Trial Skills 2013 Promises the Best of Trial Advocacy

Preparing a case for trial is much like preparing a canvas for a portrait. At first, you need to properly decide the theme of the portrait. Next, you need to decide the medium to be used. What story will the portrait tell the jury? How will the jury respond to the final product? 

Join us for Trial Skills 2013 this Friday, April 12 from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, and you will learn from some of the most talented artists in our field. The course will be structured as if it were a trial. We will take you from creating your theme to voir dire, client preparation, opening statement, motivational demonstrative evidence, effective cross-examination, choosing jury instructions, closing statements and preserving issues for appeal. No matter how many trials you have participated in, this CLE offers everyone the chance to perfect his craft.

Time is running out. Reserve your seat today. See below for registration links.

 Here is a preview of our agenda and all-star line-up...

VOIR DIRE / OPENING STATEMENT 

with Annie P. Kaplan, Fay Kaplan Law, PA

 

EXAMS OF CLIENTS / PREPPING YOUR CLIENT 

with David A. Harak, Harak Law Firm, LLC

 

DIRECTING PLAINTIFF / DIRECTING EXPERT 

with James L. Otway, Otway, Russo & Rommel, PC

 

WOWING THE JURY / EXHIBITS 

with a very special guest to be announced...

  

CROSS EXAMINATION / CROSS EXAM DME / CHALLENGES 

with William H. Murphy, Jr., Murphy, Falcon & Murphy

  

JURY INSTRUCTIONS / VERDICT SHEETS

with Hon. Steven I. Platt (Ret.), The Platt Group, Inc. 

  

CLOSING ARGUMENTS 

Robert R. Michael, Shadoan, Michael & Wells, LLP

 

POST-TRIAL MOTIONS / APPELLATE ADVOCACY 

with Hon. Joseph F. Murphy, Jr. (Ret.), Silverman, Thompson, Slutkin & White LLC

& David M. Kopstein, Kopstein & Associates, LLC

REGISTER ONLINE

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MAJ Announces Family Law 2013 Seminar

Do you practice family law? Do you use expert witnesses? Do you want to know how judges view the testimony of your expert witnesses? Do you want to know how to present expert testimony in a compelling manner to the judge in your case?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you cannot afford to miss the MAJ Annual Family Law Seminar, "How Family Law Judges Want You to Litigate Divorce Cases -- With or Without the Experts."

The seminar will be held on Friday, April 26, 2013 from 9-1 at the Columbia Doubletree Hotel.

If we told you that we had two moderators with decades of family law experience, would that interest you?

OK, how about if we told you that we have circuit court judges from Baltimore City, Montgomery County, Baltimore County, Howard County, Anne Arundel County and Prince George s County? You really should not miss out on that.

But wait, there is more!! We will also have at least six yes, we said six tried and true expert witnesses to educate both the audience and the judges and be part of an incredible dialogue.  We have forensic accountants, we have child custody evaluators, we have vocational specialists and perhaps even more.

Oh, and that is only half of the seminar!

The other half of the seminar will focus on the case where your client cannot afford an expert. What will the Court do when the 9-207 assets all say unknown value?  Will a judge value a family business if there is no expert testimony because no one could afford an expert? What if there is a real need for a forensic accountant but it is absolutely out of financial reach?  How will the Court treat a custody case where a treating psychologist has a great deal to say but there is no privilege attorney and no other way to bring in the testimony?

You will learn more from this half-day seminar than you could from years of practicing family law!

One last question: can you really afford to miss this seminar? Register today.

REGISTER ONLINE

DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION FORM

MAJ Workers’ Comp Seminar Features Commissioners & Hot Topics

The 2012 – 2013 Maryland Association for Justice seminar season is off to a running start with our annual Workers’ Compensation Seminar on September 27th at the Radisson Lord Plaza in Baltimore City. This event is promising to be one of the best of the year. The agenda is packed with experts discussing current issues and tips for attorneys. Attendees of this seminar will walk away with information they will use for years.

MAJ is excited to have attorney Kathleen Cahill of the Law Offices of Kathleen Cahill join us as one of our esteemed session speakers. Kathleen Cahill has been practicing employment and civil rights law for 30 years. 

In 2006, Ms. Cahill began representing a Baltimore County police detective against Baltimore County for discrimination under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).

With further investigation it was determined that Baltimore County violated federal law and that Baltimore County’s actions were not isolated to this one employee.  Baltimore County violated federal law with regard to multiple County employees in order to cut the County’s labor costs.  Kathleen Cahill helped multiple dedicated county employees who were affected by Baltimore County’s illegal actions.  Ms. Cahill continues to represent county employees and monitor Baltimore County’s actions to ensure that employee’s rights are not violated.

