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TTLA TACT College - Member Testimonials

TTLA TACT College has provided members of all ages and skill levels with relevant experience they can use in trial. See below for some first-hand accounts of how TACT can transform your trial techniques and truly make a difference in your practice.

What People are Saying

For those of you thinking you might be too "old" or too experienced to attand TACT I want to tell you about my experience.

When I attended the first TACT in 1998 I had been in practice 18 years and board-certified for 11 years. When I got home my wife asked me how it went. I told her it was the most incredible and important experience of my professional life because my friends pointed out my imperfections and made me a better Trial Lawyer.

I will never forget how, after delivering what I thought was a "marvelous" opening statement, my mentor John Howie looked at me and said "Leebee, that sucked! Let me show you what you did wrong!" Every time I start to prepare for opening, I think back on the advice John gave me and now I really can deliver a "marvelous" opening statement!

Whether you have never picked a jury or can't remeber how many you have tried, you can and will learn a lot at TACT!

TTLA Member Bill Liebbe, Tyler
2016 TACT College Course Chair

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I attended TACT in 2008 and it was an experience that I will never forget. You can attend all the seminars you want, but unless you actually practice what you read and hear, then it is worthless. TACT provides you with the opportunity to practice real-life scenarios, in specialized divided parts, from voir dire, opening statement, direct examination, cross examination and closing argument. BUT, you have Texas powerhouse trial lawyers each commenting and critiquing the entire process. In fact, I recently used a specific technique I learned from the cross-examination portion against a Defendant’s liability expert. After the expert’s deposition, the defense increased their offer!

I STRONGLY recommend TACT as an absolute MUST for every practicing trial lawyer. You learn, meet friends, improve your trial skills, and have a ton of fun…what else can you ask for?!

TTLA Member Jorge Herrera, San Antonio
2015-2016 CLE Committee Chair
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There’s a gaping hole in the practice of law. Some law schools try to fill the hole, but they can’t. The hole can only be filled by experience or mentorship.
 
Have you ever asked yourself “How is that handled in trial?” or “How do the more experienced lawyers do it?” or “Where can I learn how to do a great cross examination?” I asked myself all these questions. In the beginning of my career as a trial lawyer, I tried to fill the “lack of experience” hole by trying cases. It was rough. I learned some hard lessons the hard way. One smart thing I did back then was to be a member of TTLA.
 
One day, I found out about a trial advocacy seminar put on by TTLA called the Trial Advocacy College of Texas – appropriately acronymed “TACT.” I signed up right away. The TACT seminar is held in Austin. It’s where new or young lawyers can make up a lot of “lack of experience” ground in a hurry. The program is taught by the very people by whom I wished I’d had the chance to be mentored. Not only have they been in the trenches, they’re still there. They model or explain how to do all the parts of a trial one part at a time. Then, students break into small groups, go to rooms with several teachers and each of the students does the skill being worked on (Voir dire, opening statement, etc.). Guidance is given to the students along the way and constructive, practical critiques are given to each student at the end of their presentation.
 
I left TACT feeling so much more confident about trying cases. You will too.
 
TTLA Member Ron Estefan, Houston
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I was lucky enough to attend TACT in 2008. At the time I attended, I was fortunate to have already tried over 10 cases to verdict. Even with experience under my belt, the techniques and skills I learned have been instrumental in my growth as a trial lawyer. Additionally, I was able to meet other members of TTLA and developed great relationships with not just the other students but also the faculty. I highly recommend this program to anyone.
 
TTLA Member Daniel Horowitz, Houston