9 09, 2017

THE REAL DREAM TEAM: DAVID BOIES & TED OLSON

By |September 9th, 2017|Uncategorized|18 Comments

  When the two adversary lawyers in the Bush v. Gore case, David Boies and Theodore Olson, teamed up to challenge California’s Proposition 8 in a federal lawsuit, they created the TRUE LEGAL DREAM TEAM. They also proved to be exceptionally fine co-authors when they recounted their pretrial preparation, trial and appellate experiences in their [...]

5 08, 2017

ANATOMY OF LINCOLN’S MURDER TRIALS

By |August 5th, 2017|Uncategorized|13 Comments

George (Bob) Dekle’s book entitled Prairie Defender: The Murder Trials of Abraham Lincoln provides a brilliant anatomy of Lincoln’s murder trials. It is a great read on multiple levels. First, it reveals the true nature of Lincoln’s trial practice, debunking myths with solid evidence and providing an accurate description of his trial work. For instance, [...]

16 05, 2017

TO BE A TRIAL LAWYER

By |May 16th, 2017|Uncategorized|20 Comments

It is important to get law students out of the classroom and have them watch the real lives of trial lawyers. For my Comprehensive Trial Advocacy course, Seattle University law students attend a day in trial and report on what they observed. Consistently they praise this courthouse visit. It is satisfying to read the students’ [...]

17 01, 2017

COURT REPORTERS: MAKING A RECORD

By |January 17th, 2017|Communication, Court Reporters, Depositions, Making a Record, Transcripts|18 Comments

  We just finished a three-day intersession course entitled Essential Lawyering Skills at Seattle University Law School that focuses on professional communication, and a major component of the course deals with depositions. The law students read, receive a lecture on and discuss how to take and defend a deposition. As part of the instruction, Lori [...]

26 12, 2016

NEW LINDBERGH KIDNAPPING CASE BOOK AND CROSS-EXAMINATION

By |December 26th, 2016|Uncategorized|13 Comments

Talbot Publishing recently released my co-author Bob Dekle’s book entitled Lindbergh Kidnapping Case: A Critical Analysis of the Trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann. Although the Lindbergh kidnapping case has been written about innumerable times, never before has the trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann been meticulously researched and analyzed. Bob and his co-author Jim Dedman have [...]

15 07, 2015

MEDIATION PREPARATION CHECKLIST

By |July 15th, 2015|ADR, Judge Terry Lukens, Mediation|7 Comments

  Judge Terry Lukens (Ret. King County Superior Court and pictured here) is a mediator and arbitrator with JAMS. He provides those with whom he will serve as the mediator with this Mediation Preparation Checklist, which you may find useful along with the checklist provided in Pretrial Advocacy 4th Edition: Mediation Preparation Checklist Judge Terry [...]

12 04, 2015

COURTROOM ATTIRE FOR WOMEN

By |April 12th, 2015|Blog, Courtroom Lessons, Pretrial Tips, Trial Advocacy, Trial Tips|57 Comments

This is a subject about which I’m totally unqualified to render an opinion. I’m perfectly comfortable discussing a man’s trial uniform. A man’s trial proper courtroom attire normally is a dark suit, white or blue shirt, a tie that may have a pattern but not a loud one, brown or black shoes coordinated with the [...]

3 04, 2015

SHOOTING IN A TAVERN ON A SATURDAY NIGHT

By |April 3rd, 2015|Blog, Pretrial Tips, Trial Advocacy, Trial Advocacy: Assignments and Case Files, Trial Tips|9 Comments

Today’s headline in the local newspaper is “Jury awards $3.7M to estate of Munchbar shooting victim.” The newspaper account describes how a jury awarded the estate of the deceased $3.5 million with the tavern being held responsible for 75% and other participants in a fight leading up to the shooting being responsible for the remaining 25%.  The shooter [...]

27 03, 2015

DAVID BOIES ADVICE TO TRIAL LAWYERS

By |March 27th, 2015|Blog, David Boies, Pretrial Tips, Trial Advocacy, Uncategorized|10 Comments

  David Boies is America’s preeminent trial lawyer. His successes include cases, such as that against California’s Proposition 8 and the Microsoft antitrust case. In an interview with Katrina Dewey for Lawdragon,  he described his belief that it was an honor to make a living and a difference practicing law: “I’ve always believed that one [...]

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