Kathleen Cahill will be present at the Workers’ Compensation Seminar to inform other attorneys about what she uncovered during her case.  The practices and procedures of Baltimore County that Ms. Cahill exposed are not limited to municipality workers.  All attorneys who represent injured workers should be aware of the potential for employee abuse that the ADA was enacted to prevent.  Attendees will learn what to look out for while representing injured workers and how to protect an employee’s right to privacy. Ms. Cahill’s knowledge and experience is information all attorneys can use to the benefit of injured workers.
In addition to Kathleen Cahill, the day will include discussions from doctors, attorneys and commissioners. 

To register and view a full agenda, click here or call the MAJ office at (410) 872-0990. 

MAJ Report – MAJ Kicks Off 2012-2013 CLE & Education Season

With the 2012 – 2013 CLE education season right around the corner, the Maryland Association for Justice Education & Programs Committee, chaired by Philip C. Federico, is excited to share just a sampling of what to expect in the coming months. These legal education opportunities have been designed to benefit every MAJ member. Regardless of your firm size, number of years in practice or area of expertise; we have a seminar for you!

MAJ is well known for our annual seminars, and this year will not disappoint. For 2012 – 2013, we are offering seven large seminars with intriguing topics to keep our members up-to-date on the latest legal developments. These full and half-day seminars are a great resource to our members and non-members alike. Many prominent attorneys, judges and experts are already slated to speak at numerous upcoming events, with their valuable handouts distributed at each seminar. As an additional benefit, attendees have ample opportunity to network with each other, as well as our sponsors and exhibitors.

And did you know MAJ is accredited to provide CLE credits in Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania?  If you are licensed to practice in those states, don’t miss out on the opportunities we offer to earn credits. Also, if you require CLEs in other states, we will even request CLE approval as needed.

We are kick starting this seminar season with our ever-popular Workers’ Compensation Seminar on September 27  at the Radisson Plaza in Baltimore City. The Commissioners have been contacted and are prepared to give valuable tips to attorneys. This full day seminar will also include lectures from physicians and other workers’ compensation attorneys. Check your mailboxes for the full agenda!

The Workers’ Compensation Seminar will be followed by the Social Media Seminar on October 8, 2012 at the Doubletree Hotel in Columbia. Learn about the ethics of internet marketing AND get your ethics CLE! This half day seminar will be a great opportunity for our solo practitioners to hear from Carolyn Elefant, author of Solo by Choice: How to Be the Lawyer You Always Wanted to Be, about small firm management. This seminar will also examine use of electronic filing, something our paralegal members will want to take advantage of. 

In addition to our larger seminars, MAJ also holds several lunch-and-learn seminars annually. These seminars are typically held at the MAJ Office and present the opportunity for members to learn about a specific topic in a more intimate setting. Keep an eye out on MAJ’s Week Ahead for the next lunch-and-learn.

For the members who are looking to earn CLE credits while at the office, SeminarWeb is the perfect route to take. These seminars are announced every two months with speakers representing state trial lawyer associations nationwide. Each seminar is 75 minutes long and includes 10 minutes of question and answer time. Not only do MAJ members get to register for these seminars, but they have the opportunity to present topics using SeminarWeb, giving you the opportunity to receive national recognition for your key practice knowledge.

You can take advantage of MAJ’s Education and Program’s learning opportunities online or in-person. Find all the latest information about our events at www.marylandassociationforjustice.com. If you have any questions about upcoming events call the MAJ office at (410)872-0990 or email Allison Fields, MAJ Conference & Sponsorship Program Coordinator at allison@marylandassociationforjustice.com.

MAJ Announces 2012 Social Media Seminar

Social Media Seminar

October 8, 2012 • 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Doubletree Hotel, Columbia, MD       

Registration is open! The Maryland Association for Justice will be presenting a seminar dedicated strictly to social media and technology.  This half-day seminar will offer valuable information that you don’t want to miss.

Here is a preview of what the seminar has to offer:

• Judge Ronald A. Silkworth will be giving an in-depth explanation of  Maryland Electronic Filing, coming soon to a court near you. This is a great opportunity for both attorneys and paralegals to learn from the best about a system that is expected to go statewide, and to get answers to all of your questions.
• Hear from our experts on attorney websites and design by FindLaw, experts in online legal marketing.
• Get your Ethics CLE credits with Lydia Lawless from the AttorneyGrievance Commission as she discusses the ethics of internet marketing and social media.
• Trial Considerations: PowerPoint, Computer-Generated Evidence, and Admissibility
• Author and solo-lawyer Carolyn Elefant will discuss social media how-to: Facebook, Twitter and blogs for law firms.

