Preliminary content

• Author: Stewart Edelstein

HOW TO

SUCCEED

AS A

TRIAL

LAWYER

STEWART EDELSTEIN

Discover what effective trial lawyers eventually

learn on the job, from first client meeting

through appellate argument. Find out how

to avoid the mistakes inexperienced litigators

frequently make. Learn what traditional texts

miss – how to do the various tasks of lawyering,

in and out of the courtroom. Subjects include:



you will encounter practicing law



motions, and briefs



and requests to admit; taking and defending

depositions; and Internet searches



and litigation; ethical issues; marketing;

and dealing with stress

This essential handbook for every trial lawyer

combines practical advice with humor and

erudition. You will also benefit from practice

checklists, tables, and a detailed index for quick

reference to just what you need.

PRAISE FOR

HOW TO SUCCEED AS A TRIAL LAWYER

“ How to Succeed as a Trial Lawyer provides the most – and the most useful – advice you

will ever find between two covers. It is a must for every trial lawyer’s bookshelf.”

–Professor Steven Lubet, Northwestern University School of Law

“ This is the book I wish I had in my first ten years as a trial lawyer. It’s also the book

I wish I could have handed out to trial lawyers while I was on the bench… Edelstein

has thought it through and knows what works.”

–former Connecticut Superior Court Judge Beverly J. Hodgson

“ How to Succeed as a Trial Lawyer shows you how to avoid the mistakes young litigators

frequently make, from the first meeting with a new client through presenting a case

at trial from the plaintiff’s and defendant’s perspective. It has what the traditional

texts miss: the actual how to do the various tasks of civil litigation and, just as im-

portant, the things to avoid doing.”

–Professor Thomas A. Mauet, University of Arizona College of Law

“ I found myself learning, or being reminded of, principles, best practices, and ‘tricks

of the trade’ on nearly every page. . . [T]his encyclopedic overview cannot but give

the young trial lawyer a great head start.

–Aegis Frumento, Stern Tannenbaum & Bell, New York, NY

“ Stewart Edelstein’s excellent book should be on the desk – not on the bookshelf –

of every attorney who is or aspires to be a successful civil litigator and trial lawyer.”

–Professor Steven Wizner, Yale Law School

“ The writing is elegant, to the point, and blissfully free of the legalese and verbosity

that afflict other books of this kind. . . I wish I had read this book when I started as

a civil litigation lawyer 34 years ago.”

–Martin Domb, Akermann Senterfitt, NewYork, NY

Printed in the U.S.A.

Price: $129.95

PC: 1620523

Law/Reference

ISBN 978-1-61438-801-2

Visit us at www.ShopABA.org

Stewart Edelstein chairs the Litigation Group at

his firm, Cohen and Wolf PC, where he has been a

commercial trial lawyer for forty years, mediating,

arbitrating, and litigating cases. He has taught civil

litigation skills at Yale Law School for the past

twenty years.

He has been a faculty member in various programs

presented by the National Institute for Trial

Advocacy and ALI-ABA (now ALI-CLE), is on

the Neutral Panel of the American Arbitration

Association and the Executive Committee of the

Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the

Connecticut Bar Association, and has served as

a Settlement Special Master in federal court and

Counsel to the Federal Grievance Committee in

Connecticut. He has published numerous articles

for trial lawyers in various publications, including

Litigation, Trial, and The Practical Litigator, and

is the author of a book about etymology, Dubious

Doublets, published by John Wiley & Sons Inc., and

two bike-tour brochures.

He is also a founding member of Prevailing Winds,

a woodwind quintet, and a member of Cumulus,

a woodwind dectet, in both of which he plays the

French horn. Mr. Edelstein has served on the boards

of directors of several charitable organizations, and

is certified by U.S. Squash as a squash coach.

He is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music

(Preparatory Department), Oberlin College, and

Cornell Law School, where he was on the moot

court team. At Stanford Law School, he completed

the Advanced Course in Trial Advocacy, and at

Harvard Law School, he completed the Teacher

Training Program, both under the auspices of the

National Institute for Trial Advocacy.

HOW TO SUCCEED AS A TRIAL LAWYER STEWART EDELSTEIN

Commercial Trial Lawyer_final.indd 1-5 2/5/13 12:57 PM

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR

HOW TO SUCCEED

AS A TRIAL LAWYER

ALL THE BASICS, FROM FIRST CLIENT MEETING

TO CLOSING ARGUMENT A ND BEYOND

“When it comes to litigat ion, How to Succeed as a Trial Lawyer provides

the most—and the most useful—adv ice you will ever fi nd between two

covers. It is a must for every trial law yer’s bookshelf.”

— Professor Steven Lubet, author of many articles

and books on litigat ion-related topics, including

Modern Advocacy: Analysi s and Practice, 4th ed.

“For any aspiring trial law yer, How to Succeed as a Trial Lawyer includes

everything you need to know that you didn’t learn in law school. It is

fantastical ly organized, ref reshingly straightforward, and includes easy-

to-use practice checklists at the end of every chapter. It will be on my

bookshelf (or more likely my desk—because I will be looki ng something

up!) for many years to come.”

—Nila Bala, Yale Law School Class of 2012

“This is the book I wish I had in my first 10 years as a trial lawyer.

It’s also the book I wish I could have handed out to trial lawyers while

I was on the bench. Edelstein is thorough, concise, sh rewd, and wise.

The helpful table of contents makes this an efficient handbook, a nd

using it will prevent ma ny a pitfall. W hether the topic is management of

emails, draf ting sett lement agreements, dealing wit h judicial questions

at oral argument, or stipulat ions at depositions, Edelstein has t hought it

through and knows what works. H is straightforward, approachable style

makes How to Succeed as a Trial Lawyer a pleasure to read.”

— Beverly Hodgson, arbitrator, mediator, former

Connecticut Superior Court Judge

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