Trial Techniques 101 (FL) [OnDemand Streaming and Recorded Packages]

What You Will Learn

Hon. Milena Abreu, Hon. Michael Barket (tentative pending trial),  Hon. Ivonne Cuesta and Hon. Diana Gonzalez-Whyte to comment on topics during the program. 

Agenda

 Tuesday, November 12, 2024
1:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. EST 

Commenting throughout the seminar: Hon. Milena Abreau

1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Pre-Trial Matters
Robert (Beau) Blumberg, with John Riordan

• Pretrial Conference and Order (state and FRCP 16)
• Trial Briefs
• Pretrial Statement
• Motions in Limine
• Final Status Conference
• Client and witness preparation

1:45 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.
BREAK

1:50 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Your Jury
Kimberly L. Wald

• Federal v. State court
• Questionnaires and Voir Dire
• Jury Instructions
• Jury Verdict Forms
• How Jury Instructions and Jury Verdict Forms shape your trial theme

3:00 p.m. – 3:05 p.m.
BREAK

3:05 p.m. – 4:05 p.m.
Your Trial Part 1
Cosme Caballero, Melissa Softness, and with Hon. Ivonne Cuesta 

• Introduction of Exhibits
  • Foundation
  • Admissibility
• Objections
• Direct and Cross-Examinations of Lay and Expert Witnesses
  • Purpose, audience and format requirements
  • Basic direct examination skills
  • Basic cross examination skills
  • Difference in approaches between Lay and Expert Witnesses
  • Impeachment
  • Strategies and advice
  • Mistakes to avoid

4:05 p.m. – 4:10 p.m.
BREAK

4:10 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Your Trial Part 2
Benjamin Reiss

• Opening Statements
• Closing Arguments

Testimonials

This program is being taught by outstanding faculty, Many of which consistently receive top notch evaluations and comments, such as these from our annual Circuit Court Boot Camp and Mastering Discovery program. The others are new, highly recommended and speak at many CLE programs:

• “Dynamic and easy to listen to, providing lots of useful information. Great speaker. I’d listen to him again.”
• “Mr. Reiss was an excellent speaker.  Highly animated and informed.  He seemed to speak directly from experience.”
• “I thoroughly enjoyed John’s presentation and how he included diagrams and “real life” orders as examples. He seemed knowledgeable in his field as well.”
• “Kimberly was incredibly sharp and knowledgeable. I really appreciated her content.”

“It’s not merely about getting in the required CLE hours. The content of the seminar I attended impressed me and sold me on your programs. It’s very easy to get the hours. Getting something of substance that is beneficial is different. I’m proud to say that this is what separates you from the competition.” – Jerry Szymanski, Esq.

Faculty

Hon. Milena Abreu
Judge
11th Judicial Circuit of Florida

Judge Abreu was elected to the bench in August of 2019.   She currently serves in the Hialeah Civil Division wherein she presides over Personal Injury Protection cases, landlord tenant, small claims and Domestic Violence cases. She was also a four time nominee to the Governor’s office for judicial appointment prior to being elected. 

While in practice, Judge Abreu was a licensed trial attorney for over 20 years, handling death penalty and homicide cases. She has tried well over 100 jury trials to verdict and was one of only six women in the entire county certified to try death penalty cases.  Prior to winning the election, Judge Abreu also served as one of the Traffic Hearing Magistrates for the County presiding over civil traffic infractions. She was a Martindale Hubbell AV rated Preeminent attorney proudly serving our South Florida community.

Judge Abreu has served on many voluntary bar organizations and is the former chair of two Florida Bar Ethics Grievance Committees overseeing lawyers professionalism conduct.   

Judge Abreu has dedicated a lifetime to public service both professionally and personally serving her community with fairness, respect and humility. 

Hon. Michael G. Barket
Judge
11th Judicial Circuit of Florida

Hon. Ivonne Cuesta
Circuit Court Judge
11th Judicial Circuit of Florida

Hon. Diana Gonzalez-Whyte
Judge
11th Judicial Circuit of Florida

The Hon. Diana Gonzalez-Whyte is a judge for the Miami-Dade County Court in Florida. She was re-elected to the bench on November 6, 2018.

Judge Gonzalez-Whyte earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Northeastern University. She then completed a J.D. at St. Thomas University College of Law in 2003. 

After graduating from Law school, she began her legal career as an assistant public defender for the Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office. She also spent time as an attorney in private practice, specializing in family law, domestic violence, and immigration matters.

Robert (Beau) Blumberg, Esq.
Partner
Deutsch Blumberg & Caballero P.A.

