Will Bond and Carter Stein of McMath Woods, P.A. authored articles in the most recent publication of Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association’s “ATLA Docket.” The ALTA Docket is a quarterly journal featuring informative and practical articles on the latest trends in law, law office management, legal research technology, and significant Supreme Court decisions.
The Winter 2020 ATLA Docket, “ Drilling Down: Mining Strategy,” features a number of articles and perspectives on a variety of law topics. Will Bond composed the feature article “Pre-Trial Bull$#+% – Omnibus Motion in Limine” and Carter Stein wrote reviews of “Show the Story: The Power of Visual Advocacy” and “Beyond Bullet Points.”
Will Bond’s “Pre-Trial Bull$#+% – Omnibus Motion in Limine”
“Pre-Trial Bull$#+% – Omnibus Motion in Limine” discusses how opposing counsel introduce omnibus motions in limine to have specific matters or evidence excluded. When this type of distracting motion is brought forward, attorneys have to decide if they’re going to concede or spend hours determining their position. Will Bond advocates for the latter, as he believes attorneys should work to prevent opposing counsel from using motions to complicate the trial process.
The overall goal of the article is to help lawyers respond quickly to motions like this by discussing a number of potential arguments, including conscience of the community and the golden rule argument—which asks the jury to draw on their own experience.
While a number of arguments in many omnibus motions in limine are unsupported, they are becoming increasingly popular. However, they are being questioned by the Arkansas Supreme Court and the United States District Courts in Arkansas if they’re not being used to justify the inclusion or exclusion of a specific matter or evidence.
To improve outcomes for clients and make the trial process easier, attorneys should work to prevent opposing counsel from normalizing non-existent laws and word policing. This will give them more time to focus on important matters related to the trial.
Carter Stein’s Reviews of “Show the Story” and “Beyond Bullet Points”
In the reviews of “Show the Story: The Power of Visual Advocacy” and “Beyond Bullet Points,” Carter Stein discusses how, in conjunction, the two books can help trial lawyers learn to engage the audience with their words, props, and visual presentations.
“Show the Story: The Power of Visual Advocacy” focuses on how visual the world is and how lawyers should think more like film directors when presenting a case while utilizing visual tools to handle presentations and evidentiary issues. Overall, there’s a message that people retain more of what they see, as opposed to what they hear. According to the review, this book is particularly useful for a lawyer who is looking to come up with some fresh ideas for visual presentations.
“Beyond Bullet Points,” which is the more challenging read of the two, discusses how to create an effective visual presentation in great detail. According to Carter, both books are useful for lawyers who are not making visual presentations and those who are. For beginnings, the books give lawyers the tools and confidence to delve into the topic. For those who are more experienced, the books can act as reference materials on refining and reinventing storytelling.
When read together, Carter discusses how the books can help a lawyer “unleash [their] visual creativity and storytelling in the seminar room and the courtroom.”
About the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association
The Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association was incorporated in 1963 and has grown into a statewide voice for consumers. The organization stays up-to-date on legislative and judicial activities, while educating citizens about their legal rights and options through public engagement.
As the state’s largest and most active voluntary legal organization, the organization’s members are attorneys who are dedicated to protecting the health and safety of Arkansas families. The members practice in several different areas of law, including criminal law, commercial litigation, domestic relations/family law, employment law, environmental law, insurance law, personal injury, product liability, social security, veteran’s affairs, and workers’ compensation law.
Overall, the organization strives to establish relationships among attorney engaged in trial practice, promote the constant improvement of the law, increase the standards, like integrity and courtesy, in the legal profession, serve as a line of defense for consumers and their rights, and cultivate a spirit of fellowship among members of the organization and the legal profession.
As members of the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association, the lawyers at McMath Woods, P.A. are dedicated to improving the quality of legal representation available for Arkansas residents.
