Danielle Husseini Talks ABA Trial Advocacy Institute

I had the distinct honor of participating in the prestigious American Bar Association Family Law Trial Advocacy Institute in 2024. The lessons I learned were invaluable and have elevated the way I practice family law on a daily basis.

What is the Family Law Trial Advocacy Institute? The TAI is an intensive ten day program focused on enhancing a lawyer’s trial skills. The professors and mentors that lead this program are among the top family law litigators in the country. At the end of the program, attendees participate in an ultimate trial where their skills are put to the test and judged by those litigators. Nerve racking, I know!

The TAI took me to Kansas City, Missouri (and before you ask, I still refuse to say “go Saints” in any situation). The skills I learned and the connections I made at the TAI have shaped the way I practice law, not only during evidentiary hearings and trials, but in the way I practice law daily. Trial preparation begins on day one of intake. Constant trial preparation benefits your case in a variety of ways. For instance, if the day comes when we must go to trial, I am prepped and ready to move forward and advocate for my client in the most advantageous way possible. Even if the case ends in settlement, which is the ultimate goal, trial preparation still leads to preparation for that settlement and gives us an advantage we otherwise may not have. Also, having a
prepared and skilled trial lawyer on your side may drive the other side to settle the matter well before a trial is necessary.

Not only were my trial skills elevated, but the connections I made and the mentors I gained are indispensable. The trial school allowed me to meet and connect with lawyers across the United States. This is what trial school is all about. Making connections that will benefit lawyers as they continue practice. My goal is, and has always been, to be the best advocate for my clients. My time at the TAI only served to further this goal, and I am thrilled to come to work every day and be the best attorney I can be for each individual client in whatever unique circumstance or turbulent situation they might be facing.