Car Wrecks CLE Seminar Dallas

7:45am

Registration Opens with Breakfast

8:45 – 9:00am

Welcome & Introductions
Tiffany McGee, CAE, TTLA CEO
Julian C. Gomez, Moderator, Vice President of CLE

9:00 – 9:20am
20 min
0.33 hr

Don’t Jump on that Grenade: Some Out-takes on In-take
SPEAKER:     Kyle Herbert, Houston
     
About topic:

• Getting all the info: “just the facts ma’am”
• How to avoid problem clients
• How to avoid conflicts among clients
• How to spot other claims
• How to spot a bad referral
• How to make your intake as efficient as possible
• Mistakes your staff WILL make
• What to do immediately after intake
• Setting your Client up for success

9:20 – 9:50am
30 min
0.50 hr

Service of Process and Preserving Insurance Coverage
SPEAKER:     Milad Farah, El Paso

About topic:

• TRCP Rule 106
• When Sub-Service may be necessary
• Getting an ad litem appointed
• Impact on the Defendant and recent case law
• Lack of Cooperation by Defendant- how to preserve the claim
• What constitutes prejudice in the defense of the case
• Practical considerations in getting an answer filed and conducting discovery

9:50 – 10:10am
20 min
0.33 hr

No Stone Unturned: Finding Evidence in the Digital Age
SPEAKER:     Kelly Cook, Houston

About topic:
A description of search techniques and websites for finding information useful to your case. Including sources of public information about the people involved, places, and things relevant to a case. With brief guidance for getting the evidence in an admissible format.

• Personal Information (e.g. Public Data)
• Scene, Weather, and Environment (e.g. scene photos, sun and weather information)
• Government Reports (e.g., Company information, recalls)
• Medical Information (e.g. Resources for medical terms and explanations)
• Evidence Admissibility (e.g., self-authentications, hearsay exceptions)

10:10 – 10:40am
30 min
0.50 hr

Insurance Coverage – Finding the Deep Pocket
SPEAKER:     Henry Moore, Austin

About topic:

• Insurance Law Basics
• Pleading within Coverage
• Discovering Hidden Policies
• Stowers

10:40 – 11:00am
20 min

Break

11:00 – 11:40am
40 min
0.67 hr

Demand Letters That Make Adjusters Pay: Including Stowers and
Property Damage Guide
SPEAKER:     Judy Kostura, Austin

About topic:

• Why bother sending a demand to carriers when you’re likely to litigate the claim anyway?
• How to advocate for your client so YOU are the good guy if you have to litigate the claim anyway
• The demand letter as the road map for discovery, depo prep, trial and the jury charge
• Cheap but compelling exhibits as part of the demand package
• Redacting the medical and billing records to preserve doctor/patient privilege under TRE 509, TRE 510
• The elements of a good Stowers demand
• Bonus material: enabling the client to resolve the dreaded property damage claim, including lost use on a totaled car

11:40am – 12:10pm
30 min
0.50 hr

Thinking Outside the Box for a Winning Case Theme: Developing an Effective and Unique Theme for Your Case is Imperative to Connect with Your Jury and Get a Great Result
SPEAKER:     Kellye Raymond, Dallas

About topic:
Learn to develop an effective case theme.

• How early should you start developing your theme?
• How do you know your case theme works? – Test it, then test it again
• What does a winning theme look like and why does it work?
• Weave your theme into every aspect of your case – discovery, witness prep, voir dire, testimony

​Take away a better understanding on how to think outside the box when developing and using their case theme and the ability to craft a winning case theme and communicate more effectively to the jury are essential in trying a good case and getting a great verdict.

12:10 – 12:30pm
20 min

Pick up lunch

12:30 – 12:50pm
20 min
0.33 hr incl. Ethics

Ten Tips for Lawyers Dealing with Stress, Mental Health and Substance Use Issues prepared by Chris Ritter, JD, Staff Attorney for TLAP
PRESENTED BY:     Dicky Grigg, Austin

12:50 – 1:10pm
20 min
0.33 hr incl. Ethics

Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct: Conflict of Interest
SPEAKER:     Rachael Jones, Austin

1:10 – 1:40pm
30 min
0.50 hr

Robot Cars Are Coming
SPEAKER:     Julian C. Gomez, McAllen

About topic:

• The different levels of automobile autonomy
• The components and technology behind automobile autonomy
• Where we are today in terms of automobile autonomy
• Where we are going in the future in terms of automobile autonomy
• The challenges facing automobile autonomy
• Theories of liability available when there an automobile autonomy failure

1:40 – 2:10pm
30 min
0.50 hr

Motions to Compel: Plaintiffs' New Best Friend
SPEAKER:     Todd Clement, Dallas

About topic:
Time IS MONEY!

• Request for Disclosure
• Defeat defense delay tactics
• Focus discovery requests
• Develop your motion to "Compel System"
• Turning the tables on defendants' discovery abuse
• Defending against the defendant's overbroad medical records request

2:10 – 2:40pm
30 min
0.50 hr

What Your Appellate Lawyer Wants You to Know About Summary Judgment
SPEAKER:     Morgan McPheeters, Dallas

About topic:

• Responding to your opponent’s MSJ and making it work for you
• Playing offense with plaintiffs’ MSJ—strategy and burden issues
• The record, the record, the record—evidentiary issues and error preservation
• So, you’ve got an order—finality issues, interlocutory appeals, and beyond

2:40 – 3:00pm
20 min

Break

3:00 – 4:00pm
60 min
1.00 hr

Great Coaching Before or During Trial:
 
The Plaintiff's Deposition: By Failing to Prepare, You are Preparing to Fail
SPEAKER:     Mike Guajardo, Dallas

About topic:

• The importance and process of the deposition
• Setting your client at ease
• Dealing with the warts
• Making a favorable impression
• Educating the defense
• Avoiding the common mistakes

Arrows in the Quiver—Cross Examination Tips of the Defendant Driver
SPEAKER:     Lin McCraw, McKinney

About topic:
This presentation will address specific problems and opportunities faced when cross-examining the defendant driver in a car wreck case.  This presentation will give attendees tools for their cross-examination toolbox.  Attendees will learn strategies for:

• Word choice to create a stronger case
• Designing and using safe driving rules
• Dealing with slippery witnesses
• Dealing with honest witnesses
• Dealing with the nice/meek witnesses
• Getting to most from admissions
• Asserting control over witnesses
• Dealing with admitted liability
• Dealing with denied liability

Police Officers—Experts or Not? 
SPEAKER:     Paula Wyatt, San Antonio

About topic:

• Lay Testimony vs. Expert Testimony
• Hearsay Hurdles
• Required expert qualifications even of police officers
• ​Admissibility of the Police Report

4:00 – 4:20pm
20 min
0.33 hr

Voir Dire in Texas: Tools You Can Use
SPEAKER:     Shelly Greco, Dallas

The Evidence Rulebook: Laying the Foundation and Overcoming Objections
SPEAKER:     Leena Joseph, Houston

About topic:
This presentation will cover the basics of how to get your exhibits into evidence at trial in a car wreck case, including:

• Business records and 18.001 affidavits
• Traffic crash reports
• Photographs/videos
• Recorded statements and deposition testimony
• Discovery responses
• Demonstrative aides

And if your evidence is excluded by the judge, this presentation will also show you how to make an offer of proof.

Las Palmas Tex-Mex
2708 Routh Street, Dallas, 75201