This will be the fifteenth year for the Rocky Mountain Child Advocacy Training Institute. This special advocacy training program is the premier skills training program for lawyers who practice child welfare law. Information is presented in a variety of formats. You will learn through lecture, demonstration, discussion, and participatory workshops. The program uses the internationally renowned methods of learning-by-doing developed by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy. The combination of formats helps to ensure the most effective learning for each of the variety of trial skills presented over the course of five days. The majority of workshops place you in a simulated courtroom setting where you will perform as a trial lawyer. Following your performance you will receive suggestions on how you can be more effective from instructors with significant courtroom and teaching experience.  Several of your performances will be videotaped. In addition to classroom comments of instructors, you will also receive one-on-one attention in videotape review.

Over the five program days, there will be specific workshops on:

¶                  Questioning techniques for direct and cross examination

¶                  Case analysis and organization

¶                  Examination of expert witnesses

¶                  Evidentiary foundations – testimonial foundations for refreshing recollection & impeachment and foundations for exhibits and demonstrative aids.   

¶                  Using exhibits in direct and cross examination

¶                  How to control difficult witnesses

¶                  Ethics and professionalism

Tuition:  NACC Members receive a 20% discount on tuition for the 2010 Rocky Mountain Child Advocacy Training Institute