Mr. Smith teaches two seminars-"Persuasive Legal Writing" and "What's New in Tort and Trial Practice"-at locations across California.

To learn more about Mr. Smith's seminars and his teaching schedule, click on the buttons below.

• Persuasive Legal Writing
• What's New in Tort and Trial Practice
• 2006 Teaching Schedule
• Past Seminars

Persuasive Legal Writing

In 1995, Mr. Smith created the materials for "Persuasive Legal Writing, a seminar he teaches" for the Continuing Education of the Bar, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the Bar Association of San Francisco, and for law firms (e.g., Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; O'Melveny & Myers; Fenwick & West; Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati). This seminar teaches lawyers to write in a style marked by brevity, simplicity, clarity, and candor. To view Chapter I of Mr. Smith's manual, explaining why and how to write with brevity, simplicity, clarity, and candor, click here.

What's New in Tort and Trial Practice

This seminar reviews all judicial decisions, statutes, and court rules from the prior year that affect tort law and civil procedure.

The syllabus also summarizes all the pending California Supreme Court cases affecting tort law and civil procedure.

This seminar was started in 1983 by Mr. Smith and co-panelist Craig Needham. In January and February, the seminar is given in 10 cities across California.

2006 Teaching Schedule

What's New in Tort and Trial Practice

San Francisco

Sponsor: San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association
January 10, 2006, 6:00-9:00 p.m.

Los Angeles

Sponsor: Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
January 12, 2006, 6:00-9:30 p.m.

San Mateo

Sponsor: San Mateo Trial Lawyers Association
January 31, 2006, 6:00-9:00 p.m.

Persuasive Legal Writing - Public presentations

Los Angeles

Sponsor: Los Angeles County Bar Association
January 26, 2006, 6:00-9:15
LACBA Lexis/Nexis Center, 261 S. Figueroa St.

Sacramento

With Hon. Rick Sims, Court of Appeal, Third District
Sponsor: Continuing Education of the Bar
April 6, 2006, 6:00-9:15 p.m.
Hyatt Regency @ Capitol Park, 1209 L. St.

San Francisco

With Hon. William D.Stein, Court of Appeal, First District, Div. One
Sponsor: Continuing Education of the Bar
April 20, 2006, 6:00-9:15 p.m.
PLI California Center, 685 Market St.,

Los Angeles

With Hon. Earl Johnson, Jr., Court of Appeal, Second District, Div. Seven
Sponsor: Continuing Education of the Bar
May 4, 2006, 6:00-9:15 p.m.
Wilshire Grand Hotel & Centre, 930 Wilshire Blvd.

 

To learn more about these CEB seminars, click here.

To enroll in these CEB seminars, call 1 800-232-3444 or go to  www.ceb.com

San Jose

Sponsor: Santa Clara Bar Association,
April 26, 2006, 6:00-9:15 p.m.

 

To enroll in this seminar, email avrilm@sccba.com or go to www.sccba.com

Persuasive Legal Writing ─ Law firm presentations

Los Angeles City Attorney, Los Angeles, March 31, 2006.

 

Cooley College, Palo Alto, September 2006.

Past Seminars

Since 1983, Mr. Smith has co-authored and lectured an annual statewide seminar, "What's New in Tort and Trial Practice."

Legal Writing Instructor at Boalt Hall School of Law (2001).

"Appellate Issues in Trial Practice," Bar Association of San Francisco, 2002 (panelist and author).

"Recent Developments in Civil Litigation," CEB (1988-1991).

"How to Win Posttrial Motions and Enforce Judgments," CEB (1987; panelist and author).

"Appellate Review Before Judgment," CEB (1982).

"Preserving the Record for Appeal," Los Angeles County Bar Association (1978).

Recommendations:

"A serious effort to improve one of lawyers' most vital skills."
Prof. Jesse H. Choper, Former Dean, U.C. Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall)

"This manual should be required reading for every law student in America. The examples are terrific!"
Prof. Gerald F. Uelmen, Former Dean, Santa Clara University School of Law

"No book better presents how to write with the clarity and vigor demanded of the successful practitioners."
Robert M. Westberg, Pillsbury Winthrop, San Francisco

"Nothing but raves from the lawyers in my office who attended. Thanks for an engaging as well as instructive program."
J. Victor Haydel, Farella, Braun & Martel, San Francisco

"Smith's "Persuasive Legal Writing" is the lawyer's equivalent of Strunk and White's "The Elements of Style."
Prof. Alison Anderson, U.C.L.A. School of Law

"Should greatly help lawyers to clean up their well-known murk."
William Zinsser, New York (author of "On Writing Well").

Evaluations:

"The best CLE course I have ever taken."

"Most helpful MCLE event ever attended."

"The best seminar on legal writing I have ever taken; as enjoyable as it was informative."

"Truly educational-for novice and savvy veteran lawyers."

"Excellent. I'll put these tips to use tomorrow!"

"Marvelous-colorful, passionate, interesting. Great balance in explaining how and why to write well."

"Of my first brief after the seminar the judge said: `excellent,' `succinct,' `to the point,' and `very helpful.' A first! Thanks for your excellent course."

"Superb course; superb teacher."

"Absolutely fabulous."

"Outstanding."