Trial Run's trial advocacy training programs draw on the best of both worlds: our team's vast litigation expertise and our experience in trial advocacy training in law schools, private law practices, corporations and other settings around the world.

Trial Run addresses the skills, topics and tactics most valuable to today's trial advocates, in a variety of formats flexible enough to meet your needs or timetables. Clients can choose among many formats, including learn-by-doing, interactive presentation or traditional lecture. Depending on the nature of the material being covered, training can take place in one day or over an extended period. We will come to you — minimizing lost billing time and travel expenses — or we can hold programs in a neutral, third-party location.

Whether you want to sharpen general trial advocacy skills or conduct an in-depth examination of a single topic or issue, Trial Run's training programs combine the substance, style and versatility that make them entertaining, efficient and effective.

Training topics we cover include:

• Basic and advanced trial advocacy
• Evidentiary foundation
• Direct and cross examination
• Exhibits, impeachment and rehabilitation
• Case analysis, theory and theme selection
• Opening statements and closing arguments
• Ethics for trial attorneys and in-house counsel
• Problems in counseling for in-house lawyers
• Deposition skills
• Basic and advanced expert witness
• Persuasion and the elements of advocacy
• Arguments to trial and appellate courts
• Bench and administrative trials
• Theatre skills in the courtroom
• In-house teacher training
• Programs for summer associates
• Negotiation skills
• Mediation advocacy
• Interviewing, fact investigation and active listening
• Witness preparation
• Motions practice
• Mentoring skills
• Gender in Advocacy: Recognizing and Responding to the Subtle (and Not So Subtle) Gender Issues That Affect the Outcome of Trials
• Training the Woman Advocate
• Handling Exhibits
• Intensive One- or Half-day bench trial, which includes: demonstration, lecture and one-on-one consulting with participating lawyers.
• Eight Steps to Powerful Advocacy: An Overview of Trial Skills

All of the Training Programs can be tailored to interactive lecture format, learn-by-doing format, or a combination of teaching formats. In addition, 1-1/2 hour workshops are available as Lunch/Dinner Lectures. These are appropriate for the entire firm, and involve one presenter (Trial Run faculty member) with as large an audience as you choose.

Trial Run now offers training about contract drafting, to both transactional and litigation attorneys. Each agenda is customized to the needs of the particular client. Trial Run Principal Susan Irion teaches this topic and also collaborates with Charles M. Fox of Fox Professional Development, LLC.

Current classes include:

Basic Contract Drafting: For junior to mid-level transactional attorneys, this half or full-day workshop includes lecture and interactive exercises on: the building-block terms, avoiding ambiguity and enhancing clarity, overall organization, definitions, modifiers, miscellaneous or “boilerplate” terms, and more.

Contract Skills for Litigators: This class is for mid- to senior-level litigation associates.  Litigators taking this class will:

1. understand the content of contracts at a deeper level;
2. gain insight into the process and strategy of transactional deals;
3. learn to draft litigation-related contracts more effectively; and
4. be able to litigate breach of contract cases from a greater knowledge base about deals.

Trial Run offers this class in collaboration with our joint venture partner, Charles M. Fox of Fox Professional Development, LLC.