---
title: 2017 December
url: https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2017-december
---

# [2017 December](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2017-december "2017 December")

[![Advocate Dec17 cvr ezine](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/images/issues/2017/12-december/Advocate-Dec17-cvr-ezine.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/ezines/2017/December2017/html5/Advocate-Dec17-issue.html)

Articles in this issue:

## [Don’t let self-inflicted errors on the verdict form torpedo your verdict](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2017-december/don-t-let-self-inflicted-errors-on-the-verdict-form-torpedo-your-verdict "Don’t let self-inflicted errors on the verdict form torpedo your verdict")

Six tips from an appellate lawyer about how to minimize the risk of inconsistent verdicts

[Jeffrey I. Ehrlich](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/jeffrey-i-ehrlich "Jeffrey I. Ehrlich")

## [Bringing a Ninth Circuit appeal](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2017-december/bringing-a-ninth-circuit-appeal "Bringing a Ninth Circuit appeal")

This federal court received 11,000 new appeals in 2016 and terminated 12,000 pending cases – so let’s set your expectations

[MaryBeth LippSmith](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/marybeth-lippsmith "MaryBeth LippSmith")

## [A welcome change of course](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2017-december/a-welcome-change-of-course "A welcome change of course")

The doctrine of trail immunity in the wake of [[case]]Garcia v. American Golf Corporation[[/case]] and [[case]]Toeppe v. City of San Diego[[/case]]

## [The Federal Tort Claim Act and the discretionary function exception](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2017-december/the-federal-tort-claim-act-and-the-discretionary-function-exception "The Federal Tort Claim Act and the discretionary function exception")

The act seeks to avoid placing co­urts in the position of second-guessing the government; it is not intended to protect the Government from liability for violating its own safety mandates

[Steven B. Stevens](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/steven-b-stevens "Steven B. Stevens")

## [The disentitlement doctrine](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2017-december/the-disentitlement-doctrine "The disentitlement doctrine")

A potent secret weapon to destroy your opponent’s contemptuous appeal

[Scott Tillett](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/scott-tillett "Scott Tillett")

## [The legal assistant’s perspective on MSJ](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2017-december/the-legal-assistant-s-perspective-on-msj "The legal assistant’s perspective on MSJ")

Nuts and bolts of summary judgment oppositions — or, how to keep your sanity and your job

[Rose Gutierrez](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/rose-gutierrez "Rose Gutierrez")

## [Write well to win more](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2017-december/write-well-to-win-more "Write well to win more")

Good writing is essential to winning the tentative rulings on critical issues

[Daniel U. Smith](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/daniel-u-smith "Daniel U. Smith")
[Valerie T. McGinty](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/mcginty "Valerie T. McGinty")

## [Establishing the record](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2017-december/establishing-the-record "Establishing the record")

An appellate lawyer’s perspective on what trial lawyers need to know about preserving their records for appeal

[Janet R. Gusdorff](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/janet-r-gusdorff "Janet R. Gusdorff")

## [The psychological science of persuasion](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2017-december/the-psychological-science-of-persuasion "The psychological science of persuasion")

Presenting your case to overcome jurors’ built-in resistance to persuasion

[John P. Blumberg](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/john-p-blumberg "John P. Blumberg")

## [CAALA’s Gala: Connect, celebrate and honor](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2017-december/caala-s-gala-connect-celebrate-and-honor "CAALA’s Gala: Connect, celebrate and honor")

[Stuart Zanville](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/stuart-zanville "Stuart Zanville")

## [Appellate Reports](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2017-december/appellate-reports-8 "Appellate Reports")

The dangers and difficulties of trying to put “teeth” into a settlement by including provisions that increase the amount the settling defendant must pay if it fails to perform

[Jeffrey I. Ehrlich](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/jeffrey-i-ehrlich "Jeffrey I. Ehrlich")

## [2017: Thanks for the opportunity to serve you](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2017-december/2017-thanks-for-the-opportunity-to-serve-you "2017: Thanks for the opportunity to serve you")

I didn’t know how much fun it would be to represent this great association

[Ricardo Echeverria](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/ricardo-echeverria "Ricardo Echeverria")