We're back to holding an in-person Trial Academy! 

September 9–11, 2021
Colorado Defense Lawyers Association

TRIAL ACADEMY

Nominate Lawyers to Participate in the
Colorado Defense Lawyers Association Annual Trial Academy

Practicum organized by
Kurt Henkel, Tucker Holmes
and 
Brendan Powers, Spies Powers & Robinson

SIGN UP NOW—LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE!

CLE CREDIT
Approximately 25 hours, to include at least 1 Ethics credit.  

Cost
$700 Per Participant for a 3 day practicum
Includes breakfast, lunch, and a closing day happy hour

A Three-Day (Thursday, Friday, Saturday)
Investment Providing Invaluable Benefits

A three-day workshop aimed at developing trial practice skills through a combination of lecture, practicum exercises, and a mock trial. The Colorado Defense Lawyers Association Trial Academy offers this trial advocacy program of exceptional quality, at a very reasonable cost, in a convenient 2 work day and one Saturday trial format held locally in Denver. 

This intensive program blends small group faculty (3:1 student to mentor) instruction and demonstration with individual student implementation drills. The two days is devoted to on point lectures by some of CDLA’s most experienced trial attorneys, followed by mentored practicum exercises. This practicum format has proven successful in development of trial presentation skills in a relatively short period of time.  Some preparation time is also reserved for the end of each day.

The third and final day of Trial Academy consists of the attendees’ trial of a bad faith breach of contract/delay or denial case. Trial Academy attendees will be divided into three trial teams, Plaintiff and Defendant. Advocacy skills will be honed through use of facts and exhibits that are helpful and harmful to each party.  This year’s problem will also afford participants practice in direct and cross examination of lay and expert witnesses. The trials will be overseen by real judges, and decided by a panel of mock jurors. A moderated debriefing will occur between the judges, the participants and the mock jurors following the verdict. 

List of Faculty and Mentors Currently Committed:

Kevin Amatuzio, Montgomery | Amatuzio | Chase | Bell | Jones 

Frank Patterson, Patterson & Ripplinger

June Baker Laird, McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter

Rebecca Wagner, Campbell, Wagner, Frazier & Dvorchak

Sophia Tsai, Morgan Rider Riter Tsai

Muliha Khan, Zupkus & Angell

Kristin Dvorchak, Campbell, Wagner, Frazier & Dvorchak

Dylan Lewis, American Family Insurance

Meredith McDonald, Hall & Evans

Jon Sands, Sweetbaum Sands Anderson

Adam Goldstein, White and Steele

List of Judges committed:

The Honorable Russell Carparelli,
former Court of Appeals, Mediator AB Conflict Resolution Services

The Honorable John Madden,
former Denver District Court Judge, Mediator at JAMS

The Honorable Robert McGahey,
former Denver District Court Judge, Mediator at JAMS

CLE Credit: Approximately 25 hours, to include at least 1 Ethics credit.  

Cost: $700 per participant. Space will be reserved once payment is received by CDLA.  Tuition includes breakfast, lunch and snacks each day, and a closing happy hour on Saturday after trial. 

Space is limited to 18 participants.
Register now as these spaces will fill up quickly!

Register Now!

Refund and cancellation policy: A registrant for a CDLA event will be entitled to receive a refund in the amount of 50% of the registration fee if the request is received more than 14 days prior to the scheduled date of the event. Thereafter, no refunds will be provided, but the registrant may substitute another person to participate in the event.