Product Description

Five intense days of personalized, comprehensive training provide you with fundamental courtroom skills from several venerable judges and experienced practitioners. This intense, rigorous, and challenging Workshop—as many of the state’s best trial lawyers attest—is vital for eager trial attorneys entering practice and for those who want to brush up on their trial skills.

Spend the week “on your feet,” arguing, questioning, and developing your skills in a mock trial setting. From opening statements to closing arguments, direct and cross examinations, expert witnesses, and eyewitnesses, improve your trial techniques under the close scrutiny of trial judges and leading attorneys. Most of your trial performance is videorecorded, so you can watch yourself in action throughout the day and receive constructive feedback from multiple faculty members, including judges. The tips, videos, demonstrations, lectures, and group discussions throughout the Workshop culminate with a full jury trial on the final day. After your performance, you watch a live jury deliberation via closed-circuit TV before the verdict is delivered. This Workshop is your chance to hear what the mock jury thought of your skills, arguments, and courtroom demeanor. Supportive critique continues even after the trial as the presiding judge gives you unique, personalized feedback on your efficacy. You emerge with well-honed trial skills and the ability to face your first—or next—jury trial with confidence.

This Workshop features distinguished trial court judges, expert litigators, and experienced lawyers who share their deep knowledge of trial practice, along with their practical and encouraging critique, as your personal mentors throughout the week. Networking opportunities continue at the closing reception, with both students and faculty attending. You leave this Workshop with a sense of accomplishment along with greater confidence in your new-found trial practice skills.

Registration Notes:

Space is limited and is available on a first come, first served basis. Registration by Wednesday, June 21, 2023 is highly encouraged. Persons who register by that date will be mailed the special Workshop materials. If you wish to register after June 30, please first contact MCLE's Customer Service Department at 617-482-2205.

Cancellations may only be refunded, minus a $100 processing fee if we are able to fill your seat.

You're encouraged to bring one or two volunteer jurors with you to MCLE on the final day of the Workshop; it's a fun learing experience for them as well! Jurors need not be lawyers or law students and no advance preparation is necessary.

This limited-enrollment program is not included in the MCLE OnlinePass.

Agenda & Materials

• Day 1: July 10 - Opening Statements and Direct Examinations
• Hon. Paul A. Chernoff, Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Ret.) , Boston
  Hon. Beverly J. Cannone, Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Boston
  Mary M. Logalbo, Esq., MBTA Legal Department , Boston
  Jay Lynch, III, Esq., Lynch & Lynch, PC , South Easton
  Graham G. Van Epps, Esq., Middlesex District Attorney's Office , Woburn
  Anne S. Yas, Esq., Norfolk District Attorney's Office, Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Canton
  Ellen J. Zucker, Esq., Burns & Levinson LLP , Boston
  
• 8:30am - 9:00am

  Orientation, Introductions, and Video (Judge Hines)

  Hon. Paul A. Chernoff, Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Ret.) , Boston
  Hon. Beverly J. Cannone, Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Boston
  
• 9:00am - 10:00am

  Demonstration of Opening Statement and Discussion

  Ellen J. Zucker, Esq., Burns & Levinson LLP , Boston
  
• 10:00am - 12:45pm

  Opening Statements by Participants
• 12:45pm - 1:45pm

  Lunch (on your own)
• 1:45pm - 2:15pm

  Demonstration of Direct Examination and Discussion

  Mary M. Logalbo, Esq., MBTA Legal Department , Boston
  
• 2:15pm - 5:30pm

  Direct and Cross by Participants
• Day 2: July 11 - Cross Examinations, Re-Directs and The Use of Demonstrative Aids
• Hon. Paul A. Chernoff, Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Ret.) , Boston
  Hon. Beverly J. Cannone, Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Boston
  Joanne M. Daley, Esq., Federal Public Defender Office , Providence
  Richard M. Goldstein, Esq., Husch Blackwell, LLP , Boston
  John P. Graceffa, Esq., Morrison Mahoney LLP , Boston
  Leonard H. Kesten, Esq., Brody, Hardoon, Perkins & Kesten LLP , Boston
  Masai-Maliek King, Esq., State Street , Boston
  Carolyn I. McGowan, Esq., Committee for Public Counsel Services , Malden
  Evan Charles Ouellette, Esq., Northeastern University/Office of University Counsel , Boston
  
• 8:30am - 8:40am

  Introduction and Video (Judge Fishman)
• 8:40am - 9:30am

  Demonstration of Cross-Examination and Re-direct Examination

  Leonard H. Kesten, Esq., Brody, Hardoon, Perkins & Kesten LLP , Boston
  Evan Charles Ouellette, Esq., Northeastern University/Office of University Counsel , Boston
  
