Dear Reader,

Recently I had an opportunity to talk to the professional development specialist from an international law firm that has retained NITA to conduct a number of in-house training programs for its associates and partners throughout the world. During that conversation, I reflected upon NITA's goal to train as many lawyers as we can by charging as little as we need to, all in line with our non-profit mission. My comment was met by a surprised look on my guest's face. "You are a non-profit? We thought you were just another vendor of services." I then explained the overarching public-service mission of NITA and about the programs we do to support the rule of law, underserved communities, and human rights. My guest then told me that we need to get that word out, and I agree, so I am starting within the NITA family.

The National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) is the nation's leading provider of litigation skills training. A 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization based in Louisville, Colorado, NITA pioneered its unique learn-by-doing methodology over 35 years ago and has remained the gold standard in continuing legal education ever since. With an average student/faculty ratio of 4:1 and an all-volunteer faculty drawn from a cadre of judges, law professors and practicing attorneys, attendees at NITA's weeklong basic trial skills "boot camps" benefit immensely and experience significant improvement in their ability to advocate for their clients. NITA places a special emphasis on training lawyers who work in child advocacy, tribal law, death-penalty defense and violence against women. NITA is also the nation's third largest publisher of legal texts, many of which are used by renowned law schools.

In addition to providing over $500,000 each year in scholarship assistance to attendees of our public programs, NITA provides dedicated free (or almost free) training programs to child advocates, legal services lawyers, death penalty defenders and Native American tribal advocates. In addition, NITA supports programs which are co-sponsored by the ABA Section of Litigation, the American College of Trial Lawyers, the American Board of Trial Advocates and other organizations that provide dedicated training to public service lawyers and pro bono advocates. In the international arena, NITA donates the use of its materials and faculty to programs sponsored by international aid organizations, such as CEELI and USAID, in support of the rule of law, the role of advocates, and the preservation of an independent judiciary in countries throughout the world. Currently, NITA is working with organizations and universities in Japan, Mexico, China, and Chile to promote the role of effective advocates in the justice system.

As an organization, we are working on programs in new areas of the law, including asylum, the environment, criminal defense, domestic abuse, and other areas where training is necessary for the professional representation of clients. All of these efforts are undertaken through the valuable and necessary assistance of our program directors, faculty, and professional staff who share the vision for a system of justice.

All together, NITA's contribution to these public-service goals amount to over $1 million in actual cash and over $3 million in donated services and materials each year.

If you would like to help, have a program in which NITA can assist, or need further information, please contact me directly and we can determine a way to work together to reach our goals. For more information, visit www.nita.org.

Sincerely,

Laurence M. Rose
President & CEO