Breakthroughs, Insights and Strategic Thinking in Trial Practice
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Trial Masters: Breakthroughs, Insights and Strategic Thinking in Trial Practice October 17, 2017 Hilton Garden Inn, Freeport CLE Credits: 5.0, including 1.0 ethics This program has been approved for practice and procedure credit under Maine’s reciprocal admission rule. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maine State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Disclaimer This CLE material is presented for educational purposes only. It is not and does not take the place of legal advice in any specific situation nor is it offered as such by the authors, speakers, the Maine State Bar Association (MSBA), or the MSBA CLE Committee. The material is intended to be timely as of the date written and/or originally presented. Due to the rapidly changing nature of the law, information contained in these materials or presented by the speakers may become outdated. It is the responsibility of any individual using or relying on these materials to confirm their timeliness. Finally, these materials are not intended to establish practice standards or standards of care applicable to an attorney’s performance. ©2017 Maine State Bar Association All Rights Reserved SCHEDULE AND FACULTY SCHEDULE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8:15 REGISTRATION 8:50 WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS Benjamin R. Gideon, Esq., Berman & Simmons PA, Lewiston 9:00 SUMMARY JUDGMENT ALERT: HOW TO LOSE A CASE WITH A STATEMENT OF MATERIAL FACTS (AND HOW NOT TO) Nolan Reichl, Esq., Pierce Atwood LLP, Portland 9:30 ART OF THE OPENING: WHAT TRIAL LAWYERS CAN LEARN FROM THEIR CLIENTS Karen Frink Wolf, Esq., Verrill Dana LLP, Portland 10:00 BREAK 10:15 THE POWER OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION: DON’T JUST TELL THE STORY—SHOW THE STORY Benjamin R. Gideon, Esq., Berman & Simmons PA, Lewiston 10:45 CONFRONTING COMMON JUROR MYTHS: INSURANCE, COLLATERAL SOURCES, AND OTHERS Hon. M. Michaela Murphy, Capital Judicial Center, Augusta 11:15 THE HUMAN ELEMENT OF TRIAL WORK, OR EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT BEING A TRIAL LAWYER I LEARNED AT SUMMER CAMP Daniel Rapaport, Esq., PretiFlaherty, Portland 11:45 LUNCH (INCLUDED) 12:30 YOU DON’T GET BONUS POINTS FOR REPETITION: HOW TO EFFECTIVELY ARGUE PRE-TRIAL MOTIONS Jennifer A.W. Rush, Esq., Norman Hanson & DeTroy LLC, Portland 1:00 CASE DEVELOPMENT: FINDING THE CORE TRUTH AT THE HEART OF EVERY CASE Travis M. Brennan, Esq., Berman & Simmons PA, Lewiston 1:30 BREAKING WITH CONVENTIONAL WISDOM OF CLOSINGS: DON’TS THAT WORK AND DO’S THAT DON’T Melissa A. Hewey, Esq., Drummond Woodsum, Portland 2:00 ETHICAL ISSUES CONFRONTING ATTORNEYS IN MODERN AMERICA: SOCIAL MEDIA AND BEYOND • Social Media • Client-related matters • Juror-related matters • Judicial Contact • Communication with unrepresented persons—criminal and civil • Personal opinions in opening and closing statements • Taping phone calls • Representing clients in the marijuana business Hon. Joseph M. Jabar, Capital Judicial Center, Augusta 3:00 PROGRAM ADJOURNS 3:30 - 4:30 NETWORKING RECEPTION Join your colleagues after the program for a networking reception at Benjamin Gideon’s home at 37 South Freeport Rd. Mr. Gideon’s home is approximately five minutes from the Hilton Garden Inn. TABLE OF CONTENTS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHAPTER ONE: SUMMARY JUDGMENT ALERT: HOW TO LOSE A CASE WITH A STATEMENT OF MATERIAL FACTS (AND HOW NOT TO) Powerpoint Presentation .......................................................................................................................... 1-2 Note Pages ............................................................................................................................................. 1-10 Nolan Reichl, Esq. CHAPTER TWO: SUMMARY JUDGMENT ALERT: HOW TO LOSE A CASE WITH A STATEMENT OF MATERIAL FACTS (AND HOW NOT TO) Overview .................................................................................................................................................. 2-1 Powerpoint Presentation .......................................................................................................................... 2-2 Note Pages ............................................................................................................................................... 2-7 Karen Frink Wolf, Esq. CHAPTER THREE: THE POWER OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION: DON’T JUST TELL THE STORY—SHOW THE STORY No written materials for this chapter. Note Pages ............................................................................................................................................... 