Details
How to Succeed as a Trial Lawyer contains numerous pearls of wisdom, comprehensively discussing what effective trial lawyers eventually learn "on the job," every aspect of the civil litigation process, from first client meeting through appellate argument.
The book illustrates how to avoid the mistakes inexperienced litigators frequently make, and includes what the traditional texts miss: how to do the various tasks of lawyering -- in and out of the courtroom -- and, just as important, what to avoid doing. This book includes useful practice checklists, tables of rules cited in the text, and a detailed index for quick reference to just what you need.
Subjects covered:
- Dealing with clients
- Dealing with support staff, witnesses, other lawyers, mediators, arbitrators, judges, and jurors
- Managing and drafting emails and letters
- Drafting pleadings, internal memos, motions, briefs, discovery, jury instructions, and settlement agreements
- Preparing for, taking, and defending depositions
- Mediating commercial disputes
- Arbitrating commercial disputes
- Making oral presentations in court
- Presenting an effective plaintiff's case in the courtroom
- Presenting an effective defense in the courtroom
- Dealing with ethical issues (with ethics problems to solve)
- Marketing a litigation practice
- Coping with stress and creating a life beyond the practice of law
This essential handbook for every trial lawyer is told with humor and erudition by an author who has forty years' experience as a trial lawyer, and twenty years' experience teaching practical skills at Yale Law School, described by an advance reviewer as thorough, concise, shrewd, and wise.
"When it comes to litigation, How to Succeed as a Trial Lawyer provides the most -- and the most useful -- advice you will ever find between two covers. It is a must for every trial lawyer's bookshelf."
-Professor Steven Lubet, Northwestern University School of Law
"For any aspiring trial lawyer, How to Succeed as a Trial Lawyer includes everything you need to know that you didn't learn in law school."
-Nila Bala, Yale Law School '12
". . . a wonderful compendium of essentially every aspect of the civil litigation process and then some, told with humor and erudition . . . . a comprehensive checklist and how-to guide for civil litigators ."
-Richard Ziegler, principal, Jenner & Block
"This is the book I wish I had in my first ten years as a trial lawyer. It's also the book I wish I could have handed out to trial lawyers while I was on the bench. Edelstein is thorough, concise, shrewd and wise."
-Beverly Hodgson, arbitrator, mediator, and former judge
" . . . a great primer on litigation and life in the law."
-Daniel Abuhoff, principal, Debevoise & Plimpton, LLP
". . . a rare comprehensive primer of the trial lawyer's art."
-Aegis Frumento, principal, Stern, Tannenbaum & Bell
"Stewart Edelstein's excellent book should be on the desk -- not on the bookshelf -- of every attorney who is or aspires to be a successful civil litigator and trial lawyer."
-Professor Steven Wizner, Yale Law School
"This book is to advocacy what The Elements of Style is to composition."
-Frederick Gold, principal, Shipman & Goodwin, and Clinical Visiting Lecturer in Law, Yale Law School
". . . may be destined to become the essential handbook for litigators, experienced and novice alike."
-Donald Derfner, principal, Derfner & Gillett, LLP
"The writing is elegant, to the point, and blissfully free of the legalese and verbosity that afflict other books of this kind. Mr. Edelstein incorporates humor and anecdote when apt, without distracting from his foremost aim, which is to instruct. He has delivered in one efficient and highly readable package a life-time of learning . . . ."
-Martin Domb, principal, Akerman Senterfitt
". . . a welcome addition to a young litigator's library, either to read cover to cover, or to use as a reference on a particular litigation task. Not a traditional text on civil litigation or trial advocacy, How to Succeed as a Trial Lawyer contains numerous pearls of wisdom, in checklist format, the do's and don'ts that effective litigators eventually learn "on the job." It shows you how to avoid the mistakes young litigators frequently make, from the first meeting with a new client through presenting a case at trial from the plaintiff's and defendant's perspective. It has what the traditional texts miss: the actual how to do the various tasks of civil litigation and, just as important, the things to avoid doing."
-Professor Thomas A. Mauet, The University of Arizona College of Law
