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WARSAW
TRIAL ADVOCACY
PROGRAM
FELLOWS CYNTHIA GRIMES, BRENT GURNEY, NANCY HOLLANDER, KNUT JOHN- SON, THOMAS POPE AND SCOTT RICHARDSON TRAVELLED TO WARSAW THE WEEK OF APRIL 17, 2023 TO PARTICIPATE IN A TRIAL ADVOCACY PROGRAM IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE WARSAW BAR ASSOCIATION. THE TEACHING ABROAD SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE COLLEGE, CHAIRED BY JOSEPH STEINFIELD, ORGANIZED THE PROGRAM. THE WARSAW BAR ASSOCI- ATION PROMOTED THE WORKSHOP TO ITS MEMBERS AND PROVIDED SPACE AT ITS ICONIC BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN WARSAW.
The program invited young lawyers and bar trainees (who must do a three-year ap- prenticeship before they can handle cases on their own) and at least one law student, to participate. Each day began with a short lecture and discussion by ACTL faculty members, followed by small group mock cross examinations and closing arguments.
The Polish organizers had translated a simple attempted murder case into English. On the first day, Cynthia Grimes gave a brief lecture on using theories and themes in cross-exam- ination. Then the participants picked one of three possible witnesses to cross examine. They were divided into small groups, each with one or two Fellows and one experienced Polish lawyer. Each participant performed a short cross-examination, and the faculty gave a short critique. They repeated the exercise in front of different faculty in the afternoon.
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