Earlier this month, I wrote about an innovative program in Pennsylvania. The program is designed to get younger lawyers more trial and courtroom experience. As part of that program, called Project Litigate, a related Judicial Task Force also is looking at ways to do the same thing. These recommendations include such things as making room for younger lawyers to argue motions in court. Pennsylvania judges have committed to have oral hearings on motions that might otherwise be decided on briefs–if a younger lawyer is involved is one way to do this.
It looks like Judges in other jurisdictions are coming to the conclusion that younger lawyers need more courtroom experience to ensure that our jury trial system continues in a robust way. For example, I came across a standard Pretrial Order recently entered by Federal Magistrate Judge Gabriel Fuentes. Judge Fuentes serves in the federal district court in Chicago. In the Order, which also dealt with generative AI (see my recent post), Judge Fuenters echoed the Pennsylvania judges.
As a matter of policy, Magistrate Judge Fuentes strongly encourages in the Order the participation of junior and diverse attorneys in all court proceedings, with appropriate supervision. His Order includes information about his Court’s practices in this regard. The Order recognizes the need to promote attorney professional development through practical experience. He understands the need for younger and diverse lawyers to have the opportunity to “stand up” and speak for a client in court.
Judge Fuentes did not leave it with that statement, though. He also provided a section entitled A Word About Inclusion of Junior and Diverse Attorneys. Here, he specifically encourages counsel and parties to staff their matters with junior and diverse attorneys. He further suggests these lawyers be provided the chance to have meaningful courtroom participation. This