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Trial Skills Workshop

Wednesday, October 7, 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
San Diego, California | $800

National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges and the American Bankruptcy Institute will again offer an intensive, full-day workshop designed for bankruptcy practitioners to build trial skills and increase confidence for better outcomes for clients..

  • Hone your skills for the most effective and persuasive direct and cross-examinations, including impeachment, admission, and use of exhibits, making and responding to objections, and offering and opposing expert witness evidence.
  • Receive and observe instruction with suggestions, guidance, and tips for improvements from multiple sitting judges with a wealth of trial experience.
  • Obtain individual feedback from a judge during a private video review of your concluding examination.
  • Interact with 15 federal judges over breakfast and lunch (included) at the U.S. District Courthouse in Chicago, and network with other participating bankruptcy attorneys.
Applications

Apply by Monday, June 1, 2026, at NCBJ.org

  • A completed application form must be submitted by email to NCBJTrialSkills@gmail.com no later than Monday, June 1, 2026.
  • Applicants selected to participate will be notified by email on or before June 30, 2026. Participants must attend a mandatory Zoom meeting (scheduled at a later date), during which program leaders will present on direct, cross, and expert examinations and answer participants’ questions
  • Selected participants should plan to arrive in San Diego and be checked in on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, because the Trial Skills Workshop will start at 8:00 a.m. on October 7, 2026.
  • Program participants must be registered for the NCBJ ’26 conference no later than July 31, 2026.
Download application
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Wednesday, October 7, 2026 Schedule
7:30amDepart Hotel for Courthouse.
8:10amContinental Breakfast and Opening Remarks from ABI and NCBJ.
8:30amExercise 1: Direct and Cross Examinations of Jamie Johnson.
10:30amBreak.
10:45amExercise 2: Direct and Cross Examinations of Chris Smith (round 1).
11:45amGroup lunch.
12:30pmContinued Direct and Cross Examinations of Chris Smith (round 2).
2:00pmBreak.
2:15pmExercise 3: Videotaped Examinations.
3:45pmWorkshop Concludes; Group Departs for Hotel and Emerging Leaders Reception.