As the overall number of trials decreases, new attorneys have limited opportunity to practice and hone courtroom advocacy skills. Because there is no substitute for examining live witnesses, Tonkon Torp trial lawyer William F. (“Rick”) Martson, Jr. developed and led an internal Trial Practice Program for the firm’s litigation associates. The eight-week program provided a combination of theory and experiential learning with constructive feedback provided by Rick and Tonkon Torp litigation partners Anna Sortun, Ryan Bledsoe, and Christopher Pallanch. 
During each week of the course, the participants attended a lecture focused on a specific aspect of trial, and then met a second time to practice the skill, including direct and cross examinations of lay and expert witnesses, opening statements, and closing arguments. In addition to the live experience and focused coaching from seasoned trial attorneys, each participant earned 30 CLE credits.
Martson is uniquely qualified to design and deliver a trial practice course. He has been practicing law for over 40 years, has tried over 200 cases involving all manner of business disputes, and served as a faculty member for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) for more than 15 years. He also served as a Visiting Professor at Willamette University College of Law, teaching Trial Practice and Deposition Skills, and he taught at Tyumen State University in Siberia under the auspices of the Center for International Legal Studies in Salzburg, Austria.