• 9:30am - 12:45pm

  Cross and Re-direct Examinations by Participants
• 12:45pm - 1:45pm

  Lunch (on your own)
• 1:45pm - 3:30pm

  Introduction of Exhibits by Participants
• 3:30pm - 4:30pm

  Use of Demonstrative Aids

  Joanne M. Daley, Esq., Federal Public Defender Office , Providence
  
• 4:30pm - 5:30pm

  Introduction of Exhibits by Participants
• Day 3: July 12 - Qualifying and Examining Expert Witnesses
• Hon. Paul A. Chernoff, Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Ret.) , Boston
  Hon. Beverly J. Cannone, Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Boston
  Michael B. Barkley, Esq., Adler, Cohen, Harvey, Wakeman & Guekguezian LLP , Boston
  Clarence H. Brown, Esq., Middlesex Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Woburn
  Sidney Gorovitz, Esq., Goldman & Pease , Needham
  A. Bernard Guekguezian, Esq., Adler Cohen Harvey Wakeman & Guekguczian , Boston
  Nigel W. Long, Esq., Liberty Mutual Insurance Group , Boston
  Christine M. Martin, Esq., MBTA Legal Department , Boston
  Patrick J. Richard, Esq., , Lowell
  Dr. Leslie Shaff, Esq., Attorney and Anesthesiologist , Newton
  Jeremy Silverfine, Esq., Jeremy Silverfine, Attorney at Law , Belmont
  
• 8:30am - 8:40am

  Introduction and Video
• 8:40am - 10:30am

  Demonstration of Medical Malpractice - Direct and Cross Examination

  A. Bernard Guekguezian, Esq., Adler Cohen Harvey Wakeman & Guekguczian , Boston
  Dr. Leslie Shaff, Esq., Attorney and Anesthesiologist , Newton
  
• 10:30am - 11:30am

  Introduction of Exhibits by Participants
• 11:30am - 1:00pm

  Expert Problems by Participants
• 1:00pm - 2:00pm

  Lunch (on your own)
• 2:00pm - 4:30pm

  Expert Problems by Participants (continued)
• 4:30pm - 5:30pm

  Demonstration of Closing Argument

  Clarence H. Brown, Esq., Middlesex Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Woburn
  Sidney Gorovitz, Esq., Goldman & Pease , Needham
  
• Day 4: July 13 - Closing Arguments
• Hon. Paul A. Chernoff, Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Ret.) , Boston
  Hon. Beverly J. Cannone, Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Boston
  Crispin Birnbaum, Esq., Access to Justice Fellow , Watertown
  Jeffrey N. Catalano, Esq., Keches Law Group, PC , Bridgewater
  Robert I. Feinberg, Esq., Feinberg & Alban, PC , Brookline
  Andrew C. Meyer, Jr., Esq., Lubin & Meyer, PC , Boston
  Hon. William F. Sullivan, Suffolk Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Boston
  
• 8:30am - 8:40am

  Introduction and Video
• 8:40am - 12:45pm

  Closing Arguments by Participants (limit 10 min.)
• 12:45pm - 1:45pm

  Lunch (on your own)
• 1:45pm - 2:30pm

  Trial Preparation and Faculty Coaching
• 2:30pm - 3:30pm

  View from the Bench

  Hon. Beverly J. Cannone, Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Boston
  Hon. William F. Sullivan, Suffolk Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Boston
  Hon. Paul D. Wilson, Middlesex Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Ret.)
  
• Day 5: July 14 - Mock Trials
• Hon. Beverly J. Cannone, Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Boston
  Hon. John C. Cratsley, JAMS , Concord
  
• 8:30am - 9:30am

  Jury Orientation and Courtroom Assignments
• 9:30am - 12:30pm

  Morning Trials

  Hon. Beverly J. Cannone, Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Boston
  Hon. John C. Cratsley, JAMS , Concord
  
• 12:30pm - 1:30pm

  Lunch (provided by MCLE, for jurors as well)
• 1:30pm - 4:30pm

  Afternoon Trials

  Hon. Beverly J. Cannone, Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Boston
  Hon. John C. Cratsley, JAMS , Concord
  

Please Note

MCLE webcasts are delivered completely online, underscoring their convenience and appeal. There are no published print materials. All written materials are available electronically only. They are posted 24 hours prior to the program and can be accessed, downloaded, or printed from your computer.

Cochairs

Faculty