Advanced Trial Advocacy School

This event is currently SOLD OUT.

Contact Lily Soper to be placed on a waitlist.

Click Here to Register for the Advanced Trial Advocacy School

Overview

Prepare to step into the court room with confidence. The Advanced Trial Advocacy Program sharpens your trial skills. It provides an immersive, hands-on learning environment with opportunities to practice and perfect skills based on guidance from experienced and well-respected Montana judges, trial lawyers, and communications experts. This program is designed for attorneys who are in the first five years of their practice.

The Alexander Blewett III School of Law has applied for continuing legal education credits with the Montana CLE Commission.

Scholarship Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors.

AMERICAN BOARD OF TRIAL ADVOCATES
FOUNDATION OF AMERICAN COLLEGE OF TRIAL LAWYERS

The generosity of our sponsors makes it possible to provide scholarships for attorneys registering for the Advanced Trial Advocacy Program. If you have need of a scholarship, complete the scholarship form and submit it to the ATA Scholarship Committee by emailing Hannah.Singleton@umontana.edu.

MONTANA JUSTICE FOUNDATION will provide grants to attend the Advanced Trial Advocacy Program. To apply for a grant from the Montana Justice Foundation contact the Foundation directly by accessing the grant application at https://www.mtjustice.org/grantsinformation or contacting Montana Justice Foundation at (406) 523-3920 or mjf@mtjustice.org.

Click Here to Register for the Advanced Trial Advocacy School

Registration

Here is the Link to Register on Eventbrite

Seating is limited & early registration is encouraged.

Early bird registration ends Monday, April 21: $1,650 No refunds after April 20, 2024. Substitutions welcome.

Late registration ends Monday, May 13: $1,950 No refunds. Substitutions welcome.

Optional: Reservation for Dorm Housing - Nonrefundable after April 21 - 6 Nights for $200

Room links will be available soon.

Housing

Dorm Housing

University dormitory housing is available for a cost of $200 beginning Monday, May 20 with checkout on Friday, May 24, 2024. Reservation is nonrefundable after April 29. To register, click here and email Lily.Soper@mso.umt.edu to request dormitory housing.

Hotel Block

We have rooms available at the Days Inn and Suites by Wyndham.

Rate	USD $111.78
Tax	Lodging Tax 8%: USD $35.77 City Tourism Assessment $2: USD $8.00
Total for Stay	USD $490.87

Name: Block Advanced Trial Advocacy Program

Confirmation Number: 90730EE017723

Hotel Information:
Days Inn and Suites by Wyndham Downtown Missoula-University
744 E Broadway St
Missoula Montana
United States
406-5495134
Days Inn Website

Monday, May 20

8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.	Opening Convocation and Introductions - Hon. Karen Townsend
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.	Trial Practice and Ethics from an Appellate Perspective: Comment and Descussion - Hon. Anthony Johnstone Workshop and Reflection on Trial Practice and Ethics - Participants Workshop
10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.	BREAK
10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Case Analysis - "How do I try this case?" -Ronald H. Clark
11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.	Effective Jury Selection Techniques - Ashley Whipple
12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.	LUNCH
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.	Jury Selection Demonstration - Mike Lamb, Ashley Whipple with Hon. Jason Marks, presiding
3:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.	BREAK
3:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.	Jury Selection Workshop - Participants conduct voir dire

Tuesday, May 21

8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.	Courtroom Communications - Samuel Boerbroom, Ph.D., Melinda R. Aley, M.S., Melinda C. Tilton, M.A.
9:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.	BREAK
9:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.	Approach Point cross Examination - Ronald H. Clark
11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.	Basic Trial Skills/Deposition Skills - Trial Faculty
12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.	LUNCH
1:30 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.	Opening Statement demonstration - Meghann Paddock, Jill Laslovich with Hon. Mike Menahan, presiding
3:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	BREAK
3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.	Opening Statement Workshop - Participants conduct opening statements

Wednesday, May 22

8:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.	Direct & Cross Workshop - Participants conduct direct/cross of Kevin McCarthy
10:15 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.	BREAK
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.	The Visual Trial - Ronald H. Clark
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.	LUNCH
1:30 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.	Direct & Cross Workshop - Participants switch, conduct direct/ross of Kerry Eblem
3:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.	BREAK
3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.	Direct & Cross Workshop - Participants conduct direct/cross of Terry Townsend

Thursday, May 23

8:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.	Demonstration Direct & Cross Examination of Accident Reconstruction Expert - Randy Cox on Direct; Ryan Weldon on Cross with Hon. Kathleen "Katie" Desoto presiding
9:45 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.	BREAK
10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.	Making and Meeting Objections - Ronald H. Clark
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.	Workshop Direct & Cross of Expert - Participants conduct direct/cross of Jerry Gleason
12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.	LUNCH
1:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.	Workshop Direct & Cross of Expert - Participants switch direct/cross of Jerry Gleason
3:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.	BREAK
3:15 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.	Closing Arguments Demonstration - Mike Lamb, Randy Cox, with Hon. Mike Menahan, presiding

Friday, May 24

8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Closing Argument Workshop - Participants conduct closing arguments
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.	Reception and Certificates - Presented by Hon. Karen S. Townsend

Program Directors

Karen Townsend, 4th Judicial District (Ret.), Missoula County
Cynthia Ford, Missoula Montana
Tasha P. Jones, Missoula, Montana

Presenters

Ronald H. Clark, Distinguished Practitioner in Residence, Seattle University
Anthony Johnstone, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Judges

Kathleen L. “Katie” DeSoto, United States District Court, District of Montana
Jason Marks, 4th Judicial District, Missoula County
Mike Menahan, 1st Judicial District, Broadwater & Lewis and Clark Counties

Trial Attorneys

The trial faculty includes civil plaintiff and defense attorneys and criminal prosecution and defense attorneys.

Randy J. Cox, Missoula, Montana
Michael F. Lamb, Helena, Montana
Jill Laslovich, Helena, Montana
Meghann F Paddock, Missoula, Montana
Ryan G. Weldon, Missoula, Montana
Ashely Whipple, Bozeman, Montana

Communications Faculty

Melinda Aley, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor, Montana State University - Billings

Melinda Aley, Ph.D. is an assistant professor for the Department of Communication at Montana State University Billings. She teaches courses in public speaking and organizational communication. She regularly presents at the Western States Communication Association, the National Communication Association, and the International Communication Association. Her areas of experience include the career decision-making process of emerging adults and the influence of socializing messages on identity development.

Samuel Boerboom - Professor, Montana State University - Billings

Samuel Boerboom, Ph.D. is Professor and Chair for the Department of Communication, Montana State University Billings. Faculty member and coordinator, SPEAK2compete Summer Speech Institute. Regular presenter at the National Communication Association, Western States Communication Association, and Rhetorical Society of America conventions. Areas of expertise include public advocacy, rhetoric and public affairs, political communication, ethics, and mass/social media and coalition-building.

Melinda Tilton, Lecturer, Montana State University - Billings

Melinda Tilton, M.A., Senior University Lecturer, Department of Communication (1990-present), and Chair of the General Education Committee, Montana State University Billings. Communication Consultant/Trainer for the Western College of Auctioneering, and Riverstone Health Hospice. Areas of expertise include public speaking, group dynamics, interpersonal and intercultural communication. Founding faculty member (1985), and recipient of the University of Montana, Advanced Trial Advocacy Distinguished Faculty Award, 1999, 2001.

Save the Date

The 2024 Advanced Trial Advocacy School will be held at the Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana from May 20-24, 2024.

More information will be available on this page soon.