What You Will Learn

Here is a short summary of topics for each program. Please see the individual course pages for the extensive, detailed agendas with sub-points, faculty list and testimonials.

10th Annual Advanced Appellate Practice Program (2025)

• Lessons for Civil Litigators from Court of Appeal Criminal Practice
• Separate Opinions (Dissenting and Concurring)
• Motions at the Court of Appeal
• How to Advise your Trial Attorney about Post-Trial Motions and the Appeal
• Seeking Direct Relief from the California Supreme Court
  
• How to Analyze Your Opposing Counsel’s Brief
• Michael Colantuono, Mary Lehman and Justice Daniel Bromberg
• Record and Legal Citation Anomalies and Challenges
• A Review of 2023-2024 Issues in Appealability
• Party Counsel and Amici Curiae

9th Annual Advanced Appellate Conference (2024)

• Advanced Oral Argument Skills
• Advanced Briefing Topics
• Behind the Scenes at the 9th Circuit
• Attorney fees and costs: Challenging and preserving trial court awards and seeking fees and costs on Appeal
• Statements of Decision: The Ideal and the Reality
• AI and the Appellate Process

Persuasive Appellate Brief Writing (2025)

• Part 1:
  • Being Aware of the Audience for the Submission
  • Selecting the Issues on Appeal
  • Building Blocks to an Effective Appellate Pleading
  • Convincing the Court to Want to Rule in Your Favor
• Part 2: exercises and discussion with an appellate justice, and two Certified Legal Specialists in Appellate law, including a 25+ year career staff attorney at the CA Supreme Court:
  • AI Demonstration
  • Issue statements and headings with examples
  • Introductions with examples
  • Arguments, Conclusions, Respondent’s Briefs, Reply Briefs & Revising, with examples and Q&A

Appellate and Writ Practice 101: The Nuts and Bolts (2024)

• The Basics: Getting Started
• Drafting Effective Briefs
• Oral Argument
• Decisions & Publication
• Petitions for Rehearing
• Costs and Fees on Appeal
• Ethics
• Writs

Preserving the Trial Record for Appeal (CA) (2026) 

An Introduction to the Record

• What is the record on appeal
• Consequences of an inadequate record.

• • For the appellant
  • For the respondent

• The components of the record

• • Documents filed and lodged in the trial court
  • Oral proceedings
  • Trial exhibits
  • Judicial notice

• How the record gets to the Court of Appeal

• • Designation of record
  • Designation of exhibits to be transmitted
  • Motions to correct or augment
  • Request for judicial notice

Early On: Pleadings through Motions

• The Pleadings
  • When Must You Amend?
  • Challenges to the Pleadings
• Summary Judgment
  • Effect if denied
  • Effect if granted as to less than all of the parties
• Partial summary judgment—interlocutory
• Motions for reconsideration of interlocutory ruling
  • As distinguished from motion for rehearing
• Non-final orders—must you appeal / petition for writ of mandate?

Pre-Trial

• Daubert Motions
• Motions in Limine
• Order definitively admitting, or excluding, evidence
  • Effect if granted
  • Effect if denied or ruling is reserved
• Jury instructions
  • Submitting instructions
  • Objections
  • Are standard jury instructions required to be used?
• Jury Selection
  • Challenges for cause
  • Peremptory challenges
  • Claim of racial, ethnic, gender, or other bias

During Trial

• Waiver and forfeiture basics
• Opening argument objections
• Immediate Pre-Trial
  • Motions in Limine
  • Jury Instructions & Verdict Forms
• Preserving evidence and objections
  • Exhibit management
  • Objections
    • Speaking objections
    • Offers of proof
    • Motions to strike
    • Sidebar conferences
• Pocket Briefs
• Limiting instructions and jury admonitions
• Closing argument objections

End of Trial and Post-Trial Proceedings

• Motions at End of Trial
  • Motion for Nonsuit
  • Motion for Directed Verdict
  • Motion for Involuntary Dismissal in a bench trial
• Verdicts
  • Requirements/Record
  • Inconsistent verdict
  • Objections needed
  • Inconsistent v. inadequate v. excessive verdict
• Posttrial Motions
  • Motion to Alter or Amend Judgment
  • Motion for New Trial / Remittitur
    • Does motion need to specify amount?
  • JNOV
• In nonjury case, when may appellant raise on appeal the sufficiency of the evidence?

