Job Tips: Trial Experience

One of our readers wants to know how long you have been practicing and how many trials you have done? While you’re at it, are you practicing civil or criminal law? How does one go about getting trial experience if they want it? When talking about trial experience do you count short trials, administrative hearings, or arbitrations that take less than a day? Can you be a good litigator without ever getting to trial? What if you settle everything before trial? What are your thoughts on trial experience? Is that a dealbreaker when you’re hiring? What are the requirements for calling yourself a trial lawyer?

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Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 8:45 am

Practicing 20 years. About 35-40 trials. All civil.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 3:17 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Practicing 25+ years — civil litigation. 110 civil jury trials in both state and federal court.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 8:53 am

Tough question because does trial include short trials? That clarification will move the numbers quite a bit.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 8:54 am

14 years in civil litigation. 4 jury trials, 6 or 7 bench trials, 2 short trials, and numerous court mandated arbitrations. Trial experience is important to get over the fear of going to trial. I’ve seen a lot of attorneys on the defense side over value a case because they are afraid of the unknown of a jury trial.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 9:07 am

Dear Tyler Technologies: I have had it with you and “Access denied. It looks like this email address does not have access to download this document.” I am the person who filed or served the document. Sure there is a work around for E-File documents in that I can log into either Attorney Corner on the District Court side or Justice Court partner on the LVJC side. But for e-served documents, there is no work around.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 9:21 am
Reply to  Anonymous

What imaginary problem did they think they were solving by adding this meaningless step?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 9:21 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Does the Justice Court partner on the LVJC site give you access to filed documents in justice court like the Portal does for district court? If so, how would I get an account with that service? I don’t do a lot in justice court but when I do I find it a PITA to have to send my runner to get docs from the clerk.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 12:34 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Yes. Fill out an application from the Justice Court Clerk’s office. You have to hand deliver them a check.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 2:11 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Perfect thanks. Of course, they want you to do it in person!

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 2:28 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Because its 1998. . . . .

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 5:16 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Last time I tried about a couple of years ago, the justice court clerk had no idea what I was talking about. So what’s the name of the form and what are the magic words for the incantation to get the desired access?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 5:48 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

So here is the deal– contact LVJC Court Administration. The Clerks will have no idea what you are talking about.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 26, 2024 10:48 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Its called a Jedi Mind Trick and you don’t have the midi-chlorian count sufficient to command the power of the force.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 26, 2024 1:30 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Sure seems like it.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 9:21 am
Reply to  Anonymous

What does this gobbledygook even mean? There is ZERO security enhancement, as I posted a few days ago, when you literally give the answer in the service email. The explanation for the change makes no sense.

We are modifying the way electronically filed records and documents are surfaced to provide an enhanced level of protection. As part of this enhancement, we have added an additional step when a user wishes to view a document.

When attempting to download and view a document from a link within an email notification (submitted, accepted, service, etc.) or from within an electronic filing service provider, users will now see a screen asking them to enter their email address. When you encounter this screen, please enter your email address and click the “Validate” button. The system will confirm your email address before allowing you to download and view the document.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 12:35 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Except as I am sure you noted, it does not work. You cannot validate even the filer? Shameful.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 1:04 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I literally paid $18 to obtain a copy of a Complaint in LA Superior Court. $1 for the search and $17 for the copies. This is as an Attorney account. So no freebees for attorneys. Will Clark County go the way of LA County and charge an arm and a leg for these documents?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 1:04 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

THIS morning.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 1:21 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

LA Superior is insanely expensive. Another way that PACER, though deeply flawed, is the best platform of its type.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 5:17 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

And also improperly expensive, given the class action lawsuit filed over PACER fees.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 9:18 am

Family law is different – literally several hundred bench trials over 23 years.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 9:29 am
Reply to  Anonymous

I’ve done a few family and gship trials, and ANYTHING GOES lol.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 9:32 am
Reply to  Anonymous

U r correct

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 9:19 am

36 years, roughly 30 jury trials, 4-6 bench trials, and a couple of short trials.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 9:27 am

Practicing 16 years. No jury trials, 5 bankruptcy court bench trials (non-dischargeability APs), ~40-50 arbitration hearings, a couple short trials, 4 civil bench trials, 30-40 family court “trials” (custody evidentiary hearings and financial/asset trials most at a half-day each, a few one day.) I’m intimidated by the idea of a jury trial, mostly because I’ve never done one and they seem to take so damn long.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 9:28 am

Join a DAs office if you want trials. Trials were out of date 20 years ago when I was in law school. Too much risk. That said, I do love a no-risk trial, in the sense that a client demands trial or the other party won’t even come close to reasonable settlement.

