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Alexandra E. Wilson, Associate,Krieg DeVault LLP, Indianapolis
Everyone says law school doesn’t teach you how to practice law, but no one shares how we actually do learn. Most lessons come through observation and taking on new challenges, but sometimes a fast-track method for learning strategies gets overlooked. To anyone building a career in litigation and looking for guidance, allow me to introduce you to judicial CLEs.
As a new associate and aspiring appellate attorney, I spent the first year of my practice going to as many CLEs as I could fit between document reviews, legal research and the other rites of passage many of you probably remember fondly. One session from 2022 stands out from all the others: the Annual Appellate Roundtable hosted by the IndyBar Appellate Practice Section.
Last year I heard Chief Justice Loretta Rush of the Indiana Supreme Court and then-Judge Derek Molter and Judge Paul Mathias of the Indiana Court of Appeals offer insights into exactly what they want attorneys to do (and not do) when practicing before their courts. They gave tips on brief-writing fundamentals and preferences during oral argument. They explained what they consider when ruling on motions, deciding whether to publish an opinion, and reviewing petitions for rehearing and transfer. They also shed light on recent changes to court procedures. The judges shared their personal perspectives about the human element of the courts, including their views on the public perception of Indiana’s appellate courts and how they felt about their roles as appellate judges.
I have no doubt that this year’s Appellate Roundtable, which will take place on at 4 p.m. Oct. 5 at IndyBarHQ, will be equally enlightening. Supreme Court Justice Christopher Goff and Court of Appeals Judge Peter Foley will represent the appellate courts at this 1-hour CLE moderated by appellate practitioners Libby Yin Goodknight and Carol Nemeth Joven. A social hour will follow the official programming, affording the attendees the opportunity to speak with the judges and network with fellow attorneys.
By participating in the Appellate Roundtable, the Indiana bench has demonstrated its commitment toward fostering a strong appellate bar. And while the Appellate Roundtable has become an annual tradition, each year provides an occasion for new and seasoned practitioners alike to gain insights, confirm best practices, and learn a little more about the appellate process and the judges themselves. Judge Foley will be making his Appellate Roundtable debut with this session, having recently joined the Court of Appeals in October 2022. This will be Justice Goff’s second appearance at the Appellate Roundtable, with his first having been shortly after his own confirmation, and practitioners will have the opportunity to learn how his perspective may have evolved over his six years serving on Indiana’s court of last resort.
Though last year’s Appellate Roundtable was jam-packed with attendees, I was struck by the lack of junior attorneys present. At the beginning of our careers, we are sponges ripe to absorb information and develop both good and bad habits. By attending valuable sessions like the Appellate Roundtable, we can learn firsthand what sets apart strong advocates and incorporate those lessons into our daily practice, and hopefully avoid the common pitfalls that plague attorneys who do not have this insight into the minds and preferences of judicial officers.•
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