What if you could explore the different cultural climates of the judges' courtrooms without your clients' lives depending on the outcome of the exploration? Now you can. Take advantage of the unique opportunity to gain years of courtroom experience with one unique resource. Discover what the presiding triers of fact think of the litigation process and learn their personal rules and preferences. Order today!

Morning Session (9:00-12:00)

1. Determining Your Litigation Strategy
2. Initial Pleadings
3. Discovery Practice
4. Settlement Conferences
5. Drafting Effective Dispositive Motions
6. Pretrial Conferences

Afternoon Session (1:00-4:30)

7. Legal Ethics - The Judicial View
8. Voir Dire and Jury Selections
9. Opening Statement
10. General Tips for Trial Advocacy
11. Presenting Your Case at Trial
12. Expert Examination
13. Closing Argument and Jury Instructions
14. Post Trial Considerations

Continuing Education Credits:   

* denotes specialty credits

Morning Session (9:00-12:00)
Panel Members:
Hon. James W. Abrams
Hon. William H. Bright Jr.
Hon. William Holden
Hon. A. Susan Peck
Hon. Robin L. Wilson
Moderator:
Margaret P. Mason

1. DETERMINING YOUR LITIGATION STRATEGY
2. INITIAL PLEADINGS
1. Motions to Dismiss
2. Answers and Affirmative Defenses
3. DISCOVERY PRACTICE
1. Discovery Motions
2. Electronic Discovery
4. SETTLEMENT CONFERENCES
1. How to be Effective at the Settlement Conference
2. Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution
5. DRAFTING EFFECTIVE DISPOSITIVE MOTIONS
   1. Response Strategies
   2. Reply Briefs
6. PRETRIAL CONFERENCES
   1. Effective Pretrial Statements
   2. Tips for an Effective Pretrial Conference
   3. Motions in Limine

Afternoon Session (1:00-4:30)
Panel Members:
Hon. James W. Abrams
Hon. William H. Bright Jr.
Hon. William Holden
Hon. A. Susan Peck
Hon. Robert B. Shapiro
Hon. Robin L. Wilson
Moderator:
Margaret P. Mason

7. LEGAL ETHICS - THE JUDICIAL VIEW (1:00 - 2:00)
   1. Best Practices in Communication Between Bench and Bar
   2. The Boundary of Advocacy and Ethical Litigation Conduct
   3. Protecting Confidentiality
   4. Ethical Conduct in the Courtroom
8. VOIR DIRE AND JURY SELECTION
1. Determining the Judge's Voir Dire Practice
2. How do You Identify Your Ideal Juror
3. When Does a Juror get Struck for Cause
9. OPENING STATEMENT
1. The Significance of an Opening Statement
2. Diffuse the Issue or Ratify the Argument - The Great Debate
10. GENERAL TIPS FOR TRIAL ADVOCACY
1. Making and Handling Motions and Objections at Trial
2. Most Common Evidentiary Issues
3. The Value of Side Bar Conferences
4. Know Your Judge
11. PRESENTING YOUR CASE AT TRIAL
1. Direct and Cross Examination
2. How a Witness Ruins a "Good" Case
3. Introducing Evidence at Trial
12. EXPERT EXAMINATION
1. Standards of Admissibility for Expert Report
2. Challenges Which can be Made to Expert Report
3. Addressing the Highly Technical Content
4. Cross-Examination Don'ts
13. CLOSING ARGUMENT AND JURY INSTRUCTIONS
1. Effective Closing Argument Strategies
2. Objecting During Argument
3. The Importance of Clear Jury Instructions
14. POST TRIAL CONSIDERATIONS
1. Errors in Juror's Verdict Sheets
2. Persevering Post Trial Issues

HON. JAMES W. ABRAMS is a Superior Court Judge assigned to Civil Matters in the Middlesex Judicial District & G.A. 9.

HON. WILLIAM H. BRIGHT JR. is a Superior Court Judge assigned to GA Matters in the Tolland Judicial District.

HON. WILLIAM HOLDEN is a Superior Court Judge assigned to Civil Matters in the New Haven Judicial District.

HON. A. SUSAN PECK is a Superior Court Judge assigned to Civil Matters in the Hartford Judicial District.

HON. ROBERT B. SHAPIRO is a Superior Court Judge assigned to Complex Litigation in the Hartford Judicial District.

HON. ROBIN L. WILSON is a Superior Court Judge assigned to Civil Matters in the New Haven Judicial District.

MODERATOR - MARGARET P. MASON is a partner in the New Haven office of the LeClairRyan law firm. Ms. Mason has 30 years of trial experience in federal and state courts

Please refer to Continuing Education Credit FAQ for general information about seeking credit for your participation in one of our continuing education programs.

Additionally, our team of credit specialists are here to answer your specific credit-related questions weekdays 7am - 5pm Central:

Phone: 866-240-1890

Email: credit@nbi-sems.com