President's Page:IADC Pride: The Trial Academy

Abstract

Going to Boulder, Colorado with my family was my first introduction to the IADC Trial Academy. Back in the 1980s, my father served on the IADC Trial Academy faculty, and I can still recall his favorite story from that experience. One of the students in his small group stood up to deliver her opening statement on the first day, but nothing came out of her mouth. Consumed with stage fright, the woman was speechless. Over the course of the week, the student gained confidence in her own abilities, learned more trial techniques to add to her tool chest and, in general, developed a much better understanding of the art of persuasion. At last, on the final day of the Trial Academy, she delivered a beautiful, articulate and persuasive closing argument. Upon finishing, the small group of students gave the woman a standing ovation. The student has gone on to enjoy a highly successful career as a trial lawyer trying cases all around the country for major corporations. Many IADC members can share similar stories about their experiences as students or faculty members at the Trial Academy. The dedication of the faculty and the commitment of its students produce incredible results and serve as the foundation of the premier trial advocacy program in the country. Like many, I can attest to the personal and professional satisfaction I experienced as both a student and faculty member. Indeed, a member of this year's Trial Academy, Marc Williams, stated the following: Serving on the faculty of the IADC Trial Academy was one of the highlights of my career as a lawyer. The camaraderie of the faculty forges a bond that will remain long after the week is over. I feel like I learned as much as the students. It was an experience that I'll never forget. Over the past forty-one years, more than 3,500 students have attended the Trial Academy with the express purpose of improving their trial skills. Students have come from all over the world, including all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Canada, Brazil and Ireland. The Trial Academy's widespread and historical achievement is amazing but not surprising. Its backbone is the IADC membership itself--a group of the finest trial lawyers in the world who recognize the importance of giving back to our profession by training the next generation of trial lawyers. IADC members who serve as faculty prepare well in advance of the opening day in order to develop effective methods of instruction and to produce superior demonstrations for the students. Faculty members then spend more than a week out of the office and away from their families working all day with their students to give each one of them the best instruction possible. The amount of time our members dedicate to the Trial Academy year after year cannot be overstated. Their time and commitment to the IADC and the Trial Academy is a testament to the quality and character of every faculty member, and it makes me proud to be a member of this organization. On August 1, 2013, I attended the Closing Dinner of the 41st Trial Academy. The exhilaration and excitement among the students and faculty was palpable and brought back wonderful memories from my own personal experiences at Boulder and Palo Alto. After seven days of intensive faculty instruction and videotaped student demonstrations, the students and the faculty celebrated the great accomplishments that each had achieved during the week. …