In their Appellate Practice column, Thomas R. Newman and Steven J. Ahmuty, Jr. discuss the rules and procedures of the pre-argument conference, which can help participants more objectively evaluate ...

Opening statements and closing arguments are typically the most significant phases of a civil jury trial. They are often the only times during trial that counsel may directly address the jurors.

In many federal courts of appeals, the statement on oral argument occupies a prime position in a brief. It is often the first substantive statement a judge reads. Yet so few advocates use this ...