Facilitator Guide

Virtual Court Appearances

Facilitator Guide

Virtual Court Appearances

Topic: Motion Practice
Duration: 1 hr
Format: Remote or in person

What’s covered

Checking rules and protocols for virtual appearances
Prepping your arguments
Prepping your materials
Technology and logistics
Managing interruptions

Before the session

Prepare the Attendees

Send the attendees an invitation for the session. Include this link, which has the videos and exercise they’ll need to prepare.

https://www.hotshotlegal.com/trainings/virtual-court-appearances/attendee

Prepare Yourself

Watch the videos and read the exercise so you’re familiar with the Hotshot material.

Course

Virtual Court Appearances

Best practices for appearing before a judge virtually, and how best to prepare.
Exercise
PDF

During the session

Part 1: Knowledge Check

Ask attendees these questions to ensure they understand the topic:

How can watching livestreams of your judge’s other virtual proceedings help you prepare?
What are some considerations about using exhibits and demonstratives during a virtual hearing?
What are some ways to help keep the judge engaged during a virtual hearing?
What should you do if the technology fails or if you’re interrupted during the appearance?

Part 2: Group Exercise

Lead a group discussion based on the exercise. To encourage collaboration, divide the attendees into groups to discuss the exercise, then have a representative from each group summarize their views to the larger group. Call on people to share their thoughts and ask others to respond.

Tip for remote sessions: use your web conferencing system’s breakout room feature to divide people into groups.

Part 3: War Stories and Firm Specifics

Share your own experiences and guidance, including:

Anecdotes and war stories (e.g., about a near-disaster or a tough negotiation)
General practice tips (dos and don’ts)
Firm-specific guidance and practices

After the session

To continue their learning, attendees can check out related courses in Hotshot’s Motion Practice topic.

About Hotshot

Hotshot helps lawyers develop their legal, business, and technology skills through short videos, quizzes, and summaries, and we help law firms and law schools plan and deliver engaging training programs. Our customers include Am Law 200 firms, top law schools, and regional and international firms.