Trial Preparation for Maryland Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Agenda
Webinar instructions will be emailed 24-48 business hours before the date of the webinar.
Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before start time.
Monday, November 3, 2025
9:00 am – 4:00 pm EST
Agenda:
Overview of a Civil Trial
Presented by Steven Vinick
- Pre-trial procedure and scheduling orders
- Discovery control plan and discovery overview
- Pre-trial motion practice
- Anatomy of a trial
Witness Preparation
Presented by Steven Vinick
- Preparing witness lists
- Trial and deposition preparation
- Pretrial interviews
- Planning for potential witness problems
Managing Evidence
Presented by Dennis O’Brien
- Types of evidence
- Rules for admissibility of evidence
- Preserving evidence
Effectively Working with Opposing Counsel and Staff
Presented by Lawrence Greenberg
- Analyzing methods of communication
- Standards for responding to emails
- Working with the courts
- Maintaining professionalism
Assembling and Using Trial Notebooks
Presented by Dennis O’Brien
- Essentials of a trial notebook
- Organization of a trial notebook
- Uses for a trial notebook before trial
- Uses of a trial notebook during trial
Litigation Ethics for Assistants and Paralegals
Presented by Dennis O’Brien
- 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.
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Google Chrome (most recent 3 versions)
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Credits
Paralegals
6.0 CLE Hours (Including 1.0 Ethics Hour)
NFPA - National Federation of Paralegal Associations
6.0 CLE Credits (Including 1.0 Ethics Credit)
Continuing Education Information
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 Maryland. 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
Lawrence Greenberg
Greenberg Law Offices in Baltimore, MDMr. Greenberg earned his undergraduate degree from Boston University and his law degree from the University of Baltimore. After graduating from law school, he joined the Greenberg Law Offices, where his practice focuses on representing individuals who were injured from the negligence of others. Mr. Greenberg practices in Maryland state and federal courts, in the areas of general litigation; serious injury claims; medical, legal and other professional malpractice; slip and fall; defective products litigation; victims of truck, tractortrailer, motorcycle and automobile negligence; and those victims injured by the police or other state agency employees. He also represents individuals accused of serious crimes and traffic offenses. When not in court, Mr. Greenberg is an adjunct professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law, where he teaches Trial Advocacy. He was a Captain and Legal Officer JAG of the Maryland Defense Force. Mr. Greenberg is past president of the Maryland Association for Justice Force, where he has served on multiple committees and sections in MAJ and was active in the MAJ Foundation. Mr. Greenberg worked tirelessly with the MAJ Public Outreach Committee, where he assisted in planning charity events in conjunction with Safe Kids of Maryland.
Dennis O’Brien
Dennis F O’Brien PA in Bel Air, MDMr. O’Brien has an extensive and successful background dealing with serious and catastrophic personal injuries. His record of excellence in dealing with the toughest of situations is why he has become a trusted resource for lawyers around the state and across the country. Mr. O’Brien has decades of experience handling matters involving trucking and construction accidents, medical malpractice, nursing home litigation, general appellate advocacy, and product liability. He has briefed and argued over 45 appeals and tried approximately 160 jury trials. The Baltimore native is a highly respected member of the local legal community. He is a member of the Baltimore County Bar Association, Bar Association of Baltimore City, Washington County Bar Association, and Maryland State Bar Association. Mr. O’Brien formerly served as an officer and member of the Board of Governors for the Maryland Association of Justice (MAJ). He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Circle – an elite group limited to attorneys obtaining settlements or verdicts in excess of $1 million dollars. Mr. O’Brien is also a member of the Maryland Trial Association for Justice, the American Association of Justice and the Trial Lawyers for Public Justice group. Mr. O’Brien graduated cum laude from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 1981.
Steven Vinick
Of Counsel with Stein Sperling in Rockville, MDMr. Vinick’s passion for supporting his clients drew him into personal injury and criminal defense law, while his commitment to addressing a broad range of client needs led him to Stein Sperling. With over 20 years of experience, Mr. Vinick’s current practice in personal injury, criminal defense, and medical malpractice has earned him a reputation as a relentless and skilled litigator and highly effective courtroom advocate. His clients trust him to fight for the best outcome, knowing he is tirelessly working in their interests. Mr. Vinick is a frequent lecturer on numerous topics including civil litigation, automobile claims, depositions, evidence, Medicare and criminal defense. He speaks for many organizations such as the National Business Institute, the Maryland State Bar Association and The Federal Bar Association. Mr. Vinick earned his B.A. degree from the University of Maryland at College Park and his J.D. degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law.