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Event Information

2024 Masters in Trial: A Trial Demonstration from Opening Statement through Jury Deliberations

February 02, 2024


Live in person hours at  USC Joseph F. Rice School of Law, 1525 Senate St. Columbia, 29208. Includes Satellite Sites see below for locations and addresses.  

For information and registration for the Live Webinar (non-live hours) for this program, please click here. 

Walk-In Registration Fee:

An additional walk-in registration fee of $50 will be applied to registrations the day of the program upon arrival at the registration site. This fee is intended to cover the additional administrative costs associated with on-site registrations.

 

Scope and Purpose

The American Board of Trial Advocates, an organization with more than 7,500 of the best trial lawyers in America, is dedicated to the preservation of the right to trial by jury guaranteed by the 7th Amendment.

Educating lawyers in the art of trial advocacy is a primary goal of the Foundation of the American Board of Trial Advocates. The Masters in TrialTM shows how some of the most successful trial lawyers in the country conduct a trial — without war stories. All of the trial team counsel are ABOTA members and are well-known and highly respected in their fields.

 

Case

The fact pattern for this year’s Masters in Trial is based on a fatal car versus pedestrian case.  The Plaintiff, Brian Miller, alleges that his son, Jacob Miller’s, death was proximately caused by the negligence, gross negligence, or recklessness of the driver and agent of Wings N Things, LLC.  Wings N Things, LLC asserts Jacob’s unfortunate passing was due to his own comparative negligence. 

Whether you are a novice or seasoned trial lawyer, plaintiff or defense counsel, this program will assist you in your next trial. This seminar is designed to teach by example. The skills you see demonstrated are applicable to virtually every other civil case.

This is one seminar trial lawyers will be talking about. You don’t want to miss it. Come see how the Masters do it. 

 

CLE Credit

The program has been approved for 6.75 MCLE credit hours by the Supreme Court of South Carolina Commission on CLE and Specialization. Commission Course #: 241598

The Supreme Court of South Carolina will provide one "civil or criminal jury trial" credit in satisfaction of Rule 403(b)(2), SCACR, for members of the bar or eligible students who attend the live seminar. When you check-in for the CLE, please inform the registration desk you are taking the course for Rule 403 credit. 

 

Trial Teams (subject to change)

The American Board of Trial Advocates is an invitation-only organization of 7,500 of the nation’s premier plaintiff and defense trial attorneys. All Masters in TrialTM presenters are members of ABOTA.

 

  

Course Planner and Moderator

Geoff Gibbon

Fayssoux & Landis, Greenville

 

Presiding Judge

The Honorable Jocelyn Newman

 

Plaintiff Team

Preston Brittain

Brittain Law Firm, Myrtle Beach, SC

 

Jon Eric Fulda

Whetstone Perkins & Fulda, Columbia, SC

 

Stephen Lowry

Harris Lowry Manton, Savannah, GA

 

Breon Walker

Stanley Law Group, Columbia, SC

 

Ginny Williams

Williams & Williams, Orangeburg, SC

 

Defense Team

Robb Brown

Moseley Marcinak Law Group, Columbia, SC

 

James F. Rogers

Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP, Columbia

 

Christian Stegmaier

Collins and Lacy, Columbia, SC

 

Kelli Sullivan

Turner Padget Graham & Laney, PA, Columbia, SC

 

Seminar Locations

Attendees can register to attend in person at the SC Bar Conference Center in Columbia, or one of the 6 other locations listed below. All 7 sites count as "in-person" MCLE hours. Please make your selection during the registration process.

  •  Beaufort: USC Bluffton Campus, 1 University Drive, Bluffton 29909, Campus Center 106
  • Columbia- USC Joseph F. Rice School of Law, 1525 Senate St. 
  •  Charleston- Charleston School of Law, 385 Meeting Street, Room 104
  • Florence: 1951 Pisgah Road, Room 249 
     
  •  Greenville- The University Center, 225 S. Pleasantburg Drive (enter the building where all the college flags are) Rm 514
  •  Myrtle Beach- Horry Georgetown Tech, 950 Crabtree Lane, Room 601
  • Rock Hill- York Family Courthouse, 1555 West Main Street, Jones Assembly Room

 

 


The South Carolina Bar is an accredited CLE provider in South Carolina only. Attorneys are responsible for seeking their own credit in other jurisdictions.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in CLE programs and publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the South Carolina Bar, its sections, or committees. The South Carolina Bar believes that all Bar members have the right to both meaningful learning and to the exchange of ideas in a civil environment. The Bar reserves the right to remove or exclude any person from a Bar event if that person is causing inappropriate disturbance, behaving in a manner inconsistent with accepted standards of decorum, or in any way preventing fellow Bar members from meaningful participation and learning.

Registration Fees

Member Registration
$335.00
Non Member Registration
$335.00
Price Description Amount

Agenda

  Beaufort/Hilton Head Island
1 University Blvd Bluffton, SC 29909
  Charleston
385 Meeting Street Charleston, SC 29403 Room 104
  Columbia
1525 Senate St. Columbia, SC 29208
  Florence
1951 Pisgah Rd Florence, SC 29501 Room 249
  Greenville
225 S. Pleasantburg Drive Greenville, SC 29607 Room 514
  Myrtle Beach
950 Crab Tree Lane Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
  Rock Hill
1555 West Main Street Rock Hill, SC 29732 Jones Assembly Room

Speakers

NameOrganizationSpeaking At

Policy

Continuing Education

Agenda

7:30 a.m.                   

Registration

 

8:05 a.m.                  

Welcome and Overview

 

8:15 – 8:30 a.m.      

Plaintiff’s Opening Statement

 

8:30 – 8:45 a.m.      

Defense Opening Statement

 

8:45 – 9:00 a.m.      

Direct Examination of Plaintiff Witness 1

 

9:15 – 9:30 a.m.      

Cross Examination of Plaintiff Witness 1

 

9:30 – 9:45 a.m.      

Direct Examination of Plaintiff Witness 2

 

9:45 – 10:00 a.m.    

Cross Examination of Plaintiff Witness 2

 

10:00 – 10:15 a.m.  

Morning Break

 

10:15 – 10:45 a.m.  

Direct Examination of Plaintiff Expert

 

10:45 – 11:00 a.m.  

Cross Examination of Plaintiff Expert

 

11:00 – 11:25 a.m.  

Direct Examination of Plaintiff/PR of Estate

 

11:25 – 11:45 a.m.  

Cross Examination of Plaintiff/PR of Estate

 

11:45 a.m.                

Lunch (on your own)

 

1:00 – 1:15 p.m.      

Direct Examination of Defense Witness 1

 

1:15 – 1:30 p.m.      

Cross Examination of Defense Witness 1

 

1:30 – 1:45 p.m.      

Direct Examination of Defense Witness 2

 

1:45 – 2:00 p.m.      

Cross Examination of Defense Witness 2

 

2:00 – 2:15 p.m.      

Direct Examination of Defense Expert

 

2:15 – 2:30 p.m.      

Cross Examination of Defense Expert

 

2:45 – 3:00 p.m.      

Plaintiff’s Closing

 

3:00 – 3:15 p.m.      

Defendant’s Closing

 

3:15 – 3:30 p.m.      

Jury Charge

 

3:30 – 4:30 p.m.      

Jury Deliberations

(Streamed Live in the Courtroom)

 

4:30 – 5:00 p.m.      

Jury Verdict, Questions, and Final Thoughts

 

5:00 p.m.                  

Adjourn

 

015703