All About Litigation

Insights and perspectives on best practices at trial and pitfalls to avoid in the courtroom

Thursday, Sept. 14 | 2 - 2:50 p.m.

1.0 MCLE

Moderator: Hon. William L. Syler Jr., 32nd Judicial Circuit Court (retired), Cape Girardeau

Presented by: Hon. Julia M. Koester, 32nd Judicial Circuit Court, Jackson: Hon. Mary F. Weir, 16th Judicial Circuit Court, Kansas City; Hon. J. Dale Youngs, 16th Judicial Circuit Court, Kansas City; Hon. Jerri J. Zhang, 16th Judicial Circuit Court, Kansas City

This program will be a question and answer session for trial judges. Attendees will take away the following:
1. Specific ways they can ensure they will have the best chance of success in court, whether it is in trial, in motion practice, or in just interacting with the court and its staff;
2. Identification of common pitfalls that can compromise their chances of success in court and ways to avoid them; and
3. Understanding of practice tips that may be unique to the 16th Judicial Circuit Court.


Appellate advocacy: Tips and strategies for effective brief writing and oral argument

Thursday, Sept. 14 | 3:10 - 4 p.m.

1.0 MCLE

Moderator: Erwin O. Switzer, Greensfelder, St. Louis

Presented by: Hon. Mary R. Russell, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri, Jefferson City; Hon. Mary W. Sheffield, Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, Springfield; Hon. Gary D. Witt, Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, Kansas City; Hon. Philip M. Hess, Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, St. Louis

Attendees participating in this session will:
1. Learn what judges want to see from lawyers in appeals;
2. Learn what judges don't want to see in briefs or at oral argument;
3. Learn how to write a better brief and effectively argue; 
4. Learn about the inner workings of the Court of Appeals; and 
5. Ask questions of judges from every state appellate court in Missouri.


Ethics in mediation

Thursday, Sept. 14 | 4:20 - 5:10 p.m.

1.0 MCLE (Qualifies for 1.0 ethics)

Presented by: Hon. Victor C. Howard, Jay Daugherty Mediation & Arbitration, Kansas City; Nancy E. Kenner, Jay Daugherty Mediation & Arbitration, Kansas City

Over 98% of civil cases are settled before trial. A large portion of those are settled in mediation. This CLE will explore and explain some of the ethical pitfalls that can be encountered in a mediation. Learn best practices and tips on how to avoid ethical violations.


Remote public access to Case.net: Redaction updates, requirements, and standards

Friday, Sept. 15 | 9 - 9:50 a.m.

1.0 MCLE

Presented by: Hon. Jeffrey W. Bates, Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, Springfield; Hon. Deborah Daniels, 13th Judicial Circuit Court (retired), Columbia

This presentation will address the who, what, and how of document redaction for attorneys. The three learning objectives for this program are: (1) identifying new Supreme Court rules that govern redaction; (2) reviewing the types of confidential information that must be redacted; and (3) explaining the process for submitting unredacted information for use by the court and opposing counsel.


Ethics unveiled: Navigating social media in the legal realm

Friday, Sept. 15 | 10:10 - 11 a.m.

1.0 MCLE (Qualifies for 1.0 ethics)

Presented by: Dean Emerita and Professor Barbara Glesner Fines, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, Kansas City

Attorneys have a duty of competence that includes the ability to identify key evidence in their clients' matters, including understanding the world of social media. At the same time, the social duties of fairness to third parties and compliance with substantive and procedural law limits the use of social media. This presentation will explore this tension.


From facts to fiction: The art of storytelling in legal persuasion

Friday, Sept. 15 | 11:20 a.m. - 12:10 p.m.

1.0 MCLE

Presented by: Stephen M. Gorny, Gorny Dandurand LC, Kansas City; Dawn M. Parsons, Shaffer Lombardo Shurin, Kansas City