CBA Trial Academy (6/1/23 and 6/2/23)

  • Registration Closed

Join us for the CBA Trial Academy -- an intensive, 2-day skills training course for attorneys of all experience levels. Participants will be provided with two problems and a series of training videos to prepare in advance of the live program. On Day 1, the CBA’s experienced faculty members will discuss and conduct demonstrations of the following components of trial: Opening Statement, Direct Examination, Cross Examination, Closing Argument, and Trial Preparation. Participants will then break into small groups and each participant will conduct an actual Opening, Direct, etc. using materials provided in advance. Faculty members will provide each participant with feedback, tips, strategies and suggestions. On Day 2, participants will break into small groups to conduct a simulation of a bench trial.

Program led by Judge Thomas R. Mulroy (ret.), Resolute Systems

Coaches/Faculty:

Michael Alkaraki, Partner, Leahy Hoste Alkaraki
Margaret Mendenhall Casey, Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Chicago 
Maurice Grant, Principal Attorney, Grant Law
Alexander Memmen, The Memmen Law Firm 
Alan Nicgorski, Managing Partner, Hansen Reynolds 
Matthew Passen, Partner, Passen & Powell
John Sciaccotta, Member, Aronberg Goldgehn
Michael Shapiro, Shareholder, Tomlinson & Shapiro
Claire Whitehead, Associate, Reed Smith

When: June 1, 2023, 1:00-5:30 pm and June 2, 2023, 1:00-3:30 pm

Where: Chicago Bar Association, 321 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago, IL 60605

Cost: $150 CBA CLE Advantage Plan Member & Law Student/$200 Member/$350 Nonmember

Credit: 8.0 IL PR MCLE Credit


To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

Key:

Complete
Failed
Available
Locked
CBA Trial Academy (In-Person on 6/1/2023)
06-01-2023 at 1:00 PM (CDT)   |  4 hours, 30 minutes  |  Attendance Required
06-01-2023 at 1:00 PM (CDT)   |  4 hours, 30 minutes  |  Attendance Required
CBA Trial Academy (In Person on 6/2/2023)
06-02-2023 at 1:00 PM (CDT)   |  150 minutes  |  Attendance Required
06-02-2023 at 1:00 PM (CDT)   |  150 minutes  |  Attendance Required
CBA Trial Academy - Introduction
Open to view video.
Open to view video. Judge Thomas R. Mulroy (ret.) of Resolute Systems provides an introduction of what to expect during the CBA's Trial Academy program.
CBA Trial Academy - The Opening Statement
Open to view video.
Open to view video. Matthew Passen of Passen & Powell discusses how to give an opening statement.
CBA Trial Academy - Direct Examination
Open to view video.
Open to view video. Michael Alkaraki of Leahy Hoste Alkaraki explains how to conduct an effective direct examination.
CBA Trial Academy - Cross Examination
Open to view video.
Open to view video. Timothy Tomasik of Tomasik, Kotin Kasserman, LLC discusses how to give an effective cross examination.
CBA Trial Academy - The Closing Argument
Open to view video.
Open to view video. Claire Whitehead of Swanson, Martin & Bell discusses how to deliver an effective closing argument.
Evaluation (8 speakers)
14 Questions
14 Questions Seminar evaluation form
Claim CLE Certificate (On Demand Webcast, 1.25 IL PR MCLE Credit)
Up to 1.25 CLE credits available  |  Certificate available
Up to 1.25 CLE credits available  |  Certificate available