REGISTRATION

Members Log-in to register
President’s Club       Eagle       Founder       Contributor     Regular Member     Law Student     Paralegal     New Admittee	$40 $50 $65 $140 $25 $50 $45
Non-Member	$195

For registration and additional program details, click here.

SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT

Carolyn Elefant has been on the front lines representing and assisting solo lawyers since opening up her own practice in 1993.  She recently published the 2011-2012 edition of Solo by Choice: How to Be the LawyerYou Always Wanted to Be.  Her website, MyShingle.com, is devoted to solos and solo-wannabes, and provides a wealth of resources and information related to small firm management.  Ms. Elefant is based in Washington, D.C. and works on energy regulatory and enforcement law, appellate work, and marine renewable energy.  Follow her on Twitter at @carolynelefant, and contact her by e-mail at carolyn@carolynelefant.com.

Questions? Call MAJ as 410.872.099. or visit our website at www.marylandassociationforjustice.com.

MAJ Report – MAJ New Lawyer Programs Seek to Assist Newest Graduates

You graduated law school. You are days away from taking the bar exam. You are almost an attorney. Where do you go from here?

Many recent graduates are currently asking themselves that very question. How do you start your career? The Maryland Association for Justice (MAJ), a professional association dedicated to the legislative advocacy and professional development of (primarily) plaintiff attorneys, has developed programs and resources specifically aimed at assisting the new lawyer.

Starting with membership, MAJ offers all new admittees (attorneys practicing less than one year) free membership. With this comes access to multiple resources which may help you find a job, build a professional network, research your case or just do your job better.

As an attorney practicing seven years or less, upon joining MAJ, you automatically become a member of our New Lawyers Section – a group focused solely on the issues and challenges facing the young attorney. Membership in this section includes access to the New Lawyers list server, a forum where you may post questions to your fellow new lawyers and discuss topics important to you. The best part? There are no section dues.

You can also join MAJ for its “Nuts & Bolts” series, highlighting the basics of litigating a variety of cases, ranging from Family Law to Criminal Law to Auto Negligence. These meeting are usually hosted in the early morning or evening to accommodate your busy schedule, and feature speakers that are respected leaders in their fields. As an added bonus, all “Nuts & Bolts” meetings are free for new lawyers.

Looking to land that first big job? The MAJ Career Center could be your key resource. Located under Attorney Resources on the MAJ website, this service is completely free for all job-seekers, and posting your resume is simple. Fill out a short form, upload your resume, hit “Submit,” and you’re done. While there, browse the job postings and see if there is an employer looking for candidates like you.

The MAJ Mentor/Mentee Program is an excellent option for many attorneys getting their start. Each new lawyer is paired with an experienced attorney Mentor, who can provide you with invaluable resources and practical advice, professional contacts and support to aide and guide you in your career. You many even have the opportunity to shadow your Mentor in court. Several exclusive events are hosted throughout the year, allowing you and your Mentor the opportunity to connect.

Another added perk of being an MAJ New Lawyer is the discounted admission to many of our biggest educational seminars. Spend the day covering important legal issues with leading attorneys, judges and experts. These full and half-day seminars are offered throughout the year.

Doing research for that next case? The MAJ document and deposition banks should be your first stop. Examine a defense expert’s deposition, search for motions or briefs and find important verdict and settlement information. As an MAJ member, you have access to more than ten million local and national documents.

MAJ’s quarterly journal, Trial Reporter, will soon become your desk reference for many of the legal topics affecting your practice. Each issue features a variety of articles, columns and resources aimed at helping you do your job better. Subscription is free to all MAJ members and archives can be viewed and searched on the MAJ website.

In addition to all these offerings, MAJ New Lawyers also enjoy the benefits of all other members, such as case evaluation clinics, legislative advocacy, networking opportunities and much more.

It is also never too early to get involved with many of the MAJ committees, which not only guide and shape the direction of the Association, but also provide personal benefits to you. You can make new contacts, build your resume and make a difference in your community.

An MAJ membership is so much more than your name in a directory. Our aim is to provide all our members, rookies and experienced pros, with the tools and advocacy they need to best serve their clients and the profession.

To join MAJ today or learn more about what we do, visit us at www.marylandassociationforjustice.com or call us at (410) 872-0990.