The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York will conduct a courtroom skills workshop for lawyers either in person or via the ZoomGov platform. This workshop is open to everyone from (1) first year associates who have taken the Bar exam to (2) more senior lawyers who have had limited or no courtroom experience and (3) experienced lawyers who seek a refresher of their courtroom skills. Participants will argue actual motions that were filed in consumer and business cases previously pending before the Court. Motions may be argued with or without opposition.
Please indicate when registering if you wish to argue with or without opposition or have no preference; whether you wish to argue a consumer or business motion; and whether you wish to appear virtually in Brooklyn, or in-person in Brooklyn or Central Islip.
The motions may be argued in person before Central Islip Chief Judge Alan S. Trust and Central Islip Judge Louis A. Scarcella; in person before Brooklyn Judge Elizabeth S. Stong; and virtually before Brooklyn Judge Nancy Hershey Lord and Brooklyn Judge Jil Mazer-Marino.
Participating lawyers will each be assigned a motion in advance. After argument, participants will receive feedback from the Bankruptcy Judge and more experienced bankruptcy lawyers who are members of the EDNY Chapter 11 Lawyers' Advisory Committee and/or the EDNY Consumer Lawyers’ Advisory Committee. Approximately ten minutes will be set aside for each participant to present argument and receive individual feedback. After all motions on the calendar have been argued, the Judges and attorneys will take questions if time permits.
The workshop will not be a competition or moot court exercise. It is designed to provide a “safe” environment to practice argument and improve your courtroom skills.
The workshop is offered to help implement the policy adopted by the Court to provide opportunities for courtroom skills development, particularly for junior lawyers to gain experience and training in courtroom skills. This policy appears at https://www.nyeb.uscourts.gov/node/1659.
There will be a limited number of argument slots. The Bankruptcy Judges and advisory committee members are volunteering their time to prepare for and preside at the workshop. Please register only if you will commit to participate. The deadline to register is April 4, 2024.
Use this link to register for the EDNY Bankruptcy Court workshop:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HQTDL5V
We use SurveyMonkey as a third-party application for registration. You may also register for the workshop by following the link posted in the "News & Announcements" section of the Court's website home page.
Participants will receive their assignments of the motion(s) they will argue at least one week before the workshop for which they have registered. Participants will also be contacted before the workshop to answer any questions and confirm their appearances. If you are arguing virtually, the invitation details to join the workshop will be sent one (1) day before the event.
If you have questions prior to the workshop, or if you receive an argument slot but must cancel your appearance, give at least 48 hours advance notice, send an e-mail to either [Rachel Blumenfeld] rachel@blumenfeldbankruptcy.com; [Melanie Fitzgerald] MFitzgerald@lhmlawfirm.com; [Mickee Hennessy] mhennessy@westermanllp.com; or [Martin Bunin] mbunin@farrellfritz.com.
In addition to junior lawyers and experienced lawyers with limited or rusty courtroom skills, all members of the Bar are invited to attend the workshop as observers by following the link posted in the "News & Announcements" section of the Court's home.