Robert (Beau) Blumberg was born and raised in Miami, Florida. He is a Partner with Deutsch, Blumberg & Caballero P.A., where he practices personal injury, medical malpractice, and product liability law. Mr. Blumberg is admitted to practice in Florida and before the United States District Court for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida.

Cosme Caballero, Esq.
Partner
Deutsch Blumberg & Caballero P.A.

Mr. Caballero is a graduate of the University of Miami School of Law where he served as Articles & Comments Editor of the University of Miami Law Review, where he published an article titled Curbing Corporate Abuse from Jurisprudential Off-Sites: Problematic Paradigms in United States v. Textron Inc. Following graduation, Mr. Caballero was admitted to practice law in Florida.  He was also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a member of the Dade County Bar Association and is a Florida Bar  Grievance Committee Member for the 11th Judicial Circuit.

Benjamin L. Reiss, Esq.
Partner
Perlman, Bajandas, Yevoli & Albright, P.L.

Benjamin Reiss is a partner and civil litigation attorney at PBY&A. Mr. Reiss brings many years of experience to his practice, having represented clients in 60 jury trials, acting as lead trial lawyer on 45 of those cases. His main focus areas include general commercial, product liability, construction, real estate, criminal defense, and property tax appeals in federal and state courts.

He has presented to lawyers many times on trial and litigation practice, including discussing professionalism at the Florida Bar’s Practicing with Professionalism seminar. Mr. Reiss was formerly Chair of the Florida Bar Standing Committee on Professionalism, Vice President of the Board of Directors for Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc., an associate and shareholder attorney at Greenberg Traurig, P.A. for 19 years, and an assistant public defender. He was also a board member for Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc., and was a member of the national council and board of directors for the University of Miami Hurricane Club. Mr. Reiss received his JD with high honors from Duke University School of Law in 1993 after obtaining a BA (cum laude) in politics in political affairs from the University of Miami in 1990. He is a member of the Florida Bar Association, the Dade County Bar Association, and the American Bar Association, and has been a member and chair of many committees within those associations. He was a member of the City Year Miami Board of Advisors from 2015 to 2018 and the American Inn of Court from 1999 to 2007.

He won the Pro Bono Award, “Ensuring Equal Justice Pro Bono Initiative,” from the Miami-Dade Public Defender Carlos J. Martinez Office in 2011. He also won the DCBA’s “Put Something Back” Pro Bono Award for co-coordinating Acción USA, a non-profit organization that provides pro bono legal services to low- and moderate-income commercial borrowers.

John S. Riordan, Esq.
Partner
Kelley Kronenberg, P.A.

John S. Riordan is an “AV” rated civil trial attorney and Partner in the firm’s West Palm Beach office, focusing his practice on General Liability, First Party Property Insurance Defense, and Commercial Litigation. He is a highly experienced trial attorney and represents clients in both State and Federal courts throughout the Florida.

Prior to joining the firm, John was the Managing Partner of a West Palm Beach boutique law firm and focused his practice on General Liability, Commercial Litigation, and Criminal Defense. Prior to that, John proudly served as an Assistant State Attorney with the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office prosecuting misdemeanor and felony crimes. John has tried more than 150 jury and non-jury trials in civil and criminal matters in both state and Federal court.

John has earned a reputation as an excellent trial attorney and is highly regarded by judges and peers. In both 2012, and 2013 he was honored as a Super Lawyer Rising Star, a prestigious distinction only awarded to the top 5% of lawyers in the state who are recognized for their skill, ethical services, and professional excellence. He was also distinguished as a Florida Top Young Lawyer for 2012. John has spoken as a guest lecturer at Florida Atlantic University, speaking on the topic of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). An accomplished author, he has published articles for NakedLaw, the Daily Business Review and other online publications.

John is a native of Miami, Florida, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Miami in 1997. Thereafter, he earned his Juris Doctorate degree from Nova Southeastern University School of Law where he graduated in 2002. John is licensed to practice law in Florida and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Southern, Northern and Middle Districts of Florida.

John is also a Certified Water Damage Restoration Technician, accredited by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC).

Melissa I. Softness, Esq.
Partner
Rumberger|Kirk

Melissa Softness focuses her practice in the areas of product, employment and casualty litigation.  She represents clients in the manufacturing, distribution, retail, automotive, boating, marine and personal watercraft industries throughout Florida against negligence and product defect claims. Melissa also represents employers against claims of employment discrimination and retaliation such as religion, national origin, race, gender, age, and political patronage, asserted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Chapter 760, Florida Statutes; Section 1983 of the Civil Rights Act of 1871; the American Disabilities Act (ADA); and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA.)

While working at the Office of the State Attorney for Miami-Dade County, Melissa gained extensive trial experience, trying 18 jury trials and more than 50 bench trials. In addition, she conducted several highly contested evidentiary and Daubert hearings and successfully defended a First Amendment Appeal.

