Keeping command of the myriad of documents, people and communications involved in legal cases is a challenging undertaking. Solid case management strategies can, and will, provide the foundation for maintaining a profitable legal team. Master proven case management and organization techniques that will improve team productivity from the convenience of your desk. Learn how to facilitate seemingly effortless workload management with solid discovery, witness and evidentiary procedures. Take the next step toward maximizing your effectiveness – order these vital reference materials today!

1. Initial Case Management and Organization
2. Ethical Questions – The Practical Do's and Don'ts
3. Effective Document Control and Organization
4. Powerful Discovery Techniques
5. Getting the Most Out of Your Witnesses
6. Preparing Evidence and Exhibits for Trial

Continuing Education Credits:   

* denotes specialty credits

1. INITIAL CASE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION
   9:00 - 9:45, Nicole M. Dyakanoff
   1. Initial Client Interview
   2. Basic Initial Research
   3. Setting Up the Case File
   4. Drafting the Initial Pleadings
2. ETHICAL QUESTIONS - THE PRACTICAL DO'S AND DON'TS
   9:45 - 10:45, Nicole M. Dyakanoff
   1. Avoiding Situations That May Expose You to UPL
   2. Requirements for Attorney Supervision
   3. Evaluating Conflicts of Interest
   4. Managing Issues of Privilege
3. EFFECTIVE DOCUMENT CONTROL AND ORGANIZATION
   11:00 - 12:15, David J. Lenci
   1. How to Organize Your Case Documents
   2. Developing Information Retrieval Systems
      1. Why the Merits of the Case Are Important
      2. Types of Files to Create
      3. Categories for Organization of Documents
      4. Control Devices - Physical Space, Equipment and Budget
      5. Tracking Electronic Information
   3. Digesting, Abstracting and Indexing Documents
   4. Using Technology in Document Control
      1. Document Management/Case Management Software
      2. When to Hire a Vendor
4. POWERFUL DISCOVERY TECHNIQUES
   1:15 - 2:15, Sarah E. Gist
   1. What to Do When Putting Together a Complaint
   2. Formal Discovery - What is Its True Purpose?
      1. Initial Disclosures
      2. Request for Admissions
      3. Request for Production of Documents
      4. Interrogatories and Answers
   3. Motions and Notices
   4. Using Informal Discovery and Public Sources of Information
5. GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR WITNESSES
   2:30 - 3:30, Jeffrey L. Smoot
   1. Preparing the Client for Deposition and Trial
   2. Expert Witnesses
      1. Ways to Locate a Qualified Expert
      2. Expert Interrogatories
      3. Communication With the Expert Witness
   3. Lay Witnesses
6. PREPARING EVIDENCE AND EXHIBITS FOR TRIAL
   3:30 - 4:30, David J. Lenci
   1. Key Rules of Evidence and Why They Are Important
   2. Preservation of Evidence
      1. General Considerations
      2. Spoliation and Issues Related to Electronic Evidence
   3. Creating Demonstrative Evidence, Evidence and Exhibits for Use at Trial

NICOLE M. DYAKANOFF has been a paralegal with Wilson Smith Cochran & Dickerson, in Seattle, since 2004, where she is mainly involved in representing defendants in automobile injury claims. She has been a personal injury paralegal since 1996 and has worked for attorneys representing plaintiffs and defendants. Ms. Dyakanoff earned her ATA degree for legal assistants from Edmonds Community College and her AAS degree from Bellevue Community College. She also is a member of NALS of Greater Seattle.

SARAH E. GIST is an intellectual property litigation paralegal with the Seattle law firm of Black Lowe & Graham PLLC. Ms. Gist joined the firm as a litigation paralegal in 2004 and since then has worked on cases with issues including patent, trademark or copyright infringement, trade secrets misappropriation, unfair competition and contract disputes in variety of jurisdictions. Prior to working at Black Lowe & Graham PLLC, she worked in the area of plaintiff's personal injury for four years. Ms. Gist holds degrees in both Psychology and Classical Civilization from the University of Montana.

DAVID J. LENCI is a partner in the Seattle office of K&L Gates LLP. He is an experienced trial attorney who has represented clients from both the public sector and the private sector in complex civil litigation for more than 30 years. Mr. Lenci's practice emphasizes business litigation including intellectual property, unfair competition and other business torts and securities litigation. He was a trial attorney with the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice for more than five years and served three years as the chief civil litigator for the Snohomish County Prosecutor's Office. Mr. Lenci has served as a mediator, an arbitrator and pro tem judge. He also volunteers as a fee dispute arbitrator with the Washington State Bar Association. Mr. Lenci earned his B.A. degree from Dartmouth College and his J.D. degree, with high honors, from the University of Washington School of Law.

JEFFREY L. SMOOT is an attorney with the law firm of Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson, PLLC. His areas of practice include litigation, debtor and creditor, foreclosure, and real estate. Before becoming an attorney, Mr. Smoot spent 18 years as a litigation paralegal within the firm. He has spoken previously on collection issues and asset discovery. Mr. Smoot earned his B.S. degree from City University and also is a graduate of the Rule 6 Law Clerk Program.

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