An indispensable source of information, this book helps you easily tackle pretrial litigation from first client contact through pleadings, law and motion matters, local rules, and terminating the action without trial, to positioning for the best settlement, arbitration, or trial outcome. Filled with sample forms, including mandatory Judicial Council forms.

• Conflicts of interest and new clients
• Client fee agreements
• When clients do not pay, fee collection through mandatory fee arbitration procedures
• Jurisdiction and venue
• Ascertaining parties and drafting complaints
• Serving process and papers
• Responsive pleadings
• Federal court removal
• Law and motion practice and procedures
• Injunctions and other provisional remedies
• Terminating actions without trial
• Settlement, mediation, and other ADR
• Consolidation, bifurcation, and coordination
• Case management conferences, time delays, and complex cases