CDLA Trial Academy

Colorado Defense Lawyers Association
Annual Trial Academy
Practicum organized by
Tom Rice, Esq., Senter Goldfarb & Rice, LLC

April 23-25, 2014
22 General credits (including at least 1 Ethics credit)
DTC Doubletree Hotel

A two and one-half day workshop aimed at developing trial practice skills through a combination of lecture, practicum exercises, and mock trial.

With fewer opportunities for trial experience, can you afford not to send your firm's lawyers to the premiere trial skills program?

A Three Day Investment
for Immediate and Lifelong Benefits

The Colorado Defense Lawyers Association Trial Academy is the preeminent defense trial advocacy training program and is a career-changing opportunity for lawyers both looking to practice fundamental trial skills and seeking to take their techniques and tactics to the next level.

It is a 2 1/2 day, intensive program that blends small group faculty (3:1 students to mentors) instruction and demonstration with individual student participation.  Its proven formula of hands-on learning accelerates the development of trial skills in a relatively short period of time. The first day and one-half are devoted to subject matter lectures regarding necessary trial skills that are supported by mentored practicum exercises putting to use the techniques being taught.

The third day consists of a day-long personal injury trial that will unfold under the watchful eyes of retired judges from the Judicial Arbiter Group and before a panel of mock jurors.  Students will be divided into trial teams of three for plaintiff and three for defendant. Each team will divide up tasks among the following: jury voir dire; opening statement; plaintiff direct/cross; plaintiff expert direct/cross; defendant direct/cross; defendant expert direct/cross; and closing argument. Jurors will be given a concise set of instructions and retire for deliberations. Upon rendering their verdict, a moderated debriefing will occur between students and jurors.

This year's academy also includes an instructional block on the use of Trial Director trial presentation software. Technicians from Visual-Advantage will provide classroom training and assist in hands-on assistance during practicum and trial exercises.

Choosing the CDLA Trial Academy for you and your firm provides:
A track record of success in creating confidence in the courtroom

Students who have attended have come away with greater confidence and more sophisticated litigation skills that will benefit them and their firms for the balance of their professional careers.

Instantaneous Return on Investment

In today's environment, it is more important than ever to have experienced and skilled lawyers working for your firm.  The complexity and value of cases have escalated. Your lawyers need to get up to speed quickly.  The CDLA Trial Academy provides faculty demonstrations by lawyers recognized as the best civil defense litigators followed by practice, practice and more practice by students all culminating in a live trial.

Documented Progress

Students are critiqued while conducting mock opening statements, direct and cross examinations of lay and expert witnesses, and closing arguments.  This provides the invaluable opportunity for students to identify their strengths and weaknesses.

Why we are different

Unlike many other trial skills programs, the CDLA Trial Academy offers training provided by faculty lecturers and a group of practicum mentors consisting of the best civil defense lawyers in Colorado. They focus on defense techniques and tactics and teach participants how to think like defense lawyers. Lectures will be presented in teaching blocks as follows: (i) lay witness examinations; (ii) courtroom technology; (iii) expert witness examinations; (iv) oral advocacy: opening statements and closing arguments; and (v) jury voir dire.

List of committed lecture faculty

Tom Rice, Senter Goldfarb & Rice
Rick Murray, Hall & Evans
Kevin Kuhn, Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell
Mike Jones, Hall & Evans
Tina Habas, Keating Wagner Polidori Free

Authentic Experiences

The practicum exercises and trial will be based on a motor vehicle accident fact pattern arising out of an intersection collision between two vehicles, one substantially speeding over the applicable limit and the other without the right of way. The intersection is a rural one not controlled by any traffic control device. The driver of the first vehicle sustained injuries due to the accident and has brought suit against the second driver. Each of the drivers serves as an eyewitness to the collision and each side has retained an accident reconstruction expert to present their respective side of the accident facts as applied to scientific principles. Engineers from Ponderosa Associates Ltd. will serve as expert witnesses providing realism to the exercises.

Tentative Schedule

General Information

Course materials will consist of lecture outlines from each of the speakers and a case file for the motor vehicle accident that is the subject matter for the trial. Case file will include: complaint and answer; traffic accident investigator's report with diagrams showing scene measurements; photographs of accident scene and damaged vehicles; transcripts of recorded statements given by both plaintiff and defendant; documents showing that plaintiff may have been late for work; cell phone records showing that plaintiff may have sent a text message near the time of the accident; ticket from a previous incident wherein defendant was cited for disregarding the stop sign at the same intersection; affidavits from two witnesses who attest that defendant told them that defendant admitted to never stopping at the subject intersection; accident reconstruction reports from plaintiff and defense experts; accident animations from plaintiff and defense experts; and jury instructions and form of verdict. Course materials will be distributed to students at least two weeks before the program commences.

This is an intensive learning experience that is only successful where the students are well-versed in the case file and prepared from hands-on participation from the first afternoon forward. It is expected that students will spend substantial time before the seminar and during the evenings preparing for the next day's exercises.

CLE Credits: Approximately 22 hours (including at least 1 Ethics credit)

Cost: $500 per student, limited to 18 students, space will be held once payment is received.  Deadline for registration is March 31st.  Registration can be found below.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and breaks & happy hour provided.

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To Register for the Webinar, Click Here

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