Twelve Nebraska attorneys had the chance to hone their trial skills by participating in the third annual Dan Jewell Trial Institute hosted by the Nebraska State Bar Foundation.
This year’s institute was July 20-21 at Creighton Law School in Omaha. The purpose of the Institute is to give attorneys who lack trial experience an opportunity to improve their trial skills through a mock trial with judges, jurors and witnesses. Evidence was presented.
After each section of the trial - including jury selection, opening statements, direct and cross examination and closing statement - the attorney participants received constructive feedback from two trial mentors. The trial mentors are experienced trial attorneys. The presiding judge also provided feedback.
Attorney participant Katherine Doering of Grand Island recommended that colleagues try the Institute. “I loved doing the Institute. I learned a lot that I would not have had the opportunity to get elsewhere. Everyone should do it (the Institute) if they have the chance,” Doering said. “Getting this kind of one-on-one mentoring can be hard in actual practice, so having this opportunity was great.”
Dean Matuszewski of Omaha participated in the Institute by playing the role of a juror. He said he enjoyed playing the part.
“I thought it (the Institute) was awesome,” Matuszewski said. “I wish I could stay for the whole thing.”
Matuszewski said he would gladly participate again next year, even if it means traveling to Lincoln from Omaha.
The Institute is named for Dan Jewell, a former Bar Foundation Board member. Jewell was a preeminent trial attorney in Nebraska. Through his gift, the Bar Foundation now offers inexperienced attorneys the chance to live up to his high standards.