I’ve done 5 criminal jury trials and 5 civil jury trials. Countless misdo trials and prelims from my DA days, and countless arbitrations from my civil work, all of which are a great way to get comfortable with evidence.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 9:32 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Oh, and depos, hundreds and hundreds of depos, another good way to learn how to ask questions that get a response, even though you won’t’ learn anything about evidence.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 9:42 am

Practicing 14 years. No jury trials. No bench trials. I almost had a probate evidentiary hearing, but the other side didn’t show up at the calendar call, and may in fact have killed herself when she got the sanction order granting my fees and costs.

So, there’s that.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 12:20 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Almost the same here except I’ve had a few bench trials and administrative agency trials. It’s a little disheartening. I’ve been to jury selection several times and each time the other side makes an offer we can’t refuse.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 9:47 am

6 years. 2 Bench trials. 1 family law trial. 1 evidentiary hearing. Probably 50-60 depositions (12 in one case lol).

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 10:14 am
Reply to  Anonymous

This is not a pro-Telles response. But this is a big part of what German was working on when the Telles events occurred.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 10:31 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Also not a pro-Telles response. The truth is stranger than fiction. It will be interesting to see if there’s any merit to Telles’ allegations of being framed by these crooks. Home flippers certainly would have the ability to hide evidence in drywall.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 10:46 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Yeah but can they drive Telles’ car to German’s house and put German’s DNA under Telles’ fingernails?

It’s house flippers, not the CIA.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 10:52 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Agreed. It’s either the CIA or a desperate captain of a crooked ship taking the whole boat down with him.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 10:51 am
Reply to  Anonymous

The rumor is that Telles was blowing the whistle because he had his own scheme to feed houses to his own connected people. Schemes dont like competition.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 4:35 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Telles has video of himself being framed that DA doesn’t know about yet. The DA’s case is about to implode. Telles will walk and celebrate with his family. He’s going to bring a defamation claim against German’s family after he’s freed.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 5:49 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

The only framing Telles was involved with was his portrait at Michaels

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 10:24 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Just like OJ searched for the real killer.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 10:40 am
Reply to  Anonymous

“This is not a scheme, we have been doing this for a long time.” lol

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 10:48 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Clear Counsel is going to have some ‘splaining.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 10:55 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Also looks like a few solos. Low hanging fruit for bar counsel.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 11:12 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Hahahaha u got that right!

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 11:18 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Man if I could tell what I encountered with those guys without the comment getting deleted…. Would be interesting to say the least.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 3:26 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Same. Interesting that LKP wasn’t identified.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 5:50 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Or Grant Morris Dodds. Interview them without inquiring if there is stickiness on their digits.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 12:20 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Sounds very similar to the Public Administrator scandals of several years ago. This is also not a pro-Telles response!

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 1:17 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Interesting to me that this has been going on and, based on the comments, it’s been going for a long time. OBC spends their time persecuting solos who get reported by a disgruntled opposing attorney rather than investigating real, actual fraud that does real, actual damage to the community.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 1:24 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

It has gone on far too long. If you report this to OBC, they will tell you that they won’t do anything until the perp is arrested. Anyone else get a similar response?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 2:23 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

What evidence of fraud or actual damage to the community did you get from the article?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 2:30 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Fraud is telling the court you made “concerted efforts” to locate the heirs when you intentionally did not locate the heirs. Fraud is also when you don’t name heirs in petitions. Fraud and damage is telling the court and the bank that the property is valueless when you flip hundreds of them for substantial profits, albeit, poorly concealed by non-arms length straw buyers and shell companies. Fraud is when your entire firm’s business model relies upon stealing dead people’s houses and ripping off their heirs. If you didn’t see evidence in that article, look at the list of firms to see if you’re on it.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 5:51 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Fraud is telling the court, the heirs and the lender that the house is worthless and then selling it to Avi Segal who miraculously finds value that you could not see.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 12:24 pm

14 years experience. 6 jury trials – all civil. Handful of arbs/short trials early on but I rarely have those types of cases anymore. I would love to go to trial more often, but insurance companies don’t like it.

as to getting trial experience – if I find out anyone in my office is heading to trial, I volunteer to help in any way I can even if I’m just writing trial briefs behind the scenes. I have found that if you make yourself reliable in trial crunches, you get asked to go to trial as a second chair at least.

