Trial Notebooks and Exhibits: A Paralegal's Ultimate Guide

Agenda / Content Covered

1. Preparing and Organizing a Winning Trial Notebook (With Sample)
   11:00 — 12:00, Robert Kasieta
   1. Initial Considerations (Steps, Tools, Litigation vs. Chronological, Formatting)
   2. Preparing Key Components: Practical Pointers
      1. Pretrial; Case Summary; Trial Plan/Outline
      2. Pleadings
      3. Discovery
      4. Motions; Orders
      5. Voir Dire/Jury
      6. Opening/Closing Statement Outlines
      7. Witness Section
      8. Exhibit Lists; Exhibit Notebooks
      9. Law/Research
      10. Jury Instructions; Verdict; Other Key Sections
   3. Organizing a Trial Notebook - Tips and Tricks
   4. Color Coding
   5. Cross-Referencing Within the Trial Notebook
   6. Organizing Trial Notebooks for Intensive Cases
2. Electronic Trial Notebooks
   12:15 — 1:15, Robert Kasieta
   1. Traditional vs. Electronic
   2. Using MS OneNote to Create a Trial Notebook
   3. Other Trial Notebook Software: Westlaw, Lexis, iPad Apps, etc.
   4. Coordinating Use With the Court
   5. Automated Organizational Tools
3. Trial Notebook Mistakes Paralegals Need to Avoid
   1:15 — 2:00, Karin Scheehle
   1. Top Oversights
   2. Organizational Pitfalls to Avoid
   3. What Not to Include - Cutting Out the Clutter
   4. Other Common Mistakes to Avoid
   5. Sample Checklists to Avoid Problems
   6. Keeping the Notebook Organized and Troubleshooting During Trial
4. Exhibit Authentication; Ensuring Compliance With Evidentiary Rules and Avoiding Pitfalls
   2:30 — 3:15, Robert Kasieta
   1. Applying Key Rules of Evidence: Examples
   2. Compiling Exhibits: Navigating the Authenticity Minefield
   3. Assisting Attorneys with Top Evidentiary Issues
   4. Paralegal Mistakes That Jeopardize the Admissibility of Exhibits
   5. Admissibility of Digital Exhibits - PowerPoints and More
5. Trial Exhibits: Preparing, Organizing, Maximizing Effectiveness
   3:15 — 4:15, Karin Scheehle
   1. Exhibit Exchanges and Filing
   2. Organizing, Numbering/Labeling, and Managing Exhibits
   3. Preparing Electronic Documents
   4. Graphic Exhibits
   5. Preparing Audio and/or Video
   6. Handling Cumbersome Exhibits
   7. Tips for Maximizing the Effectiveness of Exhibits
   8. Tracking Exhibits During Trial; Troubleshooting Common Issues
6. Presenting Trial Exhibits with PowerPoint and Other Software: Paralegal Tips
   4:30 — 5:00, Robert Kasieta
7. Paralegal Ethics
   5:00 — 6:00, Karin Scheehle
   1. Handling Private/Confidential Information
   2. Avoiding Unauthorized Practice of Law
   3. Ethical Dilemmas: Evidentiary Issues

Accreditation Details:

Robert J Kasieta is the founder of Kasieta Legal Group, LLC, in Madison, Wisconsin. He is a certified civil pretrial and trial specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocates. Mr. Kasieta practices in civil litigation, with an emphasis on plaintiff personal injury and employment cases, as well as commercial litigation. He has written and taught extensively in the areas of trial practice, personal injury law and insurance law, and is an instructor of trial practice at the University of Wisconsin Law School. Mr. Kasieta is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, and all Wisconsin courts. He is a member of the Dane County Bar Association, State Bar of Wisconsin, and the American Association for Justice. Mr. Kasieta earned his B.S. degree, summa cum laude, from Northern Michigan University and his J.D. degree from Marquette University Law School.

Karin M Scheehle is a litigation paralegal for Gallagher & Kennedy in Phoenix, Arizona, working on multi-million dollar personal injury cases. She has more than 30 years of experience working in the legal profession and is an experienced litigation paralegal, law firm administrator, and technology manager. Although the vast majority of her experience has been in litigation, she has also worked in other areas of the law including real estate, corporate, admiralty, and administrative law. Ms. Scheehle has assisted in more than 50 trials in California, Texas and Arizona, including the largest securities trial in Maricopa County where more than 9,000 exhibits were marked and more than 60 witnesses testified. She specializes in technology enhanced case management and electronic trial presentation. Ms. Scheehle received her certified paralegal designation from the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and several advanced certifications in litigation, personal injury, and e-discovery. She has a B.S. degree in management, graduating with honors; and an M.B.A. degree with emphasis in technology management. Ms. Scheehle is a certified case logistics administrator and a certified ediscovery specialist. She has taught numerous seminars both locally and nationally, predominately in the areas of litigation, technology, ethics, case management, and law firm management. Ms. Scheehle has had articles published in both local and national publications. She has also served as a guest lecturer at several legal assistant schools and currently teaches as adjunct faculty in the ABA approved Legal Studies program at Phoenix College in Phoenix, Arizona. Ms. Scheehle served on the Board of Directors of the Arizona Paralegal Association for 15 years and NALA's Board of Directors for 10 years. She also served on NALA's Certifying Board for three years and on the Professional Development Committee for three years (including two years as chair). Ms. Scheehle served on several NALA committees tasked with developing advanced certification courses and is a frequent lecturer for NALA Campus Live and co-presented technology-related seminar tracks at three NALA national conventions.