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. Case Management
2. Scheduling Orders
3. Effective and Ineffective Discovery Practices
4. Motion Hearing - When, Why, and How?
5. Judges' View on Technology in the Court Room

Afternoon Session (1:00-4:30)

7. Legal Ethics
8. Voir Dire: Do's and Don'ts
9. Trial Practice Tips in Civil Court
10. Witnesses and Evidence: Mistakes to Avoid
11. Opening Statements and Closing Arguments

Continuing Education Credits:   

* denotes specialty credits

Morning Session (9:00 - 12:00)
Presenters: Judge Todd Bjerke, Judge Nancy Buytendorp, Judge Michael McAlpine, Judge Michael J. Rosborough and Moderator - Margaret A. Herlitzka

1. CASE MANAGEMENT AND PRETRIAL CONFERENCES
   1. Case Management
   2. Tips for a Productive Settlement Conference
   3. Mistakes to Avoid at the Pretrial Conference
2. SCHEDULING ORDERS
3. EFFECTIVE AND INEFFECTIVE DISCOVERY PRACTICES
1. Interrogatories
2. Be Careful What You Object To
3. Discovery Issues Judges Should Never Hear
4. The Emerging World of E-Discovery
5. Getting Accurate Answers From Your Clients
4. MOTION HEARING - WHEN, WHY, AND HOW?
1. Discovery Disputes
2. Filing Dispositive Motions
3. Motions in Limine
5. JUDGES VIEW ON TECHNOLOGY IN THE COURTROOM
   1. What Technology Is Available?
   2. Advantages/Disadvantages of High Tech Presentation
   3. Evidentiary Issues Relative to the Use of Technology in the Courtroom

Afternoon Session (1:00 - 4:30)
Presenters: Judge Michael McAlpine, Judge Scott L. Horne, Judge Thomas E. Lister, Judge J. David Rice and Moderator - Margaret A. Herlitzka

6. LEGAL ETHICS (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
5. Keeping the Client in the Loop
6. Whose Case Decision is it Anyway? When Attorneys Can and Cannot Speak in Clients' Stead
7. Attorneys' Fees
8. Effective and Ethical Lawyer Advertising
7. VOIR DIRE: DO'S AND DON'TS
8. TRIAL PRACTICE TIPS IN CIVIL COURT
   1. How to Be "Trial Ready"
   2. Jury Instructions Beyond the Standard List
   3. The Value of a Good Appearance
9. WITNESSES AND EVIDENCE: MISTAKES TO AVOID
1. How a Witness Ruins a "Good" Case
2. Expert Witnesses
3. Introducing Evidence at Trial
4. The Proper Way to Object in Court
5. Learning When Not to Object
6. When is a Side Bar Appropriate?
10. OPENING STATEMENTS AND CLOSING ARGUMENTS
1. What is an Opening Statement?
2. The Significance of an Opening Statement
3. Effective Closing Argument Strategies
4. Objecting During Argument

HON. TODD BJERKE is a Circuit Court Judge in the La Crosse County Circuit Court, Branch 3 in the State of Wisconsin.

HON. NANCY BUYTENDORP is a Winona County District Court Judge in the Third Judicial District in the State of Minnesota.

HON. SCOTT L. HORNE is a Circuit Court Judge in the La Crosse County Circuit Court, Branch 4 in the State of Wisconsin.

HON. THOMAS E. LISTER is a Jackson County Circuit Court Judge in the Jackson County Circuit Court in the State of Wisconsin.

HON. MICHAEL McALPINE is a retired Circuit Court Judge in the Monroe County Circuit Court in the State of Wisconsin.

HON. J. DAVID RICE is a Circuit Court Judge in the Monroe County Circuit Court in the State of Wisconsin.

HON. MICHAEL J. ROSBOROUGH is a Circuit Court Judge in the Vernon County Circuit Court in the State of Wisconsin.

MODERATOR - MARGARET A. HERLITZKA is a partner with the La Crosse law firm of Hale, Skemp, Hanson, Skemp & Sleik where she works extensively in the areas of family and personal injury law. She is a member of the Family Law and General Litigation sections of the State Bar of Wisconsin and she is president of the La Crosse County Bar Association. Ms. Herlitzka has practiced in the Coulee Region since her graduation from Marquette Law School in 1989. She is also a graduate of the University of Dallas in Irving, Texas, where she earned her B.A. degree.

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