I don’t evaluate a potential hire for the number of trials, but evaluate their willingness to go and jump in the fire when trial is looming.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 1:24 pm

Seven years: a couple labor arbitrations, one multiday administrative hearing that was basically a bench trial with relaxed evidentiary rules and one evidentiary hearing that involved live witnesses. No true trials, which is fine by me.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 1:29 pm

10 years in, 5 short trials, countless arbitrations, and 5 exempt trials. I do believe short trials count, and would argue they are even harder than exempt trials due to the time limit. i cut m teeth in short trials before i did an exempt trial. i found that exempt trial was MUCH EASIER since i actually had time to present my case and ask my questions, whereas in short trial the clock was ticking and ever word i muttered mattered and needed to be useful.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 1:33 pm

Who is a worse human being Telles or Larimer?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 1:59 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

presuming all allegations against both are true, Telles. Larimer was a dumb kid in the first DUI, and just (grossly) negligent in the second. Mens rea for intent lacking. Telles however, had pre meditated intent. you dont case someone’s house for shits and giggles

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 1:59 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Good points

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 2:00 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

unless you’re trying to steal their house when they die.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 3:00 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I think dui guy bc he keeps doing it.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 1:52 pm

want civil trial experience? I think you have to go to government. There’s very rarely a cost justification for trial working at an hourly defense firm.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 5:53 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I had an associate leave my firm to go government because she said that representing real people was too hard on the soul. If she represented the government, it was nameless and faceless and winning and losing did not matter.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 7:52 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

OP here. If she wanted nameless and faceless go to ID. I worked govt and found the govt workers were often pretty invested emotionally to it all. But I guess comparatively I see the point.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 2:36 pm

33 years of practice. 2 civil jury trials, 4 bench trials, 175 administrative hearings with evidence, witness testimony, and court appellate review. Also, fwiw, 2 oral arguments before NV SCt and 1 before 9th Circuit panel.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 3:05 pm

Does anyone have precedent (civil) to support the notion that a recording/writing in a foreign language cannot be admitted into evidence without a certified translator translating it?

(In other words, needing precedent to support the notion that one side cannot offer a recording into evidence and also offer their own translation of what they say the foreign words mean).

Last edited 7 months ago by Anonymous
Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 3:37 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

NRS 50.054 precludes anyone from acting as a translator if they’re personally interested in the litigation – kinda similar to what you’re looking for.

Even though you’re looking for civil cases, I think Baltazar-Monterrosa might be persuasive, especially with the lack of other instructive case law:

“Interpreters are subject to qualification as experts,14 and an expert may testify to matters within the scope of his or her special knowledge.15 “The district court has discretion to determine the admissibility of expert testimony, and we review this decision for a clear abuse of discretion.”16 “The question of an interpreter’s competence is a factual one for the trial court.”17 In making this determination, the trial court is given considerable latitude, and absent a manifest abuse of discretion, its ruling will not be disturbed on appeal.18
9
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In evaluating the translation of testimony, a reviewing court asks whether the translation was adequate and accurate on the whole.19 “Translation is an art more than a science, and there is no such thing as a perfect translation of a defendant’s testimony. Indeed, in every case there will be room for disagreement among expert translators over some aspects of the translation.”20 “A defendant bears the burden of proving that the translation was inadequate.”

Baltazar-Monterrosa v. State, 122 Nev. 606, 614, 137 P.3d 1137, 1142 (2006)

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 6:29 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I had to pay for a certified translation of medical records from a less-common language to English. It was a couple of hundred pages. Get ready to open up your wallet is all I can say.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 5:07 pm

Court just sent an email blast that it’s using Zoom moving forward.

Yay we still have remote hearings!

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 5:54 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Have you looked at the Department instructions? Rolls out Monday and is a mess.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 6:29 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Shocking.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
January 25, 2024 10:05 pm

You want better settlements in personal injury, then you must go to trial. Even if you lose, you earn
Respect. With commercial litigation it is not as important, but you need to know how to introduce evidence properly and actually get proper testimony by controlling the witness with your questions. Everyone thinks it is easy, but the correct wording for important questions are important.

20 years of practice. 30 civil jury trials, 20 criminal trials but very early in practice and only a few were jury trials as many were DUI or other misdemeanors.

The higher risk the case for you as the attorney the scarier the trial. When you do personal injury you are putting up your own money. How would you feel betting $100,000 in costs on a case? Just as nervous if you bet $100,000 on the lions this weekend.