January 13th Notes

Litigation Basics
January 13, 2010

WSPA Student Dinner
Friday Jan. 29th  5-8:30pm
Red Lion Inn
Members: $35  Non-Members: $40
-Chicken or Vegetarian Dinner Options

-Resume Workshop and Professional Presentations
-Sign up online at: http://www.Acteva.com/go/wspa
-Check the Paralegal Google Group for 10 ticket discount
http://groups.google.com/group/uwparalegal/browse_thread/thread/9179f870d4afae7f?hl=en

Trust Account
-money or property put in a bank to be kept separate or used for a special purpose
Purpose:
1. Advances by the client
2. Settlement of judgments

IOLTA ACCOUNT
-Interest on Lawyer's Trust Account
-doesn't apply to flat fee system
-gross settlement on verdict checks are deposited here
-entire check goes here
-money never comes out of here for personal expense (embezzlement)

ALL CASES:
Smith, J        $300,000
Jones, D        $150,000
Green, T        $225, 000  
Williams, P   $217,500

Smith, J
From Distribution Sheet:
W&L - Smith case              $100,000 (goes to general account)
W&L - Smith case Costs   $2,500
Smith, J                               $180,000
Other distributions           $17,500

Distribution Sheet
-Make one of these for each client
-Not an account

John Smith Case
Gross Settlement   $300,000
A/F (firm costs)    $100,000
Costs                        $2,500   

Health Ins. Lien    $10,000  (for medical bills)
Dr. Steve Green    $5,000    (doctor care)
Dr. Linda               $2,500    (doctor care)

Client net recovery    $180,000
Dated:        Client Signature:

Cost Account
-recovered costs are deposited here
-on RPC Rule 1.8(e) the client can forward the money for costs
-if you need more money you take from the General Account to cover it
-RPC Rule 1.15A(i)(2)(ii)  Can pool in IOLTA account as long as there is accounting
    -can not write a check for more than the client's account amount
    -can not mix the money of clients

                                             OUT             IN
Smith, J                             $2,500          $2,500
Jones, D                             $10,000
Green, T                             $12,000
Williams, P                        $15,000 
Deposits from General                          $40,000

General Account
-used to run the firm
-net fees to firm deposited here
-all the money you make in the IOLTA account
-the money that comes out from this account

                                    IN            OUT   
Smith, J           $300,000
Jones, D           $150,000
Green, T           $225, 000  
Williams, P      $217,500

Telephone                                  $2,000
Payroll                                        $40,000
Rent                                             $10,000
Supplies                                      $5,000

Ethics for Paralegals
1. Disclose title
2. Protect all confidential information
3. Do not engage in the practice of law
4. Do not establish fees or establish client relationships
5. Be honest and accurate

Prohibited from:
-making appearance in court
-giving legal advice to a client
-signing pleadings

Can:
-file documents
-give factual information to clients
-sign correspondences

Litigation Procedure
1. Check conflicts
2. Make initial assessments of facts
3. Determine validity of cause of action, statute of limitations, pursuing a reasonable case
4. Explain law firm's representation and fee arrangement
5. Retainer agreement
6. File created
7. Financial ledger
8. Deposits in trust account
9. Tickle all important dates
10. Introduce paralegal
11. Letter to defendant

Chapter 3 Review Questions
1. What is cause of action?
2. What is the importance of a cause of action to the litigation process?
3. What are the various types of time limitations on filing a lawsuit?
4. What is a tickler system and why is it important in a litigation law firm?
5. What practical considerations must be reviewed prior to accepting a case?
6. What is the proper procedure for turning down a case?
7. What are the various ethical standards that control an attorney's decision to accept a case?
8. What are the ethical responsibilities governing law firms that handle litigation?
9. What are the special ethical concerns of litigation paralegals?
10. How do preliminary ethical and legal considerations influence initial office procedures?


