Missouri Attorney General’s Trial Master’s Program
Attorney General Andrew Bailey has implemented a trial training and mentoring program that is the first of its kind in the nation.
Overview
The Trial Master’s Program provides trial skills and strategies to the Missouri AG’s civil trial teams. The Assistant Attorneys General assigned to a civil trial meet with the Trial Master’s before their trials to receive their advice and guidance on trial strategies. The AAGs discuss voir dire, opening statement, motions in limine, evidentiary issues, trial themes, trial strategies, and closing argument. The AAGs also meet with the Trial Masters on potential consumer fraud and other suits that the AG is considering, and also on defense strategy on certain newly filed civil cases.
Trial Masters
The Trial Masters consist of some Missouri’s top trial lawyers who are respected by the Bench and Bar throughout the state and are either in active private practice or newly retired. There are three Trial Master teams of five lawyers each. The three teams are based in St Louis, Kansas City and Jefferson City/Columbia. Each Trial Masters team meets with the AG’s trial teams once a month for several hours in each of those cities, depending on the venue of the particular case.
The Trial Masters are appointed by the Missouri Attorney General.
Impact
This new and unique Program has been a huge success. The AAGs uniformly laud the invaluable mentoring that they receive from the Trial Masters on trial strategies and training. The Trial Masters, in turn, have had a tremendous impact on the Attorney General’s trial teams, including a number of defense verdicts.
The Trial Masters perform this service pro bono, and each of them find it a rewarding and impactful way to give back to the state of Missouri.