Texas Civil Litigation Skills for Paralegals
DISCLAIMER
Before undertaking any on-demand effort, you should review the rules of your licensing/certifying entity. It’s your responsibility to determine whether or not this on-demand course meets your continuing education requirements.
You must take and pass a quiz in order to receive credit. You can take the quiz as many times as needed and there is no time limit on the quiz. Once the quiz is completed, you will be asked to download your certificate.
Videos that qualify for AIA, LACES, ASLA, or CLARB credit will require an extra week for processing.
Streamable MP4/PDF
Available approximately 1 week after the date of the live event or the date of your order, whichever is later.
To track your purchase you will need to create an account on the website using the email address used for your registration.
For most customers, the videos run like most streaming videos on the web. For videos that qualify for AIA credit there will be occasional question prompts that will not allow the video to progress unless they are answered and you will not be able to skip forward while watching the video.
If you attempt to resume watching the video on a separate device, your progress will not be saved.
Click the link which appears at the end of the video to be taken to the course quiz.
USB MP4/PDF
HalfMoon will mail these materials via USPS. Please allow 2 weeks from the date of purchase to receive your product. If the live seminar is in the future, please allow 2 weeks from the date of the live seminar.
The link to the quiz will be available in a PDF in your USB drive marked QUIZ.
HalfMoon will contact you and issue a full refund if the product you ordered is not available. However, refunds will not be issued if completion certificates are requested.
Please contact HalfMoon Education if you have any questions during the process of taking this course. (715) 835-5900 or qchapman@halfmoonseminars.org
Agenda
Webinar instructions will be emailed before the date of the webinar.
Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before start time.
Log into Webinar
8:00 – 8:30 am CST
Morning Session
8:30 – 11:45 am CST
Break
11:45 am – 12:45 pm CST
Afternoon Session
12:45 – 4:00 pm CST
Complying with Rules of Professional Conduct E. Ross
and Ethics during Litigation
Duty to preserve client confidences
Duty to keep clients fully informed
Duty to be diligent
Duties of truthfulness, candor and full disclosure
Avoiding the unauthorized practice of law
Understanding and Working with Evidence A. Pingenot Key
Types of evidence: documentary, demonstrative, physical,
circumstantial, testimony, computer-generated
Rules for admissibility of evidence
Reasons for inadmissibility
Preserving and managing evidence
Preparing for and Assisting at Trial L. Norman
Obtaining subpoenas
Assisting with jury investigation
Preparing trial notebook
Preparing and organizing evidence
Managing exhibits and witnesses
Conducting Formal Discovery L. Melhart
Defining the scope of discovery
Preparing and answering interrogatories
Preparing and responding to requests for admission
Making and responding to objections
Compelling discovery
Beginning a Civil Case C. Erick
Drafting complaints
Obtaining service of process
Drafting answers
Asserting crossclaims and counterclaims
Enhancing Your Investigation Skills L. Kliman
Identifying the elements of proof
Determining what facts you need to prove
Finding sources
Utilizing information obtained
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 7 – 10 or Mac OSX Mavericks (10.9) – macOS Catalina (10.15)
Web Browser:
The two most recent version of the following browsers:
Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge
Internet Explorer v11 (or later) with Flash enabled
Internet connection: Minimum of 1Mbps Hardware: 2GB RAM or more
For more information, visit the Support section at www.gotowebinar.com
Credits
TX Certified Paralegals
6.0 Civil Trial Law CLE Hours
6.0 Family Law CLE Hours
6.0 Personal Injury Trial Law CLE Hours
NALA
6.0 CLE Hours (1 ethics hour)
NFPA
6.0 CLE Credits (1 ethics credit)
Continuing Education Credit Information
This webinar is open to the public. Paralegal certification is not required in order to participate.
This seminar has been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for certification and recertification continuing legal education for paralegals (6.0 Civil Trial Law, 6.0 Family Law, 6.0 Personal Injury Trial Law).