Chapter 4        page 89

Tips for Client Interview
Clients are looking for:
-Confidence
-Be Professional
    -attire
    -demeanor
-Competency
-Knowledgeable
-Informative
-Caring

Client Interview
-establishes tone for representation
-similar to medical professionalism
1. Research potential causes of action or defenses
    -do not grill the client over the phone, immediately
2. Scheduling the interview
    -rule out all conflicts
    -set it as early as possible
    -bring all information along
        -depends on the case bills, police reports, estimates, insurance
    -names and addresses of opposing party, witnesses
    -follow-up call
    -be willing to do the interview at a hospital room, coffee shops, office
        -do not interview at their home    alone
    -usually about 45 minutes
3. Developing an interview questionnaire
    -usually a form that has been personalized
4. Taking notes during the interview
5. Produce a summary of the interview

Representation Letter
-a letter from an attorney to the new client to establish ground rules for litigation, including fees, billing rates, retainer, and work to be performed

Retainer Agreement
-agreement between attorney and client setting a fee arrangement

Release
-a document by which a claim if relinquished

Medical Diary
-a document for a client to track medical related information
-inadmissible at trial
-self serving
-hearsay
    -can be memory refresh exception
-they are discoverable (everyone reads it)
    -keeps client in the case, gives them something to do
    -history of events and how pain/accident impacted them

Service of Process
-delivery of legal paper by an authorized person in a way that meets requirements, usually a lawsuit

Agent of a Service of Process
-authorized person to serve lawsuit papers

Witnesses
-locating witnesses is a priority
-send letter to see if they are willing
    -less evasive
    -first thank them for assistance with case
    -tell them a little bit about the court system and thank them for participation
    -tell them you will try to keep them out of the matter
-do not buy them anything during interview
-he prefers not to use tape recorder but how to get them to agree
    -so i don't misquote you
    -offer them a copy
    -never tape record a witness secretly (felony)
-take good notes, type up statements, send to the witness for accuracy, bring up the signing later
-identify title, potential parties, and claims
-regard demeanor
-witnesses do not have to help you
-rules of evidence usually do not allow written witness statements unless the witness is present in court and testifies
-if the witness is unavailable for the trial, a formal deposition can be taken
    -use them for witnesses that are not being helpful
    -otherwise you can subpoena and force deposition under oath
    -if you have to depo. the opposing attorneys are present too

Tips for Witness Interview
-be quiet and let them talk
-then seek details and clarification
-no leading questions

Evidence
-all types of information presented at a trial
-how we prove our allegations
-do not ignore inadmissible evidence, "cast a wide net" to find information

Direct Evidence
-proof of a fact without the need for other facts leading up to it
example: see students in a classroom means there is a class

Circumstantial Evidence
-facts that indirectly prove a main fact in question
-often leads a judge or jury to infer a particular conclusion about a disputed fact
-no difference in the admissibility from direct
example: see student supplies in classroom but no students probably a class going on

Forms of Evidence
Tangible Evidence:
1. Testimony
-most common form of evidence and consists of statements made under oath
-can be self-serving

2. Documentary Evidence
-memos, ledgers, medical records, letters, checks, photographs

3. Demonstrative Evidence
-physical or real objects

Legal Evidence:
4. Presumptions
-a conclusion, automatic assumption required by law that whenever a certain set of facts shows up a court must automatically draw certain conclusions
-many presumptions are rebutted or disproved
    1. guilty until prove innocent
    2. children 8-12 presumed they don't have mens rea

5. Judicial Notice
-act of judge in recognizing the existence of truth of certain facts without bothering to make one side in a lawsuit prove them
-done when facts are either common knowledge
-Federal Rule 201: common knowledge facts
-ER Rule 201(b)  page 234
    -common facts generally known to the trial court (territorial)
            -examples: who the mayor is, street location
    -facts that are accurate from unimpeachable sources
            -examples: measurements, encyclopedias

3 Federal Rules to know:
FRCP
FRE
FRAP