Training and Experience
I believe that it is my duty to continue my legal education throughout the course of my career as an Attorney. In California attorneys have mandatory "Continuing Legal Education." However, I believe that there is more to being a competent attorney than simply taking some classes from time to time. For example, I have been honored to have the opportunity to attend Gerry Spence's Trial Lawyer's College for seventeen days in June 2000. The College is located on Gerry's ranch in Dubois, Wyoming.
At the Trial Lawyer's College in June 2000, some of the top trial lawyers in America taught forty-eight lawyers, like myself. If you do not know who Gerry Spence is, you are missing the opportunity to observe one of the greatest legal minds this country has ever known. The faculty of the Trial Lawyer's College is comprised of nationally renowned trial lawyers from all over America, as well as professionals in psychodrama and the performing arts.
Below is a photograph (from right to left) of Gerry, Abraham Kazanjian, and myself taken at the Palomar Mountain Trial Lawyer's Voir Dire and Closing Argument Seminar in January 2000. The seminar was four days of intense study by "hands on" involvement.
Since attending the Trial Lawyer's College, I have attended ten
additional regional seminars conducted by the faculty of TLC, as well as a
week long "graduate program" at the Ranch.
In addition, in June 2002, I attended a two week Trial Practice Institute at
the National Criminal Defense College (NCDC) in Macon, Georgia. A faculty of
top criminal defense lawyers from all over the country conducts the NCDC
program. There were 96 students, and we studied all phases of trial
preparation and trial work. It was an excellent program, with an opportunity
to spend time with other criminal defense lawyers from all over America.
In May 2006 and in February 2009 I attended the CACJ/CPDA Death Penalty Seminar in Monterey,
California. The program covered presenting a death penalty defense, as well
as many topics related to the general practice of criminal defense.
In June 2009 I attended a one week Death Penalty seminar at Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyer’s College on Thunderhead Ranch in Dubois Wyoming.
In January 2011 I attended the California annual regional seminar entitled "Finding the Story" at Big Sur, California. There were over a hundred lawyers and dozens of faculty. Each year it gets better, and I learn more about myself, and how to behave as a lawyer who cares about his clients, and will never give up. Never. At Big Sur, one of the great legends of courtroom drama, Tony Serra, visited with us on Saturday night. He told of his life as a nationally renowned lawyer, and of his struggles with the government. He still tries cases regularly, primarily in San Francisco, where he has always had an office.
Another important aspect of this training is that we lawyers who do not represent the government or corporate interests have a role to play on the world stage. We have lawyers from almost every national origin attending our training. So many languages are spoken, and so many diverse personalities--all with a common goal: to be champions of justice for the People.
This is my eleventh year of training with the Trial Lawyer's College. I have encouraged many lawyers from the Inland Empire to attend TLC. Most have, and they offer the same praise and joy that they found the Trial Lawyer's College. There is no program like TLC anywhere in the world.
I continue training with nationally renowned attorneys at the Trial Lawyer’s College.
I have tried over 100 serious felony cases.