Program
Courtroom Skills Workshop, AILA Chicago 2026
Chicago-Kent College of Law
Conviser Law Center, 565 W Adams St, Chicago, IL 60661
Thursday, October 22, 2026
8:00AM to 8:30AM
Check-in/coffee
8:30AM to 9:10AM
Direct exam basics:
- Formulating questions
- Using improv techniques to improve listening skills
- Objections, interruptions & witness surprises
9:10AM to 9:20AM
Break/transition
9:20AM to 10:50AM
Small group session one
10:50AM to 11:00AM
Break/transition
11:00AM to 11:40AM
Using direct exam to create a scene (large group room 704):
- Who – characters
- What – conflict, action, and dialogue
- Where – place and setting
- When – date and time
- Why:
- Explanation of actions, dialogue, and thoughts
- Perception of other characters’ actions and dialogue
- How – adding detail with a frame-by-frame focus
11:40AM to 11:55AM
Lunch retrieval
11:55AM to 12:25PM
Faculty demos – scene creation with direct exam
12:25PM to 12:35PM
Break/transition
12:35PM to 2:05PM
Small group session two
2:05PM to 2:15PM
Break/transition
2:15PM to 3:45PM
Small group session three
3:45PM to 3:55PM
Break/transition
3:55PM to 5:00PM
Faculty demos – using storytelling to create a vivid opening scene
Thursday small group sessions will rotate topics:
- Improv
- Identifying storytelling elements (worksheet)
- Using direct exam to create a scene
Friday, October 23, 2026
8:30AM to 9:00AM
Check-in/coffee
9:00AM to 11:30AM
Small group session four – direct exam with an emphasis on a vivid opening and transitioning to difficult issues
11:30AM to 11:45AM
Lunch retrieval
11:45AM to 12:35PM
Faculty demonstrations – using storytelling to create a powerful closing scene
12:35PM to 12:45PM
Break/transition
12:45PM to 3:15PM
Small group session five – transitioning from difficult issues to a powerful closing scene
3:15PM to 3:25PM
Break/transition
3:30PM to 4:00PM
Best practices for direct examination with an emphasis on creating a powerful closing scene
4:30PM
Social Gathering
Registration
AILA Private Bar Attorney
$625
Current AILA membership will be confirmed upon registration.
Sold out!
AILA Non-profit Attorney
$525
Employment by a registered Non-profit organization and current AILA membership will be confirmed upon registration.
Sold out!
Faculty/Planning Committee
$0
Please use the discount code provided to faculty and the planning committee by clicking on “Do you have a discount code? Click here to enter your discount code” on the next page to receive your discounted registration rate.
Select
- Once selected as a participant and registration is completed, the registration fee is non-refundable.
- Financial hardship applications available upon request to KiKi Mosley (kiki@kikislaw.com)