Before joining RumbergerKirk, she worked in civil practice gaining further trial experience in both state and federal courts.

Drawing on her trial experience, Melissa teaches trial skills to law students by serving as a faculty member at the Kessler-Eidson Program for Trial Techniques at Emory Law. This week-long, required course for students includes a series of workshops that culminates with a simulated jury trial. The program integrates second-year students’ knowledge of substantive evidence law with practical skills in a “learning-by-doing” format, all under the watchful eye of renowned trial lawyers, judges, and trial skills teachers who travel in from all over the country to teach Emory’s students.

Kimberly L. Wald, Esq.
Partner
The Haggard Law Firm

Kimberly L. Wald is a partner and trial attorney at The Haggard Law Firm.  Her focus areas of practice include sexual assault,  catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, products liability, drowning, and boating injuries.

In 2023 Ms. Wald was inducted in the National Trial Lawyers Association in their Top 40 Under 40 section and in 2021 she was honored to be selected by the Broward County Trial Lawyers Association to receive the inaugural “Rising Star Award.”  She also was named a “Rising Star” by the Super Lawyers organization in both 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 and additionally was named one of the Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023.

She has been recognized by the Daily Business Review as one of the “Most Effective Lawyers” for her involvement in a million medical malpractice arbitration.

Career: Ms. Wald began her legal career as a law clerk with Kelley|Uustal in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, specializing in complex product liability and medical malpractice cases. During her last year of law school, she served as a Certified Legal Intern with the Office of the State Attorney for the 17th Judicial Circuit where she tried numerous misdemeanor cases.

Ms. Wald graduated with honors from Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business in 2011 where she received her Bachelor of Science in Management. She earned a double major in Legal Studies and Business and Marketing, with a minor in Jewish Studies. Upon graduating summa cum laude from Nova Southeastern University Law School in 2014, Ms. Wald returned to Kelley|Uustal to help victims of negligence and their families.

Ms. Wald has served as a guest lecturer at NSU Shepard Broad Law Center and serves on the faculty of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy.

Additional Faculty TBA.

Fees

Pre-order now and save $25 on your purchase with the Early Bird Rate!*
Early Bird Expires September 13th!

Your discount is automatically applied at check out – no coupon needed.
Seminar Materials are included with OnDemand and all recorded package options.

OnDemand Streaming!  On-Demand Streaming allows for a single person to view the seminar unlimited times until one year after the seminar is held.

Recorded Packages!  Recorded Packages allow for a single person to download and view the program recording and are also available via DVD or CD.

Discounted rates are available for 2-4 attorneys at your firm.  Licenses are available for law firms or agencies that would like to distribute the video package or OnDemand Streaming access to more than four attorneys at their firm or agency.

Fees:

OnDemand Streaming:  $279
Early Bird Rate: $254

Recorded Packages via Download or CD/DVDs:

Video Recording – DVD or Download: $279
Early Bird Rate: $254

Audio Only (for in your car, etc.) Recording – CD or Download:  $279
Early Bird Rate: $254

Order both the Video and Audio Only Packages for only $50 more – Download, DVD or CD: $329
Early Bird Rate: $304

$8.50 shipping and sales tax (in California) are added at checkout to DVD/CD orders.

This program will be recorded live on November 12, 2024. Because we record our seminars live and they are edited, OnDemand Streaming and Recorded Packages are available approximately two to three weeks after the seminar is held.

Your OnDemand access is good for up to one-year from the time of purchase.  Please be sure to select OnDemand Streaming to the right and check out. OnDemand can be watched from any type of device.

*The Video recording is a video of the webinar (with sound). The Audio Only recording are audio files only and are for those who wish to listen to it without watching a video (such as in the car or while walking).

Note: OnDemand Streaming can be watched from any device. However, all download packages must be downloaded to a computer first, before transferring them to another device due to downloading as zip files containing both the video/audio and a large folder with seminar materials contained in the download package.

CLE Credit

FL General: This program is approved for 4.0 units of CLE in Florida, through May 11, 2026.

GA General: This program is pending approval for 3.5 units of CLE in Georgia.

CA General:     This program is approved for 3.50 units of general CLE in California.

NY General: This course is eligible for approval, under New York’s CLE Approved Jurisdiction policy, for 3.50 CLE units. Pincus Professional Education is a CA Accredited Provider, which is a NY approved jurisdiction. See Section 6 of the New York State CLE Board Regulations and Guidelines for further information.

This program is approved for CLE in the state/s listed above.  

Upon request, Pincus Pro Ed will provide any information an attorney needs to support their application for CLE approval in other states other than what is listed above. Many attorneys ask for this and are approved in other states.