The Illinois Bar Journal’s October issue debuts a five-part series on trial advocacy by retired Justice Gino DiVito, who cofounded and is a partner of the Chicago law firm of Tabet DiVito & Rothstein LLC. He has served as a trial judge and as a justice of the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court. He is the author of the ISBA publication, “The Illinois Rules of Evidence: A Color-Coded Guide,” which is updated annually. In his series, “What I Learned From Teaching Trial Advocacy,” Justice DiVito shares his personal experiences based primarily on trying cases and teaching the four stages of trial advocacy.

All five parts in this series published by the Illinois Bar Journal incorporate the numerous examples, lectures, and anecdotes he has used to enlighten and entertain law students and attorneys on the art of persuasion in trials—primarily in jury trials. Part 1 of the series addresses opening statements and storytelling.

Read the October IBJ article, "What I Learned From Teaching Trial Advocacy: Opening Statements and Storytelling."