NCDC Blogging

As I have mentioned in some previous posts, I'm attending NCDC this week and next. For those do not know, this is an intense, two week trial practice course. The instructors are some of the best criminal defense lawyers in the country. They come to teach on various aspects of trying cases. This is not a lecture program per se.

Instead, the 96 students per session (2 sessions per summer) are broken into groups of eight. Topics are introduced by a lecture to every student. Then students break up into their groups and practice what was discussed. Actors are used to represent witnesses, jurors, clients, etc. You are critiqued by professors and other students. The groups are arranged based on generally compensable amounts of experience in terms of felony jury trials.

It is really hard to put everything I have learned into words. I can say that one should really not try to re-introduce oneself to poker against other criminal defense attorneys after having consumed the better part of a half rack of beer. I think I have learned more about communicating with a jury today than I have in the previous 11 or so years of practice. That statement is not made rashly. Our instructor today was tough on us, but fair. Skelly has blogged that his experience, except for one instructor, was likewise exceptional. I know that this is going to be an experience that will change the way that I think about and approach cases.

Also, I am convinced that Macon, Georgia, is situated just a couple of floors above hell. All those years in the frozen tundra have really made the adjustment to the heat difficult for me and my roomie, a PD buddy from Juneau.

One frustrating aspect so far is that we have a short time to do the exercises. I spent about 45 minutes or so this afternoon working on voire dire. The rest of the time I was watching and critiquing other attorneys. I also find that I have not done as well on some things as I know I can do. That is really disappointing, but I am determined to improve my practice. And to drink some more beer. Anyway, I have received several encouraging comments from past attendees, reminiscing about their times here and I can see why everyone who has attended has absolutely raved about the place. While I still have a lot to go, I would say that even if the rest of the program really blows (which I doubt it will), this is an excellent program. I would go so far as to say that if you really want to improve as a criminal defense attorney, you have to, and I mean HAVE TO attend this program.

Comments

[Skelly]

Good for you! How are the people in your section? Who are some of your instructors? Which one of the four case problems did you draw? (assuming they still do that)(my group had State v. Kichens, the battered woman defense)

Best, most memorable CLE, period.

J.H. "Skelly"
NCDC July 1998, Section D

[Alaska]

I've got 8 people in my section, counting myself. Wound up in section C, doing the Kitchens problem as well. That's interesting because I just did a case involving a potentially battered woman. I just got another homicide in which we are going to be looking at that as a defense as well.

The people in my group are really good. I have watched us ovver the last four days really grow, grow as a group and grow in legal skills. I cannot describe just how much I am enjoying this. I will try to post later, but I don't know how much time I will have.

[blondie]

I tried to warn you about the weather... glad to hear you're having a good time!

[David Feige]

Hi,
Funny, I was trying to decide just a few days ago whether to schlep down there again (I've been on the faculty for several years) and seeing this post made me remember why I go every year.

Sorry I won't get to meet you--I'm going second week July.
Second week is hard--you'll have been there a while and it often starts to feel old.. but stick with it.
Poor sweet Vonnie...
All the best,
D.

[Skelly]

Hey, Vonnie only did what she had to do! In the mountain time zone and elsewhere, it's the That Man Needed Killin' defense. Good-bye Earl! (or whatever his name was). "Beaten, Bruised, Battered - Finally Fought Back" was the partial Kitchens trilogy I came up with back then. Got my first hit of Pozner & Dodd -style cross in Macon too. Addictive stuff.