Civil Justice is offering a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) class titled, “An Overview of Jury Trials in Personal Injury Cases”, on July 20, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at the University of Maryland School of Law.  This seminar outlines all aspects of a personal injury trial including deciding to accept the case, preparing a case utilizing experts, developing powerful opening statements and closing arguments, and dealing with the unpredictability of the trial itself. 

 Program Agenda

9:50 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Introductions

10:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Accepting the Case – the Four Factors 

10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Preparation for Trial/Settlement
a. Investigation
b. Filing Suit
c. Discovery
d. Experts
e. Evaluating case worth
f. Settlement Attempts
g. Preparing for Trial

11:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
The Trial
a. Pre-Trial Motions
b. Voir Dire – Jury Selection
c. Direct Examinations
d. Cross Examination
e. Motions
f. Closing
g. Post Trial

About the Speaker
Jane Santoni has been a practicing attorney since 1986.  After clerking for Chief Judge Morris Turk in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, she became a trial lawyer with USF&G (later St. Paul) insurance company, where she handled thousands of personal injury cases and hundreds of trials during her 14 year tenure with these companies.  In 2002 Ms. Santoni started her own firm with partner Joe Williams.  In addition to handling personal injury cases, now on behalf of Plaintiffs, Ms. Santoni began a consumer law practice.  She has taught, “Preparation and Trial of a Personal Injury Case” for MICPEL.  She has been named a “super lawyer” – comprising the top 5% in the legal profession in Maryland for the last four years in a row.  She has won this award for her work in the personal injury and consumer protection area.

To register for this class, please click here to download a registration form. 

If you have any questions, please contact Erica Evans at eevans@civiljusticenetwork.org, or (410)706-0174.
 

CLE Offering – Advice for Your Client Starting a Small Business, July 13, 2011

 Civil Justice is offering a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) class title, “Advice for your Client Starting a Small Business”, on July 13, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at the University of Maryland School of Law.

 This introductory-level class is intended to give attorneys a simple roadmap for clarifying goals of a client’s new business, identifying potential business risks and pitfalls, structuring the new business, assembling a professional team for business success, meeting licensing and regulatory requirements, and raising money without losing control of the business.
 
PROGRAM AGENDA
9:50 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Introductions

10:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Defining the Business and its Business Goals

10:15 a.m. to 10:25 a.m.
Putting Together the Team of Professionals

10:25 a.m. to 10:50 a.m.
Choice of Entity and Business Structure

10:50 a.m. to 11:05 a.m.
Minimizing Risk

11:05 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.
Financing the New Business

11:20 a.m. to 11:30am.
Human Relations and Personal

11:30a.m. to 11:40 a.m.
Maintaining the New Business

11:40 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.
Closing the Business

11:50 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Questions & Answers

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Attorney Stephen D. Ball graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1994.  He worked at Sasscer, Clagett & Bucher in Upper Marlboro during law school from 1992 until 1995.  In 1995 he opened his own law firm in Prince George’s County, Maryland.  Since 1995, his practice has included small business formation and litigation.  He is licensed to practice in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia.  He joined Civil Justice, Inc. in 1999 and currently serves as its Vice President.

To register for this class, please click here to download a registration form.

If you have any questions, please contact Erica Evans at eevans@civiljusticenetwork.org or (410)706-0174.
 

Civil Justice has been awarded the 2011 Herbert S. Garten Pro Bono Service Award for its pilot program designed to provide support and attorney staffing to the Debtor Assistance Project (DAP) at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Baltimore. The award was presented during the Maryland State Bar Association’s Annual Meeting, held in Ocean City, Maryland on June 11, 2011.

DAP is a program, run through the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland, which provides pro se debtors with the opportunity to meet with a bankruptcy attorney for a free thirty-minute consultation. While the need for the services of the DAP office are great, the program has struggled to recruit enough pro bono attorneys to meet the demand for appointments. In February 2010, Civil Justice Inc. (CJ) received a twelve-month grant from the Abel Foundation to implement a program entitled “Filling a Vital Gap in Foreclosure Prevention Through Pro Se Bankruptcy.”  Through this pilot project, CJ was able to pay a daily stipend to experienced bankruptcy attorneys who agreed to staff the Baltimore DAP desk on a regular basis.

