Congratulations to Scott S. Cohen, who graduated from the Trial Lawyers College in August. Mr. Cohen has been practicing law since 2007. He is currently licensed to practice before all state and federal courts in Georgia along with the United States Federal and Supreme Court and has experience representing clients in personal injury matters.

After selling his brokerage book in 2004, he retired from finance and decided to pursue a career in law. He was awarded scholarships and graduated from John Marshall Law School of Atlanta Georgia in 2007 within the top 5% of his class.

The TLC is a unique educational institution that trains and educates lawyers to enhance their effectiveness as advocates for those they represent, their clients.

The TLC is a unique educational institution that trains and educates lawyers to enhance their effectiveness as advocates for those they represent, their clients. The Trial Lawyers College was charted in 1994 by nationally renowned trial lawyer and teacher Gerry Spence. The TLC offers its students a curriculum focused on developing the skills necessary for effective advocacy, including overcoming the challenges of cross examination and presentation at trial or arbitration hearing. It also provides training in real-life case studies so students can apply what they’ve learned from classroom instruction, working with actual cases as part of mock trials conducted before judges under strict rules of evidence and procedure.

Gerry Spence was convinced that there was another way to practice law that focused on changing lives while at the same time improving the lawyer’s skills and winning cases.

Gerry Spence was convinced that there was another way to practice law that focused on changing lives while at the same time improving the lawyer’s skills and winning cases. He believed that every client deserved someone who would listen carefully, who would find out what really happened, and who would fight hard for them until justice was done. Gerry Spence felt called to change the system so that lawyers could be more like him: compassionate advocates for justice instead of “hired guns” who took on cases solely because they were paid well.

In 1979, having witnessed his peers begin their careers as idealistic young attorneys but soon becoming jaded by the realities of practicing law in a system dominated by greed and an adversarial approach to litigation, Gerry Spence founded Trial Lawyers College (TLC), which he envisioned as an institution where talented trial lawyers from around the country could gather to learn how he practiced law—and more importantly how he lived life—in order to shape their own careers.

At the College, students learn not only from Gerry Spence but from a faculty who are considered among the best trial lawyers in America.

At Trial Lawyers College, students learn not only from Gerry Spence, but from a faculty who are considered among the best trial lawyers in America. These experienced lawyers have each dedicated themselves to sharing their knowledge and skills with students who are eager to learn. The result is an unparalleled learning experience for participants.

The TLC faculty includes:

• Former federal prosecutors and criminal defense attorneys
• Product liability lawyers who have won multi-million dollar awards for their clients
• Malpractice attorneys whose cases have resulted in judgments exceeding $1 billion dollars (in one case)

Psychodrama involves putting words and stories into action through role-playing and physical activity.

Psychodrama involves putting words and stories into action through role-playing and physical activity. It is used to help students better understand the issues and clients they represent. Students also use psychodrama to help develop empathy for their clients.

Psychodrama allows students to experience the client’s perspective by creating a safe environment where they can play out their client’s story, whether it be an accident scene or courtroom scenario. This allows them to explore different emotions that are relevant during litigation in order to develop an understanding of how they might feel if they were actually in that situation themselves.

At Trial Lawyers College there is always plenty of time dedicated specifically towards practicing psychodrama skills including: role playing and physical activity sessions with your peers; working together with a facilitator (a professional actor) who will guide you through various scenarios; learning about how these techniques can be applied effectively both inside and outside of courtrooms; as well as having fun!

Investing in yourself as an attorney can pay off tremendously for your clients too.

Psychodrama is a powerful tool for attorneys because it helps them to become more effective in the courtroom. It’s a form of drama therapy that allows participants to step into a role, or persona, and “act out” an event from their lives. Psychodrama can be used in legal cases as well as personal matters.

While the technique has been around since the 1920s, it wasn’t until 1996 and founding of The Trial Lawyers College did the technique get applied to the law. Since then, over 6500 attorneys have graduated from this program—and judging by their success rates and media coverage, they seem pretty happy with their investment!

Trial lawyers are constantly immersed in situations where they have to understand how other people experience things: whether it’s jurors or judges sitting on one side of you; opposing counsel across from you; or clients sitting next to you at depositions or hearings. As an attorney who works closely with these people day after day—even minute after minute when we’re appearing before judges—it’s easy to get caught up in our own perspective without considering what others might be thinking or feeling at any given moment. Psychodrama helps us do just that! It gives us insight into our emotions and reactions so that we become better equipped for handling even stressful situations like cross-examination questions from opposing counsel.”

We would like to congratulate Scott on his graduation. Congratulations, Scott! We look forward to seeing your success and learning more about your journey through the Trial Lawyers College.