THE VALUE OF FOCUS GROUPS:
SEEING YOUR CASE THROUGH THE EYES OF JURORS BEFORE TRIAL

Friday, September 24, 2021
Scott Conference Center, 6450 Pine Street, Omaha and Live Webinar

Program Chair:  Mark Richardson, Rembolt Ludtke LLP, Lincoln

NATA's 2021 Annual Meeting and Fall Seminar Hybrid offers a choice of attending in person at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha or online from the comfort of your home or office. NATA is an accredited sponsor under the regulations of the Nebraska, Iowa and Colorado Supreme Court Boards of Continuing Legal Education. The seminar has been approved for 6.25 hours of MCLE credit, including 1 hour of ethics, which will apply to the mandatory requirements.  Nebraska MCLE Activity Numbers: Live Seminar - 215717; Live Webinar - 215719.   Iowa MCLE Activity Numbers: Live Seminar - 367627; Live Webinar - 367628

Register to Attend in Person at the Scott Conference Center
(The Scott Conference Center is located on the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus. All UNO students, faculty, staff, and visitors will be required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status, effective August 25, 2021. The restriction may still be in place September 24th.)

Register to Attend Live Webinar

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

8:00 a.m                 
Registration. Continental Breakfast Sponsored by Great Plains Reporting

MORNING SESSION

8:25 a.m.                
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Mark R. Richardson Rembolt Ludtke LLP, Lincoln

8:30                          
Practical Tips, Tricks and Techniques for Effective Focus Groups - Part I
Matt Lathrop, The Law Office of Matthew A. Lathrop, PC, LLO, Omaha
Sami Schmit, Rembolt Ludtke LLP, Lincoln

“Why do focus groups?”
“So, you’ve never done a focus group.”
“What you don’t know WILL kill your case.”
“If you aren’t testing, you’re just guessing.”
“Are Focus Groups the Standard of Care for Plaintiff’s lawyers?”
“What did your focus group say about that?”
This presentation will provide nuts and bolts information on how to run your own focus group – from recruiting participants, to finding space, to paying them.  Sami and Matt will discuss planning your focus group presentation, techniques for getting the best information possible, and deciphering the information obtained. Attendees will be provided with forms and samples of focus group documents.  Creative uses of focus groups will be discussed and demonstrated.  Excerpts from actual focus group sessions will be used to help demonstrate the good, the bad and the ugly. 

10:00                        
Break

10:15                        
Practical Tips, Tricks and Techniques for Effective Focus Groups - Part II

11:45                       
NATA 2021 Membership Meeting and Election of 2021 – 2022 Officers and Directors
2021 Nominating Committee Report

Noon                        
Lunch on Your Own

AFTERNOON SESSION

1:00 p.m.
How Focus Groups Impact Trial
Justin High, High & Younes LLC, Omaha
John C. Conard, Conard Nelson Schaffer, PLLC, Minneapolis, Minnesota

1:45                          
We’re Not Buying That Legal Horsh**! – Focus Groups in Rural Communities
James C. Bocott, The Law Offices of James C. Bocott, PC LLO, North Platte

2:30                          
Break

2:45  
Strategic Advantages: Focus Groups from a Trial Consultant's Perspective                      
Jill Holmquist, Forensic Anthropology, Inc., Lincoln

3:30                          
Ethical Concerns and Implications of Focus Groups: A Primer
Mark R. Richardson Rembolt Ludtke LLP, Lincoln

4:30                          
Adjourn

INFORMATION FOR REGISTRANTS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
NATA ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP CELEBRATION RECEPTION AND DINNER (Black Tie Optional)
Join your colleagues at NATA’s Annual Membership Celebration Reception and Dinner the evening before the seminar.   The reception and dinner will be held on Thursday, September 23 at the Happy Hollow Country Club, 1701 S. 105th St., Omaha. The reception is at 6:30 p.m., dinner is at 7:30 p.m. Reservations are $85.00 per person.  ONLINE RESERVATIONS

NATA ANNUAL MEETING & FALL SEMINAR REGISTRATION FEES:  The registration fee is $250.00 for non-members. The discounted registration fee for NATA members is $195.00.  Registration fees are the same for both the live seminar at the Scott Conference Center and the Live Webinar. The seminar registration fee includes lectures, electronic course materials, and payment for registrants’ Nebraska MCLE credit. 

For those attending in person, masks may be required for all registrants, depending on the circumstances at the time of the seminar.

The written materials for NATA’s seminar will be in electronic format and will be available on NATA’s website prior to the seminar.  A reconfirmation of registration with a link to the materials will be e mailed 3 days in advance of the seminar to all those who preregistered.  For those registering to attend by live webinar, the reconfirmation of your registration will also include a link and instruction to join the webinar.

CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS: Refunds in full will be made if cancellations are received by September 17, 2021.  After that date there will be an administrative fee charged for late cancellation.

TAX DEDUCTION: Educational expenses, including registration fees, hotel and travel expenses are deductible if the course aids or improves in maintaining educational skills. (See Treasury reg. 1-162-5)

MANDATORY CLE: NATA is an accredited sponsor under the regulations of the Nebraska, Iowa and Colorado Supreme Court Boards of Continuing Legal Education. The seminar has been approved for 6.25 hours of MCLE credit, including 1 hour of ethics, which will apply to the mandatory requirements.  Nebraska MCLE Activity Numbers: Live Seminar - 215717; Live Webinar - 215719.   Iowa MCLE Activity Numbers: Live Seminar - 367627; Live Webinar - 367628

SPECIAL OFFER TO NEW MEMBERS OF NATA: Join NATA now and pay a special new member seminar registration fee of $170.00. Dues paid now apply to a full year of membership. JOIN NATA NOW