From the Bench: What Persuades, What Frustrates, and What Lawyers Should Know (Presented by the Federal Bar Association Professional Development Committee, General Division)

What makes a judge trust your argument — and what causes that trust to unravel? United States District Judge Jia M. Cobb and United States Magistrate Judge Sean A. Camoni take the question head on, in a candid conversation from the Bench’s perspective about everyday federal practice, moderated by commercial litigator David Labkowski.

The hour tracks the work itself. Motion practice and written advocacy: brief structure and length, decisive issues, record citations and adverse authority, useful replies, and compliance with local rules and chambers practices. Oral advocacy: addressing the Court’s concerns, answering difficult questions, making strategic concessions — and avoiding evasiveness, interruptions, and repetition. Then civility, professionalism, and judgment: choosing battles, meaningful meet-and-confers, and presenting discovery disputes efficiently.

Attendees hear practical perspectives on the habits judges appreciate, the procedural missteps and counterproductive combativeness that frustrate them, and how preparation, candor, and sound judgment make advocacy more persuasive — closing with Q&A to the panel.