The pilot project targeted hundreds of pro se bankruptcy debtors who, without the aid of legal counsel, seek to preserve their home in bankruptcy court. The pilot project also sought to fill a gap in services offered by the Foreclosure Prevention Pro Bono Project by providing Baltimore area housing counseling agencies with information and guidance on bankruptcy related legal services. Preliminary results show that debtors who visited the DAP office during the pilot project period saw a 50% reduction in involuntary dismissals of their Chapter 13 cases when compared with those who did not benefit from DAP counseling.

The Herbert S. Garten Pro Bono Service Award recognizes an individual, group, or firm that has initiated a special project that enhances the delivery of legal services for low-income people.
 

Civil Justice sponsors its first CLE program, Introduction to Family Law, on June 29, 2011

Civil Justice is beginning its Continuing Legal Education (CLE) courses, with its first program, Introduction to Family Law – A Review of Divorce and Custody Issues, on June 29, 2011 at the University of Maryland School of Law, from 10:00am to 12:00pm.

This introductory training is designed to provide the practitioner with essential elements needed to assess and undertake a divorce or custody case.  Taught by Stacey Andersen, a litigator with over 13 years of trial experience in the area of family law, students will be guided through the filing of a divorce action from the initial client interview through overall case assessment and finally the filling of the civil complaint.  Ms. Anderson will also discuss how domestic violence factors into case assessment as well as short and long term case strategy.

Program Agenda
9:50 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Introductions

10:00 a.m. to 10:20 a.m.
The Law: Venue, Grounds, Filing

10:20 a.m. to 10:40 a.m.
Case Assessment and Pleadings

10:40 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Client Case Management

11:00 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.
Domestic Violence Considerations

11:20 a.m. to 11:40 a.m.
The Family Law Practitioner’s “Toolbox”

11:40 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Questions and Answers

About the Speaker
Stacey Andersen actively litigates in the areas of family law, domestic violence, consumer rights, public benefits on behalf of the disabled and indigent, and consumer interest in the realm of public utilities advocacy.  Ms. Andersen has also represented children as a best interest attorney and child’s advocate.  Additionally, Ms. Andersen is also a trained collaborative law practitioner.

To register for this class, please click here to download a registration form. 

If you have any questions, please contact Erica Evans at eevans@civiljusticenetwork.org, or (410)706-0174.
 

Civil Justice Files Amicus Brief in Ford Motor Credit v. Roberson

Civil Justice filed an Amicus Brief in the Maryland Court of Appeals in the case, Ford Motor Credit v. Roberson, Misc. No. 15, September Term 2010.  To read the brief, please click here.  Live arguments took place on May 10, 2011 at the Court of Appeals, and may be viewed by clicking here.

Civil Justice Participates in "Mortgage Late, Don't Wait" Foreclosure Workshop in Prince George's County

Civil Justice, along with 15 pro bono attorneys as part of the Maryland Foreclosure Prevention Pro Bono Project, attended the "Mortgage Late, Don't Wait" foreclosure workshop at the Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, MD on April 2, 2011.  Homeowners were given the opportunity to meet with housing counselors, and pro bono attorneys to get advice regarding foreclosure.  During the event, the attorneys met with over 50 homeowners to answer questions regarding foreclosure, and how they could attempt to save their homes. 

The event was sponsored by the Maryland Department of Housing Community Development (DHCD), Freddie Mac, and Prince George's County Department of Housing and Community Development,  as part of their ongoing outreach to Maryland homeowners who have been affected by the foreclosure crisis.  Additional workshops will be held throughout the state.  To find out the date and location of the next foreclosure solutions workshop, please visit DHCD's calendar of events.