Statements of Decision 

• The doctrine of implied findings
• What is a statement of decision?
• Why do you—or do you not—want one?
• The overall process: navigating CRC 3.1590
• Strategy for the losing party
• Strategy for the prevailing party
• Objections
  • Who should make them, and why?
  • When should they be made?
  • How should the opposing party respond?
  • How should the court handle them?
• Impact of the process on the appeal

Ensuring the Record is Complete: Practical Lessons from the Trenches

• The real-world consequences of missing or incomplete records
• The best lawyers think about the record from day one of the trial — not after the notice of appeal
• Why every hearing must be reported — avoiding the “settled statement trap”
• Reporter’s transcripts: deposit under Rule 8.130(b)(1), don’t attach
• Avoid the “entire superior court file” trap
• Appendix over clerk’s transcript — control, flexibility, and completeness
• Never assume the court will “figure it out” — unclear designations, pagination errors, or missing exhibits invite affirmance
• Build your record for ease of judicial digestion
• Assume minimal judicial patience for irregularities or improvisation
• The cleaner and more organized your record, the more credibility you have — and the less room the court has to disregard your arguments

Litigation Bonds Demystified (with Alternatives) (2016) [not available for CLS CLE]

Bonds and Undertakings in California Civil Litigation

• What are they?
  • Difference between bond and undertaking
  • Some definitions
  • State vs. federal practice
• When do you need one?
  • Injunctions
  • Lis pendens
  • Certain types of actions
  • Stay enforcement
  • Money judgment
  • Judgment for “costs only”
  • Court-set bonds

• Other statutes
• How do you get one?
  • How commercial surety companies work
  • Qualifications
  • Procedure
• Alternatives to bonds
  • Personal sureties
  • Deposits in court
• Challenging sufficiency of bond or undertaking
• Enforcing liability on bond or undertaking

Testimonials

Click on each program for a full list of testimonials. Just a few testimonials from each program are copied below – there are far more for each program under the individual web page for each program:

A small sample from our Annual Advanced Appellate conferences:

“Very useful information and insights, including what happens inside appellate courts, from the BEST, most knowledgeable sources.” Jay-Allen Eisen, Esq.

“I always take away important ideas and tweak my practices following a Pincus Appellate Summit.” Leslie Ellen Shear, Esq.

“The program lived up to my expectations. The topics were interesting and the speakers were engaging (a particularly tough task in this virtual world).  I’m looking forward to Part 2 on Thursday!” Tiffany J. Gates, Esq.

“Good content and speakers.” Tom Freeman, Esq.

“As always, excellent speakers and content. Very informative with practical and useful anecdotes.” Marisa Janine-Page, Esq.

“Excellent programs so far. The presenters are top rate and it is always nice to get insight form the actual judges and justices about things happening behind the curtains.” Jeremy Robinson, Esq.

“Excellent as usual. The insights from Justices and expert practitioners are so valuable.” Lori A. Sebransky, Esq.

“Excellent program and great speakers.” (Thomas) Christopher Johns, Esq.

Click on the program to see more testimonials:

10th Annual Advanced Appellate Practice Program (2025)

9th Annual Advanced Appellate Conference (2024)

Preserving the Trial Record for Appeal (CA) (2026)

“The program provides key insights from experienced attorneys that only they could provide since they have practiced extensively in the applicable area of law.” – Marvin Macias, Esq.

“It covered the details of preserving issues for appeal. The handout has a useful summary of case and statute citations.” – Chris Lockwood, Esq.

“Very concise and complete. Excellent.” –  Douglas E. Klein, Esq.

“The speakers were excellent. They spoke clearly (no audio issues) and their content was direct, which is greatly appreciated.”

“Content was educational and extensive.”

“Great content.”

Persuasive Appellate Brief Writing (2025)

“Speakers provided very useful, practical points to apply in my practice.” – Pamela Graham, Esq.

“Informative and practical information about appellate brief writing.” – Lisa Rothstein, Esq.

“The presenters offered helpful perspectives and tips for elevating and simplifying our brief writing.” – Jenna Parker, Esq.

Administrative Law Hearings: A Beginner’s Guide (2024)

“This presentation from beginning to end was thought provoking. I now have new tools for EVERY phase of the process.” – Robert Grant, III, Esq. (re: Part 1)

“Very important information for my growing practice. I’ve flown by the seat of my pants for 30 years. Now, as a lawyer I can become a beast.” – Robert Grant III, Esq. (re: Part 2)

“The material was thorough and in-depth.” – Alex Verdegem, Esq.

““Speakers were engaged with the audience, explained everything well, and made a complex topic easier to understand.” – Frances Heredia, Esq. (RE: Part 1)

“Each topic had great value.” – Frances Heredia, Esq. (Re: Part 2)

“This seminar gave me a good jumping-off point to research the administrative hearings process.”

“This seminar answered a lot of lingering questions I had (particularly around procedure) and I also appreciated the real-life anecdotes/experiences/tips provided.”

“The information covered in the government attorney section at the end was very useful.”

“Excellent speakers. Government bonus section was my favorite.”

Gary B. Bell’s demonstrations were amusing and very helpful.” – Alex Verdegem, Esq.

“Amit Singh gave a brilliant description of his presentation process.” – Robert Grant, III, Esq.

“Heather Cline Hoganson has an encyclopedic knowledge of the subject matter.” – Robert Grant, III, Esq.

