Skills Academy

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Upcoming Virtual Programs

NCAJ Member Webinar Central: Register for upcoming programs and view videos of previous events.

Member Webinar: Diversity & Inclusion Program: How Civil Practitioners Can Help Fight Racial Inequality in the Criminal Justice System | Tues. Oct. 27, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Member Webinar: Lunch with a Legend: A Conversation with James Ferguson | Thurs. October 29, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Member Webinar: Don't Just Blame the Pandemic: Assessing the Real Cause of Your Practice Pain Points | Fri. Oct. 30, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

CLE: Maximizing the Value of Your TBI Case | Fri. Nov. 6, 8:55 AM - 4:45 PM

Member Webinar: Educator Sexual Misconduct Litigation: Liability & Damages Experts | Tues. Nov. 10, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

CLE: NCAJ Skills Academy | Direct & Cross Examination for Criminal Practitioners: Telling Stories in Criminal Trials | Fri. Nov. 13, 8:55 AM - 4:45 PM

CLE: NCAJ Skills Academy | Direct & Cross Examination for Civil Practitioners | Fri. Nov. 13, 8:55 AM - 4:45 PM

Member Webinar: PPP Loan Forgiveness: The WHAT, the HOW and the WHEN of Applying for Forgiveness | Thurs. Nov. 13, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

CLE: Criminal Masters 2020 | Thurs. Nov. 19 & Fri. Nov. 20, 8:55 AM - 12:15 PM Each Day

CLE: 27th Annual Workplace Torts & Workers' Comp | Fri. Dec. 4, 8:55 AM - 5:00 PM

CLE: Social Security Disability | Fri. Dec. 11, 8:55 AM - 5:00 PM

For a full listing of upcoming virtual CLE programs, visit the Education homepage.

Full Listing of NCAJ CLE

Meet Our Sponsors

In the fall of 2019, NCAJ leadership assembled two working groups to build a trial skills curriculum for civil and criminal practitioners. Through the efforts of that group along with NCAJ’s Education committee, the NCAJ Skills Academy was developed.

The goal of the NCAJ Skills Academy is to train the next generation of trial lawyers by offering affordable, on-your-feet training from some of the best trial lawyers across the state. The NCAJ Skills Academy will launch with 6 programs in the 2020-21 fiscal year including jury selection, direct and cross-examination, winning without trial for civil practitioners, and pre-trial preparation for criminal practitioners.

We are tremendously grateful to our presenting sponsor

Why NCAJ Skills Academy?

“Professional athletes don’t just play on game day. They train, they study, they practice. Professional musicians don’t just play at concert venues. They train, they study, they practice. Being a trial lawyer is no different. We practice law. And we must practice.”
- Vernon Sumwalt, 2019-2020 NCAJ President

“As trial lawyers we begin preparing each case for trial on day one. There are many steps along the path before getting to trial, and each step requires certain skills. The Skills Academy aims to provide today’s trial lawyers with the necessary skills at each step of the process by learning from established leaders and each other.”
- Ann Ochsner, 2019-2020 NCAJ VP of Education

“This innovative training program combines the best of mentorship, technology and smart collaboration allowing enterprising lawyers to develop effective advocacy skills to improve client outcomes and foster excellence within the profession.”
- Julie Beavers, Director of Client Services at Lawyers Mutual of North Carolina

2020-2021 NCAJ Skills Academy Programming

September 25, 2020 | Winning Without Trial – Negotiation, Mediation, Motion Practice for Civil Practitioners

November 13, 2020 | Direct & Cross Examination for Criminal Practitioners

November 13, 2020 | Direct & Cross Examination for Civil Practitioners

January 22, 2021 | Discovery & Evidence

March 26, 2021 | Basic Pre-Trial Preparation for Criminal Defense Practitioners

May 7, 2021 | Civil Jury Selection

May 7, 2021 | Criminal Jury Selection

Thanks to Our Sponsor