Thursday, August 23, 2018  1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

The heart of an appeal is a well-written brief. This workshop provides one-on-one assistance with writing, rewriting and formatting a brief and provides tips to avoid common mistakes in legal writing. Library resources for brief-writing will also be covered.

What to bring to the workshop:

This class involves one-on-one instruction and review of drafts. If you are working on a draft, bring two copies – one for you and one for the volunteer attorney. Please bring a pen or pencil and your reading glasses (if you need them).

IMPORTANT NOTE: This workshop is exclusively for self-represented litigants who have reached the stage of an appeal where they are ready to draft a brief; only those who have been pre-screened by the Appellate Self-Help Clinic at the Court of Appeal may participate. To be admitted to the workshop attendees must present a written referral form from the Clinic.

The Appellate Self-Help Clinic is located on the Second Floor of the North Tower of the Ronald Reagan State Building, across from the Clerk's Office at 300 South Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles. The Clinic's hours of operation are:

• Most Wednesdays - 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• The last Wednesday of each month - 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. ONLY.

If you cannot visit the clinic, you may obtain a referral by emailing the staff attorney. The staff attorney's email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please include "Requesting referral to 8/23 Individualized Help Writing an Appellate Brief" in the subject line.

Registration fee: FREE

Reduced-rate parking options available during registration

Presented by: Tyna Orren, Certified Specialist, Appellate Law, Orren & Orren

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice:

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an educational service. The Law Library is pleased to offer our patrons the opportunity to obtain assistance from third party legal service providers at this and other events within the Library. However, the Library does not control and is not responsible for the content or scope of any assistance given by those providers

Wednesday, May 29, 2019: 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

As more civil cases settle before trial, the importance of the deposition as the primary record of the facts in a legal dispute has grown ever greater. Deposition testimony can persuade a judge to grant or deny a dispositive motion, can help lead to a favorable settlement, and can be used at trial – should the case get that far – to discredit and control opposing witness testimony. In this class, learn the art of the deposition from a seasoned practitioner.

Class covers:

• How to prepare for a deposition
• How to deal with unruly witnesses, and unruly counsel
• Right and wrong ways of asking questions
• Defending a deposition: preparing witnesses, making quality objections, and more
• Using deposition testimony at trial: impeachment, controlling testimony, and more

Earn 1.0 hour general MCLE credit

Presented by Kenneth Klein:
Kenneth Klein is a litigation and trial attorney with nearly four decades of experience who has served as lead counsel in numerous trials in state and federal court. He first practiced as an assistant district attorney in New York City trying homicide cases. He spent the last 30 years practicing in Los Angeles, trying complex litigation matters representing large corporations, with the firms of Riordan & McKinzie (where he chaired its litigation department), Hogan & Hartson (now Hogan Lovells), and Jenner & Block LLP. He is a member of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers and has published numerous articles discussing trial and deposition techniques for the Los Angeles Daily Journal and elsewhere.

Registration fee: $30
Non-refundable, payment reserves spot.
Reduced-rate parking options available during registration.
Brown bag event, eat your lunch in the classroom! Water and snack provided.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019: 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Detained immigrants are significantly less likely to be granted any relief in removal proceedings than non-detained immigrants, due to the severe disadvantages of their confinement in a remote facility akin to prison. However, many immigrants are eligible for release on bond. This training will teach attorneys how to prepare for immigration court bond hearings to give detained immigrants a better chance at starting a new life.

Class covers:

• Legal authority for different types of immigration detention
• Eligibility for release on bond
• Preparing for a bond hearing
• Representing a client at the hearing
• Practical advice from an experienced immigration law practitioner

Earn 1.0 hour general MCLE credit

Presented by Patricia Ortiz and Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project:

Patricia Ortiz has been the program director for the Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project since July 2015. She joined the Esperanza team in August 2013 and was a Managing Attorney for its Representation Program before becoming its new leader. During her time at Esperanza, Patricia has specialized in representation for detained adults with mental illness and has overseen the program's Asylum Workgroup, which has provided services to hundreds of minors.

Registration fee: $20
Non-refundable, payment reserves spot.
Reduced-rate parking options available during registration.
Brown bag event, eat your lunch in the classroom! Water and snack provided.

Class recorded on March 16, 2021

For updated information on e-filing and filing court documents in-person during COVID-19, please click here. If your case is being heard in California state superior court, please be sure to visit your court’s website for the most recent updates. L.A. Superior Court’s website is here.

Many people need to find important court records, but doing so can be complicated. Although most documents filed with a court are public record and accessible to anyone, each court makes records available in different ways, and surprisingly few are freely available online. In this class, learn how to locate and access common types of court documents from state and federal courts.

Class covers:

• Finding civil and criminal court documents in other state superior courts
• Accessing older state court documents through county archives
• Using Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) to find federal court documents
• Finding state and federal appellate court briefs

Course Materials: If you would like to receive a copy of the course materials for any of the classes, including any PowerPoint used, please register at the Register Now! button for the class, provided below.

Video Recordings: We recognize that not everyone can attend in person classes, so even if you can't make it in, please watch any of these recordings and remember that we are still here to help! Call us at (213) 785-2513, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or chat with us online to get help finding information and resources on any legal (or not-quite-legal) question. Access to the video recordings is free.

Dated Material: Please note that the law changes. The original recording date for each class is provided on the display page. To be certain that you receive up-to-date information, please attend the in-person class, or contact us for help researching or updating your specific legal issue.

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice:
LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an educational service. The information presented in this program is not legal advice and is provided solely as an educational service to our patrons. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.