, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, Indiana, October 2016.
• "Formatting a Brief in the Digital Age," panel presentation with Judge Terry Crone, Judge Paul Mathias, and John Maley at the Indiana State Bar Association Appellate Practice Skills Seminar, Indianapolis, Indiana, June 2016.
• "Appellate E-Filing," panel presentation with Robert Rath and Judge Edward Najam at the Indiana State Bar Association Solo & Small Firm Conference, French Lick Resort, French Lick, Indiana, June 2016.
• “What the Heck is 'X-Height'?: Teaching Effective Document-Design Principles in the Legal Writing Classroom,” presented at the Rocky Mountain Regional Legal Writing Conference, The University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law, Tucson, Arizona, March 2016.
• Moderator, "Discussion of National Moot Court Rankings," at the National Moot Court Conference at Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, October 25, 2014.
• "Best Practices in Moot Court Problem Design," presented at the National Moot Court Conference at Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, October 25, 2014.
• "Hitting the 'Send' Button: Translating the Traditional Long-Form Memorandum into an Informal E-Mail Memorandum," presented at the Central States Legal Writing Conference at the University of Kansas School of Law, Lawrence, Kansas, September 28, 2013.
• "Hitting the 'Send' Button: Translating the Traditional Objective Memorandum into a Less Formal E-Mail Memorandum," presented at the Rocky Mountain Legal Writing Conference at the University of Colorado School of Law, Boulder, Colorado, March 23, 2013.
• Panelist, Moot Court Advisors Roundtable, at the Fifteenth Biennial Conference of the Legal Writing Institute, Palm Desert, California, May 2012.
• "Driven Away from Distraction: Teaching Students to Unplug (at Least Periodically) in the Digital Age,” presented at the Central States Legal Writing Conference at The John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Illinois, September 16, 2011.
• Panelist, Moot Court Advisors Roundtable, at the Fourteenth Biennial Conference of the Legal Writing Institute, Marco Island, Florida, June 2010.
• "Is Tweeting for the Birds? Using Social Media to Connect with Students,” presented at the Dean's Colloquium to the faculty of Southern Illinois University School of Law, Carbondale, Illinois, April 2010.
• "Tweeting Isn’t Just for the Birds: Using Twitter and Facebook to Connect with Students,” presented at the Central Region Legal Writing Conference, Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, October 2009.
• Panelist, Moot Court Advisors Roundtable, at the Thirteenth Biennial Conference of the Legal Writing Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana, July 2008.
• "Speaking to Millennials: Giving Feedback to the Latest Generation of Law Students,” presented to the faculty of the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, University of Louisville, Kentucky, April 2008.
• "Speaking to Millennials: Giving Feedback to the Latest Generation of Law Students,” presented at the Rocky Mountain Legal Writing Conference, University of Utah, S.J. Quinney College of Law, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 2008.
• "Practical Tips on Preparing Persuasive Writing and Oral Advocacy Assignments,” presented at the Southeast Legal Writing Conference, Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, September 2007.
• “Providing Context for Contract Drafting Problems,” co-presented with Professor Ken Chestek at the Twelfth Biennial Conference of the Legal Writing Institute, Georgia State University College of Law, Atlanta, Georgia, June 2006.
• “Writing Balanced, Realistic, and Engaging Appellate Brief Problems,” presented at the Rocky Mountain Regional Legal Writing Conference, The University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law, Tucson, Arizona, March 2006.
• “May It Please The Court – 10 Tips for Making the Moot Court Experience More Valuable and Practical for Our Students," presented at the Central States Regional Legal Writing Conference, Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, September 2005.
• “Using Writing Style Strategies to Persuade," presented to the legal staff of the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor, Indianapolis, Indiana, November 2004.
• “Reusing Writing Assignments,” presented at the Central States Regional Legal Writing Conference, Washington University School of Law, St. Louis, Missouri, September 2003.