Description

Trial is where months, sometimes years, of casework finally come together, and where a paralegal or legal assistant’s preparation is tested the most. 

When a case heads to trial, the margin for error narrows. Scheduling orders have to be met. Evidence has to be preserved and organized so it holds up under the rules of admissibility. Exhibits, witness lists, and trial notebooks have to be ready before the attorney walks into the courtroom. And every step along the way has to stay within the ethical boundaries that govern paralegals and legal assistants in Washington. 

Most legal support professionals pick up trial procedure piecemeal, learning it case by case and often under deadline pressure. This program brings the process together in a single day. 

Learn from professionals who have experienced trial preparation from both sides of the courtroom, including a former Pierce County Superior Court judge with more than 27 years on the bench and a paralegal with 36 years of experience assisting attorneys with litigation and trial preparation. 

Whether you have never worked a case through trial and want a clear roadmap, have handled trial preparation before and want to sharpen your process, or simply want a better understanding of your responsibilities and where the attorney’s role begins, this program is designed for you. 

Join four experienced legal professionals for a full day of practical guidance on preparing a civil case for trial. 

You’ll leave this training ready to: 

  • Navigate pre-trial procedure, scheduling orders, and the anatomy of a civil trial 
  • Assist attorneys with discovery planning, case organization, and pre-trial motion practice 
  • Understand the rules for admissibility of evidence and properly preserve evidence 
  • Assist with summarizing depositions, skip tracing, coordinating witnesses, and reviewing pleadings and discovery 
  • Prepare exhibits, exhibit binders, exhibit and witness lists, and complete trial notebooks 
  • Handle trial logistics, from necessary arrangements and jury selection to supporting the attorney during trial 
  • Communicate professionally and effectively with opposing counsel and court personnel, even when litigation becomes challenging or contentious 
  • Recognize and avoid ethical pitfalls, including conflicts of interest, confidentiality breaches, improper ex parte communications, and the unauthorized practice of law 

Trial preparation is not something to learn for the first time under deadline pressure. 

Learn how to prepare for trial with confidence before your next trial arrives. 

Agenda

Webinar instructions will be emailed 24-48 business hours before the date of the webinar.
Please log into the webinar 10-15 minutes before start time.


Thursday, February 4, 2027
9:00 am – 4:00 pm PST (includes breaks)


Agenda:
Presented by Brian Tollefson, Jodi Dineen, James C. Suits II, and Joshua F. Gonzales

 

Overview of a Civil Trial (B. Tollefson)          

  • Pre-trial procedure and scheduling orders 
  • Discovery control plan and discovery overview 
  • Pre-trial motion practice 
  • Anatomy of a trial 

Managing Evidence (B. Tollefson)  

  • Types of evidence 
  • Rules for admissibility of evidence 
  • Preserving evidence 

Assisting with Investigations (J. Dineen)        

  • Summarizing depositions 
  • Skip tracing 
  • Coordinating witnesses 
  • Reviewing pleadings and discovery 

Assisting in Trial Prep and Role at Trial (J. Dineen) 

  • Preparing exhibits, exhibit binders and exhibit/witness Lists 
  • Assembling trial notebooks 
  •  Making necessary reservations 
  •  Jury selection 
  • Role during trial 

Effectively Working with Opposing Counsel and Staff (J. Suits)     

  • Analyzing methods of communication  
  • Standards for responding to emails  
  • Working with the courts  
  • Maintaining professionalism 

Litigation Ethics for Assistants and Paralegals (J. Gonzales)            

  • Attorney and paralegal ethical rules 
  • Specific areas of concern for legal support staff 
    • Conflicts of interest 
    • Confidentiality 
    • Ex-parte communications 
  • Avoiding the unauthorized practice of law 
  • Working with clients, courts and opposing counsel 

 

Webinar Instructions 
 
All attendees must log-on through their own email – attendees may not watch together if they wish to earn continuing education credit. HalfMoon Education Inc. must be able to prove attendance if either the attendee or HalfMoon Education Inc. is audited.

