ISBA members who plan to attend the two-day trial practice seminar May 4 and 5 in New Orleans should make hotel reservations no later than Tuesday, April 10, by calling Brandon Koenig at Meeting Solutions, (847) 808-1818.

Titled “From Voir Dire Through Post-Trial and the Study of Illinois DUI and Traffic-Related Issues in New Orleans,” the Law Ed seminar is sponsored by the Civil Practice and Procedure Section and Traffic Laws and Courts Section, and will take place in the Hotel InterContinental.

Hotel accommodations at the special rates of $199 per night (plus tax), single or double, are limited and must be guaranteed by major credit cards.

The ISBA has a discounted airfare program with American Airlines. Call (800) 433-7300 for reservations, or book online, citing the discount code of A3347AX.

“By conducting the seminar on two half-days, CLE participants can visit and enjoy the final weekend of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival,” said Judge Michael P. McCuskey of U.S. District Court, Urbana, chair of the Civil Practice and Procedure Section Council.

“What more could anyone want for one weekend – CLE credit, a great seminar, wonderful food and music,” he added. “The ISBA has never scheduled a seminar quite like this one.”

During the first morning of the seminar, the civil practice session begins with remarks by McCuskey. Topics are pre-trial motions and shaping the proofs; voir dire, a blind date with 12 strangers; opening statements, a short story told well; motions during and after trial, or what appellate counsel wishes trial counsel did.

Speakers are Cook County Judge Rita M. Novak, Associate Judges Thomas M. Donnelly and Daniel T. Gillespie, Appellate Justice Richard P. Goldenhersh, and attorneys Robert Hanaford and James F. McCluskey.

Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt of U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana will discuss “Federal Courts in a Post-Katrina New Orleans."

A concurrent morning session will concentrate on a wide variety of timely traffic law issues, such as sentencing, consequences of DUI, fake identification cards, reinstatement, summary suspension and zero tolerance.

Speakers are J. Randall Cox, Ava George Stewart, Edward M. Maloney, J. Brick Van Der Snick, George G. Livas and Cook County Judge Charles P. Burns.

Judge McCuskey will again provide second-day opening remarks prior to the morning session on civil practice.

Topics include cross examination, confronting the expert; closing arguments, pulling the case together; direct examination, putting witnesses on for the world to see.

Speakers are Hanaford, McCluskey, Russell W. Hartigan, Elizabeth A. Kaveny and 16th Circuit Judge F. Keith Brown. Senior Judge Dennis J. Dannel of New Orleans Traffic Court will review “City Courts in a Post-Katrina New Orleans.”

The concurrent session on traffic law issues include expungements, recognition of trial vs. plea, search and seizure, breath tests, and current legislation and case law. Speakers are Cox, Maloney, Stewart, Van Der Snick, Burns and Livas.

Attendance at the seminar qualifies for 7.5 hours of MCLE in civil practice and 6.0 hours in traffic law. The registration fees are $250 for ISBA members and $350 for non-members.