Saipan Tribune

Monday, May 20, 2013

Monday, January 21, 2013

OAG lawyers take part in Guam training

The National Association of Attorneys General Training and Research Institute, in coordination with the Guam Office of the Attorney General, will be in Guam from Jan. 22 to 25, 2013, to provide legal training in the Pacific region, according to the CNMI Office of the Attorney General.

Guam Attorney General Leonardo Rapadas is happy that NAAGTRI was opened up to the CNMI OAG, as well as all the islands in Micronesia, including American Samoa.

The CNMI OAG has young, hardworking attorneys who are never dissuaded by the lack of legal training available in the CNMI; rather, they work long hours and teach themselves how best to represent their clients.

“It is training like the one that will be provided by NAAGTRI's trial advocacy that is desperately needed by each of the AAG's employed by our office,” said Attorney General Joseph San Nicolas.

NAAGTRI will conduct their acclaimed Trial Advocacy, a four-day intensive and hands on training for jury trials. This trial advocacy skills program will use the “learning by doing” teaching method. The emphasis will be on participant performance of various trial skills followed by constructive faculty critique. Each participant will be video recorded in designated workshops for an individual review with a faculty member. In addition, NAAGTRI will also provide training to attorneys and investigators on State Agency Representation, Ethics, E-Discovery and Human Trafficking.

After months of requesting, the OAG was able to secure 20 slots to the NAAGTRI training. To ensure the cost of the training does not burden the OAG's budget, management worked hard to secure funding from private scholarships and grants in order to subsidize the training cost. The entire cost of the training will be paid for by NAAGTRI, the Pacific Judicial Council, and other grants.

Since learning about the NAAGTRI training, each attorney at the OAG has taken the necessary steps to ensure their clients, the courts, and opposing counsels know that they will be unavailable between Jan. 22 and 25. Pursuant to court rules, each attorney has also submitted their off island notice informing everyone in the legal community of their unavailability. However, San Nicolas advises the community that there will be sufficient attorneys from both the Civil and Criminal Divisions who will be able to cover any unexpected court hearings and/or matters that must be entertained. In addition, with today's technology, each attorney will be available on a moment's notice via telephone, email or text if they are urgently needed.

San Nicolas said, “The NAAGTRI training is only one of the benefits we can enjoy as members of NAAG and it is incumbent upon our office to take this opportunity to avail of the training since they seldom make their way out to the Pacific Region. This four-day training is not just a blessing; it is crucial and much needed.”

Rapadas added: “NAAGTRI trainers are dynamic and are the best in their field. Our attorneys and investigators in the Pacific will greatly benefit from this training. Participants will walk away with vital up to date information and knowledge that will help them get their job done.” (OAG)