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

• 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.

Wednesday, October 7, 2026 Schedule

7:30am	Depart Hotel for Courthouse.
8:10am	Continental Breakfast and Opening Remarks from ABI and NCBJ.
8:30 am	Exercise 1: Direct and Cross Examinations of Jamie Johnson.
10:30 am	Break.
10:45 am	Exercise 2: Direct and Cross Examinations of Chris Smith (round 1).
11:45 am	Group lunch.
12:30 pm	Continued Direct and Cross Examinations of Chris Smith (round 2).
2:00 pm	Break.
2:15 pm	Exercise 3: Videotaped Examinations.
3:45 pm	Workshop Concludes; Group Departs for Hotel and Emerging Leaders Reception.