Continuing Legal Education

Important Legal Terms/Bankruptcy

Important Legal Terms/Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy is a unique legal area. It is almost entirely regulated by federal law and uses distinct, specialized terminology that derives from federal law. Here is a summary of some important bankruptcy terms. *Automatic Stay Aside from getting a discharge, a primary purpose of filing bankruptcy is the automatic stay. An automatic stay is a feature of bankruptcy law that goes into effect immediately upon filing a bankruptcy petition. It forces creditors to stop all collection efforts against the debtor, such as lawsuits, foreclosures, repossessions, garnishments, and evictions, thus allowing the debtor the time and opportunity to find solutions and obtain a...

Continue reading

Areas of Practice That Require Understanding of Multiple Legal Subjects

Areas of Practice That Require Understanding of Multiple Legal Subjects

Attorneys practice law in many different contexts, including law firms, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Within each of these environments, attorneys may focus on one or several practice areas. Many, if not most, areas of legal practice involve the understanding of multiple legal subjects. Of course, an obvious example is that any attorney must understand the subject of civil procedure regardless of the area of law in which they practice. Some areas of practice, more than other areas, require an understanding of many different subjects. The practice of bankruptcy law is an excellent example. *Bankruptcy Bankruptcy lawyers represent individual and corporate creditors...

Continue reading

The Best Online Legal Resources

The Best Online Legal Resources

There are many options for conducting legal research online. The ability to do research without any choice but to run over to the law library at the local law school or courthouse is an invaluable tool for saving the time and money of lawyers and law students alike. As law schools, law firms, and sole practitioners move from traditional hard copy written materials to electronic formats, the alternatives are vast with many available at little or no cost. Lexis Web: While this is not a free service, this is always a good starting point for any legal research query. Fastcase:...

Continue reading

Stay In Touch With Your Mentors!

Stay In Touch With Your Mentors!

The California Desert Trial Academy (CDTA) places great emphasis on the role, contribution, and importance of mentors. The CDTA encourages all members of its student body to seek and find someone to mentor them as they pursue the knowledge and experience to become effective attorney-advocates. Beyond law school, it is important to maintain contact with your mentors and continue to build this valuable relationship. It may be challenging to stay in touch with those professional mentors who have substantially made a difference during a law student’s time at law school. After all, anyone who has the qualifications and attributes to mentor...

Continue reading

The Components Of Lawyer Competence – Part Two

The Components Of Lawyer Competence – Part One

The licensing structures of most, if not all, state bars do not necessarily assess all the various and minimum aspects of lawyer competence. Research suggests that essay and multiple-choice exams with stressful time constraints are neither satisfactory nor effective formats for measuring competence as these tests truly simulate nothing close to the practice of law The components of lawyer competence include both hard and soft skills. The former include the substantive knowledge of the law while the latter represent analytical and interpersonal skills necessary in all walks of life. The following addresses components of minimum competence that are “softer” than “harder”...

Continue reading

The Components Of Lawyer Competence – Part One

The Components Of Lawyer Competence – Part Two

Lawyers, especially attorney-advocates, must possess minimum competence to serve clients and the interests of the public-at-large. The following are six components of minimum competence that relate to the more technical side of the practice of law. The ability to communicate orally and in writing Attorneys must possess both the verbal and written skills to communicate with lawyers and clients equally. An attorney who cannot clearly and concisely communicate his or her legal position on behalf of a client, especially when it is viably strong, is like a fisherman with a full boat of fish but no paddle to get back to shore....

Continue reading

The Top Five Qualities That Produce The Best Job Performance

The Top Five Qualities That Produce The Best Job Performance

What do those office managers and upper-level executives – and senior law partners  - want in an employee – and associate? Of course, this may differ by industry and job, yet many desirable qualities are universal in any type of worker for any type of job. It is important to note that these qualities are not necessarily the same qualities that provide success in an academic setting. Many academics and scholars believe that a person’s grade point average (GPA) is not a strong predictor of job performance because it is not a true indicator of intelligence. Business organizations, including law firms,...

Continue reading

Did You Know That CDTA Also Offers MCLE Classes?

Did You Know That CDTA Also Offers MCLE Classes?

The California Desert Trial Academy (CDTA) has served the Coachella Valley in a variety of ways since it was founded in 2012. First and foremost, we brought higher legal education to the Inland Empire. We’ve also started charitable legal causes such as Project #180, which kept at-risk teens from committing crimes and entering the California juvenile justice system. CDTA has a direct affiliation with the Desert Center for Legal Education (DCLE), which provides insightful commentary on our justice system while supporting educational commentary on high profile legal issues produced and distributed on radio, television, print, and social media in the Coachella Valley. But...

Continue reading
Font Resize