Certificates of completion can be downloaded in PDF form upon passing a short quiz. A link to the quiz will be sent to each qualifying attendee immediately after the webinar. The certificate can be downloaded from the Results page of the quiz upon scoring 80% or higher.

Webinars are presented via GoToWebinar, an easy-to-use application that can be run on most systems and tablets. Instructions and login information will be provided in an email sent close to the date of the webinar. It is highly recommended that you download, install and test the application before the webinar begins by clicking on the link in the email.

GoToWebinar App requirements:  
Windows 10 or higher, macOS 11 or higher, Linux, Google Chrome OS

Web Browser: 
Google Chrome (most recent 3 versions) 
Microsoft Edge (most recent 3 versions)

Internet connection: 1 Mbps or better

Hardware: 2GB of RAM (minimum), 4GB or more of RAM (recommended)

For more information, visit the Support section at www.gotowebinar.com

Credits

Paralegals
6.0 CLE Hours (Incl. 1.0 Ethics Hour)

NFPA - National Federation of Paralegal Associations
6.0 CLE Credits (Incl. 1.0 Ethics Credit)

This webinar is open to the public and is designed to qualify for 6.0 CLE hours, including 1.0 ethics hour, for paralegals in Washington state. Paralegal certification is not required to participate in this course. 

The National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) has approved this course for 6.0 total CLE credits, which includes 5.0 general CLE credits and 1.0 ethics CLE credit.

Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the webinar for those who attend the entire course and score a minimum 80% on the quiz that follows the course (multiple attempts allowed). 

 

On-Demand Credits

The preceding credit information only applies to the live presentation. This course in an on-demand format is not pre-approved by any licensing boards and may not qualify for the same credits; please consult your licensing board(s) to ensure that a structured, asynchronous learning format is appropriate. 

Speakers

Jodi Dineen

Paralegal with Etter, McMahon, Lamberson, Van Wert & Oreskovich, P.C., in Spokane, WA

Ms. Dineen has been a paralegal for 36 years, first starting out in California and then in Spokane since 2000.   For the past 25 years that she has been at EMLVO where she has assisted her attorneys with cases in criminal law, personal injury and business litigation.  Her “super powers” are managing large volumes of discovery, preparing for trial and attending trial as a “Jodi of All Trades”.

Joshua F. Gonzales

Fidelity National Law Group

Mr. Gonzales is Litigation Counsel and Assistant Vice President at Fidelity National Financial (FNF), the nation’s largest provider of title insurance and related services. As a member of FNF’s in-house litigation department, he represents insured homeowners in quiet title actions and easement disputes and represents the company and its subsidiaries in commercial litigation and consumer matters. 

Before beginning his legal career, Mr. Gonzales developed extensive experience in information technology, server administration, data privacy, and software design. He continues to draw on this technical background in his legal practice, particularly in matters involving technology, information systems, and data privacy. Mr. Gonzales also holds the Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US) credential. 

James C. Suits II

Chief Executive Officer, Suits Litigation, Inc., in San Jose, CA

Mr. Suits is the Chief Executive Officer of Suits Litigation, Inc., a plaintiff personal injury firm based in San Jose, California, which he founded in 2012. With 22 years of legal experience, he focuses his practice on advocating for individuals who have sustained serious injuries in motor vehicle accidents, including those involving cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians. Mr. Suits earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1997 before obtaining his law degree from the University of Southern California Law School in 2003. Prior to establishing his own practice, he worked as a litigation attorney for the firms of Tharpe & Howell, LLP and Robinson & Wood, Inc.

Brian Tollefson, Ret.

Black Robe Dispute Resolution Services, PLLC

Mr. Tollefson is a principal at Black Robe Dispute Resolution Services, PLLC. He also serves as a pro-tem judge for Pierce County Superior Court. Previously, he served as a judge for Pierce County Superior Court for more than 27 years. During his time on Superior Court, he was on the Executive Committee, served as presiding judge, and participated on a number of local Superior Court committees. He served on several committees in the Washington State Superior Court Judges Association and as a trustee on the Association’s board of trustees for five years.

Streamable MP4/PDF Price: $339.00

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