What is a law & motion department? Forum

[Anonymous User]

saw this online at some firm for the first time. how is this different from any other litigation department out there?

[Anonymous User]

Bump.

[kellyfrost]

I'm curious about this as well.

[Actus Reus]

We use a local counsel for law and motion matters. Maybe it just means they provide local counsel assistance (pleadings, date calculation, local rules, etc.)

[zot1]

Within a DA's office, it is the department that takes care of researching the law and writing motions for the litigators.

[Anonymous User]

Within a DA's office, it is the department that takes care of researching the law and writing motions for the litigators.

If there's a separate motion writing department, what to litigators do? Isn't litigation basically drafting motions and discovery papers?

[kellyfrost]

Within a DA's office, it is the department that takes care of researching the law and writing motions for the litigators.

If there's a separate motion writing department, what to litigators do? Isn't litigation basically drafting motions and discovery papers?

I viewed litigators as trial attorneys. They only spend their time in court trying cases. I could be wrong.

[Anonymous User]

I viewed litigators as trial attorneys. They only spend their time in court trying cases. I could be wrong.

I think litigators is a broad term but usually refers to the lawyer who does everything pre-trial. Then trial lawyers come in when a case goes to trial. Im noob tho so I could be wrong.

[tyroneslothrop1]

Within a DA's office, it is the department that takes care of researching the law and writing motions for the litigators.

If there's a separate motion writing department, what to litigators do? Isn't litigation basically drafting motions and discovery papers?

I viewed litigators as trial attorneys. They only spend their time in court trying cases. I could be wrong.

troll

[zot1]

Ok, use trial lawyer instead, I don't really care. These departments are used by very busy DA offices in order to streamline the process.

What would a litigator do? Uh talk to the PD, interview police, witnesses, gather evidence, create a trial strategy, actually argue motions and the case.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Within a DA's office, it is the department that takes care of researching the law and writing motions for the litigators.

If there's a separate motion writing department, what to litigators do? Isn't litigation basically drafting motions and discovery papers?

Criminal law is pretty different. Some places divide it horizontally so one person does intake/charging, one person does pretrial stuff, another person takes it to trial. Also discovery is really different than in the civil context.

I get you were talking about a firm so none of the above is really applicable, but just for the record.

[zot1]

Within a DA's office, it is the department that takes care of researching the law and writing motions for the litigators.

If there's a separate motion writing department, what to litigators do? Isn't litigation basically drafting motions and discovery papers?

Criminal law is pretty different. Some places divide it horizontally so one person does intake/charging, one person does pretrial stuff, another person takes it to trial. Also discovery is really different than in the civil context.

I get you were talking about a firm so none of the above is really applicable, but just for the record.

My point was that DA offices have these departments for X reason. Plausible that firms do it too.