On May 14, forty-three legal aid attorneys had the opportunity to participate in a two-day deposition training sponsored by Kirkland & Ellis LLP through the CBF Legal Aid Academy. Kirkland attorneys and staff customized the program for legal aid, building on their very successful KITA (Kirkland Institute for Trial Advocacy) program, which utilizes hands-on learning with immediate feedback, lectures and demonstrations. Kirkland spared no expense while replicating the program for the legal aid attorneys, even hiring actors to serve as witnesses and real court reporters to sit in on the depositions so that the learning experience was as real as possible.
Twelve legal aid attorneys and eleven Kirkland and Ellis partners served as instructors at the training, providing detailed feedback and building relationships with one another. Everyone involved in this training benefited from it.
This program is one of many free training programs offered through CBF Legal Aid Academy, an innovative pro bono program to improve training and professional development opportunities for legal aid attorneys and staff through pro bono contributions. The deposition training program could not have taken place without the generous contributions of training staff expertise, space and partner time from Kirkland and Ellis LLP as well as the pro bono contributions from the twelve legal aid attorneys.