NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA (January 29, 2025) – The American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) invites trial lawyers to participate in its highly anticipated sixth Trial Advocacy Program, to be held in New York City on June 6-8, 2025 in the Manhattan offices of Weil Gotshal. Prior programs, each capped at 50 participants, have generated a waiting list of qualified applicants.
ACTL Trial Advocacy Programs
The College has long been committed to excellence, ethics, and equity in trial practice, including increasing the ranks of talented, accomplished and diverse trial lawyers. Through this program, the College expands its commitment by helping to develop the next generation of excellent trial advocates.
The program is open to all litigating attorneys who believe they would benefit from the opportunity and the experience; we do not turn anyone away. We strongly encourage attorneys who have a public interest trial focus, whether civil, criminal, or administrative, to attend; lawyers from private practice firms are equally welcome. “Our society is diverse. Our courtrooms are diverse. We believe the talented lawyers trying cases should better mirror the diversity in our courtrooms,” said ACTL Teaching of Trial and Appellate Advocacy Committee Chair Thomas J. Heiden of Latham & Watkins LLP (Chicago, IL). “We are looking to help equip the broadest and most diverse participants, whether by individual background, type of practice or geography. The emergence of a broader group of talented trial lawyers will benefit clients and our system of justice in general. We are delighted with the enthusiasm and talent of the participating lawyers and we will work to bring even more talented advocates of excellence into our courtrooms.”
After the first ACTL Trial Advocacy Program was enthusiastically endorsed by prior participants, faculty, and legal media, there was a universal plea that this program be continued as an annual event. “As a first-generation college student and new lawyer, your training was invaluable for my career,” said one participant.
According to a report by Ross Todd at AmLaw Litigation Daily: “After we heard rave reviews from faculty and participants, we offered up a pat on the back to organizers for pressing on through four COVID-related postponements to make the weekend program happen. But we also gave them a nudge to urge that the weekend not be a one-off.”
Since that time, four more programs have taken place: May 2023 (Chicago), October 2023 (Chicago), May 2024 (Toronto), August 2024 (Chicago). This will be the first College sponsored Trial Advocacy Program to be held in New York City.
The response to these subsequent programs has been even greater. One participant said, “This is the best training I ever received; this has changed my life.” According to one faculty member, “The participants were very engaged and worked so hard. You could almost see them soaking up strategies and tactics, and they continued to get better and better throughout my time with them.”
Each event is organized by the ACTL Teaching of Trial and Appellate Advocacy Committee and hosted by a sponsoring law firm. ACTL Fellows will serve as volunteer faculty. You can help ensure the continued success of this program by nominating litigators and trial lawyers whom you believe would benefit from this opportunity. There is no tuition charge for the program, which will again be limited to 50 attendees; place will be reserved in the order of registration.
Please contact Tom Heiden (thomas.heiden@retiredpartner.lw.com) with questions. To nominate a lawyer or for direct registration, please contact Teresa Grogan (Teresa.grogan@weil.com) or Meredith Moore (Meredith.moore@weil.com)
To read the full press release, click here.
Topic
- Special Programs
- Trial Advocacy
Audience Type
- Fellows
- General Public
- Lawyers
- Media/Press
Post Type
- News
- Press Release
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