AYLA’s inaugural Trial Institute proved to be a great success. The sold-out event took place on June 30, 2023, in the Ceremonial Courtroom of the new Travis County Civil & Family Courts Facility. AYLA partnered with the American College of Trial Lawyers to host a day of honing trial skills using materials and testimony from the real-life espionage trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg of 1951.
The day included some of Austin’s finest trial lawyers performing authentic demonstrations of opening statements, direct examinations, cross examinations, and closing arguments, as well as a lecture and a panel discussing each trial skill for a full day’s worth of MCLE credit.
AYLA would like to thank Robby Alden and the Austin Chapter of the American College of Trial Lawyers for handling the lion’s share of the substantive aspects of the event; the Civil Litigation section of the Austin Bar for sponsoring the event; Burgess Law PC for sponsoring the afternoon refreshments; the law firm of Butler Snow LLP for sponsoring and hosting the happy hour reception after the event; the Travis County judiciary as a whole for the use of the Ceremonial Courtroom and court staff; and Debbie Kelly and the Trial Institute Committee for making the event happen.
(L-R): Karen Burgess, David Gonzalez, Dan Richards, Judge Karen Sage, Robby Alden, Dicky Grigg, Judge Jan Soifer, Paul Sandler.
AYLA would also like to thank the 27 judges and trial lawyers who acted as demonstrators, lecturers, and panelists for the event—including Shannon Ratliff, Heidi Coughlin, Judge Lee Yeakel, Eric Nichols, David Gonzalez, Judge Lora Livingston, Blair Leake, Steve McConnico, Karen Burgess, David Boyce, Paul Sandler, Judge Karin Crump, Dan Richards, Judge Alan Albright, Dicky Grigg, Judge Jan Soifer, Carl Pierce, Judge Karen Sage, Kathy Snapka, Judge Susan Hightower, David Deaderick, and Judge Dustin Howell.
Please contact Debbie Kelly at debbie@austinbar.org if you are interested in participating in future AYLA Trial Institute events.