Agenda

Webinar instructions will be emailed before the date of the webinar.

Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before the start time.

Thursday, March 27, 2025 
9:00 am – 4:00 pm EDT

 

Overview of a Civil Trial
Presented by: Craig McMahon

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

Assisting with Investigations
Presented by: Aprille Barker

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

Managing Evidence
Presented by: Christine DeBernardis

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

Effectively Working with Opposing Counsel and Staff
Presented by: David G. Gabor

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

Assembling and Using Trial Notebooks
Presented by: David G. Gabor

  • 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: David G. Gabor

  • 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 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

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)

 

Continuing Education Credit 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 New Hampshire. 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

Aprille Barker

Legal consultant paralegal with Aprille Barker Freelance Paralegal in Nashua, NH

Ms. Barker brings over three decades of dedicated paralegal experience to her clients. Starting her career in 1989, Ms. Barker has a rich background in litigation across civil, family, and criminal law. She has attended numerous criminal trials at counsel table and has managed family law cases through both court processes and mediation. Her experience includes thorough document preparation, individual client meetings, and maintaining client relationships without direct attorney supervision. Later in her career, Ms. Barker transitioned into estate planning, assisting with trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and deed transfers into trusts. Her extensive experience spans working with one firm from 1989 to 2012, two firms from 2012 to 2018, and providing contract services to attorneys from 2018 to 2023. In 2024, she retooled her business model to extend her services directly to individuals, making her valuable legal support more accessible. Ms. Barker holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Her educational background enhances her ability to support clients, especially those facing stressful legal situations.

Christine G. DeBernardis, Esq.

Managing attorney of The Law Offices of Christine G. DeBernardis in Portsmouth, NH

Ms. DeBernardis has worked all over the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of New Hampshire, and she has a vast amount of experience in many areas of law. Ms. DeBernardis has worked with clients from all walks of life ranging from representing indigent clients through appointment by the Court to private clients in all areas of law in lower and higher Courts throughout each state. Over the years, she has been a member of the Essex County Bar Advocates, Inc., and a panel attorney for the Appellate Division of the Committee for Public Counsel, providing counsel to indigent defendants. Ms. DeBernardis’ practice focuses on family law, criminal law, and appellate law in Massachusetts and family law in New Hampshire. Ms. DeBernardis earned her B.S. degree in Psychology and Law at the College of New Jersey (formerly Trenton State College) in 1996. She continued her education at the New England School of Law in Boston, Massachusetts, where she earned a juris doctor degree in 1999. Attorney DeBernardis was admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1999, the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts in 2003 and the State of New Hampshire in 2007.

David G. Gabor

Partner with The Wagner Law Group and Founder and Director of DGN Workplace Initiatives in Boston, MA

Mr. Gabor has extensive experience in human resources, litigation, and alternative dispute resolution. His human resources practice includes compliance, drafting policies, preparing manuals, conducting training, handling workplace investigations, conducting auditing, and counseling clients in all aspects of the employee-employer relationship. Mr. Gabor’s litigation practice includes employment discrimination, harassment, employee classification, wage and hour, unfair competition, non-compete, and ERISA matters. He conducts regular seminars, workshops, and webinars on matters concerning employment law and human resources. Mr. Gabor has been recognized as a Best Lawyer in America and Super Lawyer in New York, Massachusetts, and New England. He earned his B.A. degree from the University of Michigan and his J.D. degree from Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center.

Craig McMahon, Esq.

Owner of The Law Office of Craig McMahon, PLLC, in Manchester, NH

Mr. McMahon’s main areas of practice include personal injury, employees’ rights and probate controversies. He was most recently an attorney with Rath, Young and Pignatelli. Mr. McMahon earned his B.A. degree from Boston University and his J.D. degree from the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law.

Streamable MP4/PDF Price: $349.00

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