“The speakers understand the material thoroughly and it’s fantastic to learn from them.”

Appellate and Writ Practice 101: The Nuts and Bolts (2024)

“This was an excellent program. Each of the faculty members was well-prepared, articulate, and engaging. The program itself contains valuable ‘nuts and bolts’ as well as more sophisticated and subtle suggestions for representing a client on appeal.” Stephen D. Miller, Esq.

“I have found that the speakers at Pincus’ seminars are the most knowledgeable and real-world experienced.” Denise Greer, Esq.

“A great high-level overview with great tips.” – Laura Yraceburu Dall, Esq.

“This was a very informative program with speakers who had a wealth of knowledge. I would definitely recommend this program to anyone interested in the appeals process or as a refresher for someone handling an appeal.” – John Morelli, Esq.

“This was the best Nuts & Bolts session of numerous ones I have attended. It anticipated nearly all of the questions about the process that have haunted me over the years. Each presenter had superb communication skills and relevant experience.” – Brian Beckwith, Esq.

“Very helpful, full of practical information.” – Valerie A. Breen, Esq.

Faculty

Please see the individual course pages for the list of faculty at each program at the links below:

• Preserving the Trial Record for Appeal (CA) (2026)
• Persuasive Appellate Brief Writing (2025)
• 10th Annual Advanced Appellate Practice Program (2025)
• 9th Annual Advanced Appellate Conference (2024) [Choose from LA or SF faculty]
• Appellate and Writ Practice 101: The Nuts and Bolts (2024)
• Litigation Bonds Demystified (with Alternatives) (2016)

Fees

Fees

💰 Save $1040+ by ordering the bundle now!

If purchased individually, the five programs in this bundle would cost $1,980 or more.

Audio/Video Recording + Materials (6 programs total)

• OnDemand Streaming or Download: $943
  (Save $1040+)

Audio / Video Recording + Materials (6 programs total)

• CD/DVD format: $1043
  (Save $1040+)
  • $13 shipping (plus sales tax in CA)

Please note – the oldest programs – pre-Covid – are in audio format only and will be provided on a CD if you order this, not on a DVD.

CLE Credit

CLE Information

Availability: This bundle is available for both Self-Study and Participatory CLE.

California CLE – Bundle Totals

The combined seminars in this bundle are approved for:

• 33.25 hours General (CA)
• 0.75 hour Ethics (CA)
• 1.0 hour Technology (CA)

Certified Legal Specialist (CA) – Important

Because of the State Bar’s expiration policy, each program has its own CLS expiration date. Only some programs in this bundle remain valid for Certified Legal Specialist (Appellate Law) credit. Please check the expirations below before ordering if you need CLS credit.

Program-by-program approvals

10th Annual Advanced Appellate Practice Program (2025)

• CA General: 7.0 hours
• CA CLS – Participatory (Appellate Law): 7.0 hours — (Expires 01/20/2027)
• CA CLS – Self-Study (Appellate Law): 7.0 hours — (Expires 01/20/2030)

9th Annual Advanced Appellate Practice Program (2024)

• CA General: 5.25 hours
• CA Technology: 1.0 hour
• CA CLS – Participatory (Appellate Law): 6.25 hours — Expires 01/31/2026
• CA CLS – Self-Study (Appellate Law): 6.25 hours — Expires 01/31/2029

Persuasive Appellate Brief Writing (2025)

• CA General: 7.00 hours
• CA CLS – Participatory (Appellate Law): 7.00 hours — Expires 08/18/2027
• CA CLS – Self-Study (Appellate Law): 7.00 hours — Expires 08/18/2030

Appellate and Writ Practice 101: The Nuts and Bolts (2024)

• CA General: 7.00 hours
• CA Ethics/Professional Responsibility: 0.75 hour
• CA CLS – Participatory (Appellate Law): 7.00 hours — Expires 07/29/2026
• CA CLS – Self-Study (Appellate Law): 7.00 hours — Expires 07/29/2029

Preserving the Trial Record for Appeal (CA) (2026)

• CA General: 7.0 hours
• CA CLS – Participatory (Appellate Law): 7.0 hours — Expires 01/22/2028
• CA CLS – Self-Study (Appellate Law): 7.0 hours — Expires 01/22/2031

The programs included and listed below are valid for general credit, but are not valid for CLS credit:

• Litigation Bonds Demystified (2016): 1.5 hours General only (no CLS)

These programs are all also approved for general CLE in NY via their reciprocal approved jurisdiction policy.

How to receive Participatory CLE credit

Listen for the CLE verification code(s) announced during each program. Note the codes and email them to info@pincusproed.com. After verification, we will email your Participatory CLE Certificate.

Self-Study certificates

Self-Study CLE certificates are included in your recorded package in the Materials folder.

Other jurisdictions

This program is approved for CLE in the states listed above. Upon request, Pincus Professional Education will provide information to support applications for approval in additional states.