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!

AM 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

PM Session: 1:00-4:30

7. Legal Ethics - The Judicial View (1:00 - 2:00)
8. Voir Dire and Jury Selection
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:   

Continuing Legal Education

Credit Hrs    State    Credit Approval Expiration

* denotes specialty credits

Morning Session: 9:00 - 12:00
Panel Members: Hon. Kevin Crane, Hon. Patricia S. Joyce, Hon. Leslie Schneider, Hon. Kevin Schehr and Hon. Aaron Koeppen.
Moderator: Michael R. Baker.

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. Kevin Crane, Hon. Patricia S. Joyce, Hon. Leslie Schneider, Hon.

Kevin Schehr and Hon. Aaron Koeppen.
Moderator: Michael R. Baker.

7. LEGAL ETHICS - THE JUDICIAL VIEW (1:00 - 2:00)
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
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. Preserving Post Trial Issues

HON. KEVIN CRANE is a Circuit Court Judge in the 13th Judicial Circuit in Boone and Callaway counties.

HON. PATRICIA S. JOYCE is a Circuit Court Judge in the 19th Judicial Circuit in Cole County.

HON. AARON KOEPPEN is an Associate Circuit Court Judge in the 26th Judicial Circuit in Camden County.

HON. KEVIN SCHEHR is an Associate Circuit Court Judge in the 26th Judicial Circuit in Morgan County.

HON. LESLIE SCHNEIDER is an Associate Circuit Court Judge in the 13th Judicial Circuit in Boone County.

MODERATOR - MICHAEL R. BAKER is a partner in the Columbia law firm of Ford, Parshall & Baker where he practices in the areas of personal injury, products liability, wrongful death, medical and nursing malpractice, and insurance defense. Mr. Baker is a certified mediator. He earned his B.S. and B.A. degree from Southeast Missouri State University and his J.D. degree from the University of Missouri Columbia School of Law, Columbia, Missouri. Mr. Baker is a recurring faculty member of the Annual Trial Academy, Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers and at various continuing legal education seminars. He us a member of the The Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, The Missouri Bar, the American Bar Association, the Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers and the Boone County Bar Association.

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