In the first part of this blog post, we presented 5 tips from retired family law judge and CEB author Hon. Frederick A. Mandabach to help practitioners best approach family law hearings and trials. Here are 5 more inside tips from the judge. (more…)
Filed under: Family Law, Litigation Strategy, Practice of Law | Tagged: attorneys, child custody, divorce, family court, oral argument, trial | 1 Comment »
In California family law cases, it’s a judge—not a jury—that will decide your case. To help you hone your approach to handling family law hearings and trials, here are the first 5 of 10 inside tips from retired family law judge and CEB author Hon. Frederick A. Mandabach. (more…)
Filed under: Family Law, Legal Topics, Litigation Strategy | Tagged: attorneys, child custody, divorce, family court, oral argument, trial | 3 Comments »
It may seem hard to believe for those scrambling for clients, but there are times when you will need to turn down a case. When you find yourself in that situation, a simple “no, thank you” will not suffice. (more…)
Filed under: Practice of Law, Young Lawyers | Tagged: attorney-client relationship, attorneys, client, conflict of interest, declining representation, disengagement | Leave a Comment »
When it comes to a jury trial, counsel’s persuasiveness depends to a large degree on his or her credibility, i.e., whether counsel seems to be “playing fair” and not trying to hide the facts. Making too many objections can undermine that credibility, because jurors may believe that an attorney who constantly raises objections is trying to keep them from learning the truth by throwing technical roadblocks in the opponent’s path. When making yet another objection risks the ire of the jury, consider these three alternatives.
Filed under: Civil Litigation, Criminal Law, Legal Topics, Litigation Strategy | Tagged: attorneys, jury, Jury trial, leading questions, trial objections | 1 Comment »
A big part of legal representation is identifying and getting key documents from your client. This can sometimes be a bit like pulling teeth, but its critical that you get necessary documents. Here are some helpful guidelines for getting all the documents that you need from your client. (more…)
Filed under: Practice of Law | Tagged: attorney-client relationship, attorneys, client communications, document request, electronic documents, legal documents | Leave a Comment »
Many attorneys have taken to the cloud, but others are hanging back, primarily because of concerns about security and accessibility of their documents. Here are some things you should know before using cloud computing in your law office. (more…)
Filed under: Business, Civil Litigation, Legal Topics, Practice of Law | Tagged: attorneys, cloud computing, cloud computing service providers, legal documents, security | 6 Comments »
The following is from guest blogger Tommy Galan, a former trial attorney and the current Director of Corporate Programming at The Peoples Improv Theater in New York City, where he teaches Improv(ed) Legal Skills, a CLE that shows attorneys how to use the tool of improvisation.
For six years, life has been nothing but eat, sleep and breathe this case. You collect yourself. The first line of your opening statement flows like poetry…and then your mind goes blank. Your face is flush, and your hands clam up. All eyes are on you. What do you do? Improvise. (more…)
Filed under: Litigation Strategy, Practice of Law | Tagged: attorneys, comedy, improv, improvisation, trial practice | 4 Comments »
Law firm and solo attorney websites can be effective ways to reach potential clients, but they also carry risks of ethical violations. To avoid these risks, California attorneys should consider both national and state ethics rules (i.e., Cal Rules of Prof Cond 1-400 and Bus & P C §§6157-6159.2) when designing their websites and corresponding with clients or prospective clients online. (more…)
Filed under: Business, Legal Topics, Practice of Law | Tagged: advertising, attorneys, ethical rules, internet, marketing, website | 1 Comment »
