CORT Trial Advocacy Skills Training (TAST)

Description

TAST is an intensive six-day training designed to provide attorneys, with at least 2 - 3 years of experience, an opportunity to develop, refine, and practice trial skills to provide more effective representation to clients. TAST culminates in a mock trial using sitting or retired judges, and outside witnesses and jurors. As a prerequisite, all TAST attendees must have attended the Litigation Planning Training and must also submit a trial notebook.

The training includes lectures and demonstrations on trial skills. Participants will perform and be critiqued on several trial exercises. These exercises will focus on components of trial practice including opening statements and closing argument, direct and cross-examination, and the use of demonstrative evidence. Each participant will be videotaped during the exercises and critiqued on their performance by experienced trainers. Attendees must be available and participate in all sessions including the trial that is scheduled for Saturday, July 29, 2017

To be eligible and prepared for TAST, attendees MUST have completed the CORT Litigation Planning training and have at least 2 – 3 years of post-admission legal practice with a significant number of trials and/or hearings. All attendees should have completed Basic Lawyering Skills (BLST) or its equivalent.

If an attendee has not participated in jury trials, he or she is strongly encouraged to observe some or all of a jury trial or trials in their local courts to prepare for TAST.

Each person who is accepted will be required to submit an appropriately detailed trial notebook to CORT no later than June 19th2017, using the materials distributed through the Litigation Planning Training. These trial notebooks will be reviewed and scored by the training team. If a notebook is found not to be complete or adequately detailed, it will be returned to the applicant for revision and resubmission prior to the training. If the revised notebook is acceptable, the individual will be permitted to attend TAST.

No one will be allowed to attend TAST without submitting an acceptable trial notebook.

All TAST participants must submit a complete Trial Notebook for the party they represented at Litigation Planning. We strongly encourage all participants to begin work on their trial notebook immediately so that you have sufficient time to do a thorough job. All participants should strive to make their trial notebook as complete and detailed as possible. All trial notebooks will be reviewed and awards will be presented for the best trial notebook for each party.

At TAST, we will try to assign all participants to the same parties they had at Litigation Planning. If we are not able to do that for some participants because of the need to balance groups, we will give those participants a copy of the Best Notebook for their new party to use at TAST.

SUBMISSION OF AN ACCEPTABLY DETAILED TRIAL NOTEBOOK IS A NON-NEGOTIABLE, NON-WAIVEABLE REQUIREMENT. PERSONS WHO FAIL TO TIMELY SUBMIT AN ACCEPTABLE TRIAL NOTEBOOK WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN TAST. INADEQUATELY DETAILED TRIAL NOTEBOOKS WILL BE RETURNED FOR FURTHER WORK AND MUST BE RESUBMITTED AND REVIEWED BY THE TRAINING TEAM PRIOR TO THE TRAINING.

We have applied for Ohio and Indiana CLE credits for this training. CORT is a recognized training sponsor in West Virginia.

Please Note: Participants must bring their Mauet books to the training. If you do not have a copy, please find one in your office or program.