The National Association of Legal Assistants has approved this course for 6.0 CLE hours, including 5.0 substantive hours and 1.0 ethics hour.
The National Federation of Paralegal Associations has approved this course for 6.0 CLE Credits, including 5.0 General CLE Credits and 1.0 Ethics CLE Credit.
Completion certificates will be awarded to participants who complete this event, respond to prompts, and earn a passing score (80%) on the quiz that follows the presentation (multiple attempts allowed).
Speakers
Casey S. Erick
Shareholder with Cowles & Thompson, P.C., Dallas, TexasMr. Erick focuses on commercial litigation and employment law. He has represented clients in both litigation and transactional matters that span across commercial law, labor and employment, real estate, consumer protection and general litigation including, but not limited to breach of contract, corporate trade secret theft, tortious interference, defamation, personal injury, fraud, and various other kinds of civil litigation. Mr. Erick is a member of the State Bar of Texas and Dallas Bar Association. He earned his B.A. degree, cum laude, from the University of Mississippi and his J.D. degree from Baylor School of Law.
Laura Grove
Laura Grove is an experienced and Board Certified Paralegal with a demonstrated history of working in the legal and medical industries. She is skilled in medical record summarization, drafting pleadings and discovery, e-filing, demand preparation, negotiation, subrogation and reductions.
Lauren Melhart
Attorney with Kinser & Bates, LLP, Dallas, TX
Ms. Melhart has been licensed to practice law in Texas since 2007 and earned board certification in family law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in 2014. Ms. Melhart has extensive experience within the family law field, including several years as a prosecutor representing the Department of Family and Protective Services. As a CPS prosecutor, Ms. Melhart received the award for excellence in serving children from Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Trinity Valley. She has also been named by Super Lawyers as a Texas Rising Star each year since 2013 and is on the faculty for the NITA/American Bar Association Family Law Trial Advocacy Institute held in Boulder, Colorado, every July.
Lisa M. Norman
Attorney with Andrews Myers, P.C., Houston, TX office
Ms. Norman is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, her practice is centered on all aspects of commercial litigation, with an emphasis on commercial bankruptcy, financial litigation, contract disputes and construction law. She has extensive trial experience in the Texas state courts, federal courts and arbitration. Ms. Norman has successfully argued appeals before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Texas Supreme Court and multiple Texas Courts of Appeals. Her commercial bankruptcy practice focuses on creditors’ rights and acquisitions within the bankruptcy context, and she has managed cases from inception through final disposition, including depositions, briefs/motions, mediation, arbitration and trial.
Aimee Pingenot Key
Attorney with Goranson Bain Ausley, in Dallas, TX.Ms. Pingenot Key exclusively practices family law. She has been selected for inclusion in Texas Monthly “Rising Stars” each year since 2006. Prior to practicing law, Ms. Pingenot Key was the program director of a supervised visitation facility for families in Austin as well as an elementary school teacher with the non-profit program, Teach for America. She received a B.A. degree in Psychology, with honors, an M.S. degree in Social Work, with honors, and a J.D. degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Ms. Pingenot Key is board certified in family law and speaks and writes frequently on issues in family law.
Emily T. Ross
Yusuf Ross Law, PLLC, San Antonio, TX
Ms. Ross is board certified in family law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has extensive litigation experience in both civil and family law. Her current practice covers all areas of family law litigation, including divorce, child custody, visitation and child support, modification and enforcement of court orders, and property division. Ms. Ross serves on the Board of Directors of the Texas Family Law Foundation and is a member of the Texas Family Law Foundation’s Bill Review Committee, reviewing and advising on legislation that impacts family lawyers and families throughout Texas. She has also been named by Super Lawyers as a Texas Rising Star. Ms. Ross earned her B.S. degree in Psychology and Criminology from Florida State University and her J.D. degree from Baylor University School of Law.