FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2, 2008
Contact: Meg Meo
Elizabeth Christian & Associates Public Relations
512.494.2867 or
mmeo@echristianpr.com
TEXAS ACCESS TO JUSTICE COMMISSION HOSTS TRIAL ACADEMY FOR LEGAL LAWYERS
Texas Fellows of American College of Trial Lawyers Donated Their Time and Expertise
AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas Access to Justice Commission hosted the 2008 Texas Trial Academy in Austin May 18-22, 2008, for legal aid attorneys. The Trial Academy, held at The University of Texas Law School, provided legal aid attorneys the opportunity to enhance their litigation skills and knowledge by participating in demonstrations of various trial phases conducted by the Texas Fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Texas members of the elite American College of Trial Lawyers, along with other prominent attorneys, donated their time and shared their extensive trial expertise with the front-line lawyers who advocate for the poor. Membership in the American College of Trial Lawyers is by invitation only, extended to experienced trial lawyers who have demonstrated exceptional advocacy skill and whose careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.
"We are extremely grateful to the Texas Fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers and other faculty members for donating their time, expense and extraordinary talents to enhance the trial skills of legal aid attorneys
who work every day to help the most disadvantaged members of our communities," Jim Sales, chair of the Texas Access to Justice Commission, said. "The Trial Academy afforded attendees the opportunity to learn from some of the best litigators in the business, which has a direct and positive impact on the quality of service delivered to legal aid clients."
Thirty staff attorneys from legal aid organizations throughout Texas attended the five-day, interactive seminar, which included advocacy skills, direct and cross examinations, opening statements and closing arguments, and voir dire. After each skills workshop, participants were individually critiqued by Trial Academy faculty.
"For attorneys working on the frontlines of providing legal services to low-income Texans, this training was invaluable," Texas Civil Rights Project attorney Corinna Spencer-Scheurich said. "The Trial Academy provided an
extraordinary opportunity to hone a variety of important skills that will help the Texas legal aid community immensely." Cynthia Day Grimes from Ball & Weed, P.C. in San Antonio served as the course director for the Trial Academy.
The Texas Access to Justice Commission (www.TexasATJ.org) was created in 2001 by the Supreme Court of Texas to develop and implement policy initiatives designed to expand access to and enhance the quality of justice in civil legal matters for low-income Texans. The Commission has created several initiatives to increase resources for and awareness of legal aid, including the domestic violence Protective Order Kit, the Texas Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program, and www.TexasLawHelp.org, an online resource for free legal information.
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