From case analysis and opening statement through closing argument, Trial Advocacy for the Child Welfare Lawyer: Telling the Story of the Family is a concise and comprehensive treatment of the trial. It incorporates generations of trial advocacy wisdom into the context of juvenile and family courtproceedings. A veteran instructor of the teaching methodology of the National Institute for TrialAdvocacy (NITA), Marvin Ventrell walks you through a "how-to method" of each stage of thecase, using real-life examples of child welfare cases. These essential lessons extend beyond childwelfare proceedings and provide insight and skills applicable to all family and domestic relations cases.Trials, effectively presented, are stories--stories of mothers, fathers, children--stories of the family.Trial Advocacy for the Child Welfare Lawyer teaches you how to present the story of the family fromthe unique and powerful perspective of each litigant. From nuts and bolts to advanced practicetechniques, each trial skill is treated as a mechanism of persuasion for both judge and jury. This publication reflects Ventrell"s three decades of experience as a litigator, teacher, writer, trial skillsinstructor, trial competition coach, and juvenile and family law policy consultant. It is a unique andimportant contribution to the art and tradition of American trial advocacy.