3-2 Benjamin R. Gideon, Esq. CHAPTER FOUR: CONFRONTING COMMON JUROR MYTHS: INSURANCE, COLLATERAL SOURCES, AND OTHER Reinvigorating and Enhancing Jury Trials Through and Overdue Juror Bill of Rights: A Federal Trial Judge’s View .................................................................................................................................... 4-2 A Fresh Look at Jurors Questioning Witnesses: A Review of Eighth Circuit and Iowa Appellate Precedents and an Empirical Analysis of Federal and State Trial Judges and Trial Lawyers ................ 4-46 Unraveling the Gordian Knot of Implicit Bias in Jury Selection: The Problems of Judge-Dominated Voir Dire, the Failed Promise of Batson, and Proposed Solutions ......................................................... 4-95 Note Pages ........................................................................................................................................... 4-119 Hon. M. Michaela Murphy CHAPTER FIVE: THE HUMAN ELEMENT OF TRIAL WORK, OR EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT BEING A TRIAL LAWYER I LEARNED AT SUMMER CAMP No written materials for this chapter. Note Pages ............................................................................................................................................... 5-2 Daniel Rapaport, Esq. CHAPTER SIX: YOU DON’T GET BONUS POINTS FOR REPETITION: HOW TO EFFECTIVELY ARGUE PRE-TRIAL MOTIONS Powerpoint Presentation .......................................................................................................................... 6-2 Note Pages ............................................................................................................................................... 6-8 Jennifer A.W. Rush, Esq. CHAPTER SEVEN: CASE DEVELOPMENT: FINDING THE CORE TRUTH AT THE HEART OF EVERY CASE Core Truths Overview ............................................................................................................................... 7-1 Core Truths: Lessons Learned in the Blueberry Fields Down East .......................................................... 7-2 Note Pages ............................................................................................................................................... 7-4 Travis M. Brennan, Esq. CHAPTER EIGHT: CLOSING ARGUMENTS: DON’TS THAT WORK AND DO’S THAT DON’T Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 8-1 The Speaker ............................................................................................................................................. 8-1 The Audience ........................................................................................................................................... 8-2 The Message ............................................................................................................................................ 8-3 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................ 8-3 Note Pages ............................................................................................................................................... 8-4 Melissa A. Hewey, Esq. CHAPTER NINE: ETHICAL ISSUES CONFRONTING ATTORNEYS IN MODERN AMERICA: SOCIAL MEDIA AND BEYOND No written materials for this chapter. Note Pages ............................................................................................................................................... 9-2 Hon. Joseph M. Jabar RED = OK’D FACULTY BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION BIOGRAPHICAL FACULTY -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Travis M. Brennan, Esq. Attorney Brennan practices at the firm of Berman & Simmons. He received his undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College and his law degree from the University of Maine School of Law. Following law school, Travis clerked for Judge Jon D. Levy on the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. Travis’ practice focuses on handling cases involving medical malpractice, personal injury, and defective products. He has represented clients with complex medical malpractice claims involving surgical errors, misdiagnosis, and delayed diagnosis, as well as serious personal injury claims involving motor vehicle collisions. He recently prevailed in court on behalf of a farm worker who nearly died from working conditions that caused him to develop a core body temperature of 108. The verdict exceeded $729,000. Benjamin R. Gideon, Esq. Attorney Gideon is a partner in the trial law firm of Berman & Simmons. He is a graduate of The Yale Law School and a former law clerk to the Honorable Kermit V. Lipez, U.S.