Basic Lawyering Skills Training: Coming to Orlando!
Grounded in the rich history, culture and values of legal aid, our Basic Lawyering Skills training (BLaST) is the perfect first skill training for a legal aid lawyer. You'll learn and practice interviewing skills, client counseling, negotiation, legal analysis, case planning and development, motion practice and trial skills, all in a friendly, supportive, low pressure environment with expert feedback and critique. While centered around core advocacy skills, the course also recognizes the importance of ongoing professional development - giving you the opportunity to plan your own professional development goals and approach in the context of the particular challenges that legal aid practice presents. Our learning presentations will be taught by seasoned practitioners from both inside and outside the Florida legal aid community. Each will be highly able and eager to impart what they have to share. Presentations, problem solving exercises, case study illustrations, paired negotiations, simulated motion hearings and the like all play their role too in making BLaST a memorable and transformative training event.
"BLaST was an invaluable experience... I was able to apply the principles I've learned in a very practical setting... I appreciated the dedication of our group of trainers and the honest feedback I was given during our exercises. I would recommend that any new (or experienced) advocate take this training sooner rather than later."
- Autumn L. Johnson, Northwestern Legal Services, PA
Faculty Information
Leading our first Florida Basic Lawyering Skills training will be our Director of National Training, Ross Dolloff - click here to read his bio.
Joining him as faculty will be another member of CLAE's full-time staff, Curriculum Director Shari Zimble (bio here), together with the following experienced legal aid attorneys:
Janet Gilligan, Deputy Director of Rhode Island Legal Services, is simply one of the best teachers we've ever worked with and has taught trials skills and trial planning to countless legal aid attorneys throughout the country.
Cassandra Capobianco is the Director of Advocacy for Florida Institutional Legal Services and has recently served as a faculty member in CLAE's BLaST course delivery in South Carolina.
Natalie Maxwell is a staff attorney at Southern Legal Counsel and also recently taught BLaST with us in South Carolina.
Amy Guinan is a staff attorney at Florida Legal Services and a past participant in CLAE's Affirmative Advocacy course.
and more to come....
Sample Training Agenda
Here's how the four days of Basic Lawyering Skills typically break down (each day we also make sure to include an hour-long lunch, and timely breaks for beverages and snacks):
DAY 1
11am - 1: Welcome, Introductions and History of Legal Aid
2 - 5.45pm: Client Interviewing
DAY 2
8.45am - 10.20: Case Analysis and Planning
10.30 - 12.30: Client Counseling
1.30 - 2.45: Motion Practice
3.00 - 5.45: Motion Hearing simulation
5.45 - 6.15pm: Judges' Reception
DAY 3
8.45am - 9.45: Advocacy Outside the Courtroom
9.45 - 3.45: Negotiation
4.00 - 5.45pm: Developing as Advocates/Professional Development Planning
DAY 4
8.45am - 2.00: Trial Planning and Preparation
2.00 - 3.00pm: Closing Plenary, Evaluations and Graduation
For further BLaST information, please click here.