SCBA's FREE CLE*
Courtroom Advocacy:
What the Judges Think You Should Know

March 7, 2022 CLE

From 5 pm to 6:30 pm

By Zoom
(login information will be provided to all registrants before CLE)

Presenters:

Judge Laura Riquelme, Skagit County Superior Court

Judge Tom Verge, Skagit County Superior Court

Skagit County Superior Court Judges Laura Riquelme and Tom Verge will provide insight on how to be an affective advocate in briefing, motion hearings, and trials.  Practitioners will learn more about the mental process a judicial officer takes in making decisions and how to improve their courtroom advocacy.  Some of these are time honored tips, and others are suggestions tailored more for the digital age where we see an increase in fully remote or hybrid hearings and changes in local rules.

Bios:

Judge Laura Riquelme:

Judge Riquelme is the Presiding judge for Skagit County Superior Court.  She was appointed to the Skagit County Superior Court in March, 2016 and in July, 2017 and elected November 2018.  She has led the court’s efforts in moving toward remote and hybrid hearings to adjust to the pandemic and incorporate new technology into how the court improves its access to justice.  Prior to her judicial service, she was a senior deputy public defender with the Skagit County Public Defender.  She began her legal career as a deputy prosecuting attorney for the Skagit County Prosecuting Attorney.  Judge Riquelme is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Syracuse University’s College of Law.

Judge Tom Verge:

Tom Verge has served as a Skagit County Superior Court judge since 2021, having previously served as a judge for Skagit County District Court and a commissioner with Whatcom Superior Court.  With more than 17 years of judicial experience, he has heard a wide variety of cases and types of courtroom advocacy.  Judge Verge earned his Bachelor of Arts from Western Washington University and his Juris Doctorate from University of Puget Sound School of Law. He was admitted to the bar in 1988.

*We encourage you to join and support SCBA, but you don't have to be a member to attend, registration for this CLE is free.  SCBA will only report attendance for current SCBA members.