Preparing to Argue in Front of an Appellate Court? Utilize the Indiana Appellate Institute!

By Josh S. Tatum, Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP

The next time you’re preparing for an appellate oral argument, especially before one of Indiana’s appellate courts, consider using the IndyBar’s Indiana Appellate Institute. The Institute has helped lawyers with various experience levels prepare for arguments, as can be seen in our brand-new video below highlighting the service’s value.

Indiana Appellate Institute from Indianapolis Bar Association on Vimeo.

Initially begun in an effort to improve the overall quality of oral advocacy in Indiana’s appellate courts, the Institute will continue its practice of providing practice arguments without charge for cases before an Indiana appellate court for lawyers who have never argued before any appellate court. Lawyers who represent clients of limited means may also request practice arguments free of charge.

Members of the IndyBar preparing for an argument before one of Indiana’s state appellate courts are asked for a modest fee of $500. Non-members are asked for $600. The Indiana Appellate Institute provides practice arguments for cases before other appellate courts as well. For those cases, IndyBar members will be charged $1,250, and nonmembers will be charged $1,500. Fees are used to fund activities of the IndyBar’s Appellate Practice Section, including conference scholarships, programming, and contributions to the Indianapolis Bar Foundation.

For more information on the Indiana Appellate Institute, go here. To request a moot panel, go here. The Institute relies on volunteer lawyers to serve as judges on each moot panel. To volunteer to serve as a judge on a moot panel go here!

If you would like to submit content or write an article for the Appellate Practice Section, please email Kara Sikorski at ksikorski@indybar.org.