Note: New Program Time

Closing Arguments – Civil

Three former Harris County District trial judges will discuss closing arguments in the context of a civil trial.

1 hour MCLE credit; including 0.5 hours of ethics.

Presented by

Moderated by Jonathan C.C. Day (Sorrels Law)

Judge Mike Engelhart

Hon. Mike Engelhart is a certified mediator who conducted dozens of mediations for fellow judges during his tenure on the bench, resolving the vast majority of those matters. He approaches each mediation with careful preparation, closely reviewing key documents and controlling law. He maximizes the parties’ time together by drawing on his extensive experience to offer practical ideas and strategies informed by decades of litigation and judicial insight.

Mike was a litigator for 13 years before serving the next 16 years as a civil district judge in Harris County, Texas. He later worked as a partner at the catastrophic injury law firm Kherkher Garcia LLP before transitioning to full-time mediation and arbitration. Mike is board-certified in personal injury trial law. Before and after his judicial service, he represented clients in civil disputes and appeals in state and federal courts throughout Texas and across the United States.

Mike has overseen thousands of lawsuits and conducted hundreds of trials involving civil disputes, including personal injury and wrongful death claims, motor vehicle and trucking accidents, insurance disputes, products liability, maritime matters, construction law, business disputes, real estate litigation, fraud, employment matters and professional malpractice. He is a two-time recipient of the Trial Judge of the Year award from the Texas Association of Civil Trial & Appellate Specialists.
 

Judge Robert Schaffer

Hon. Robert Schaffer, a native Houstonian, is a mediator and arbitrator who has dedicated his career to public service and the resolution of civil disputes. He mediates and arbitrates cases including automobile, construction, insurance, premises liability, and wrongful death, among others.

Robert served as the judge of the 152nd Civil District Court from 2009 to 2024, presiding over complex civil litigation and earning a reputation for fairness and legal acumen. His extensive judicial, legal, and mediation experience, combined with his leadership roles and community involvement, make him a highly respected mediator. His dedication to fairness, legal excellence, and conflict resolution continues to benefit his clients and the greater Houston community.
 

Judge Pat Mizell

Pat is an accomplished trial lawyer, representing clients on both sides in commercial litigation (jury trials, bench trials, and arbitration) and the defense side of multi-district tort litigation. He is one of a handful of lawyers in Texas who is a member of all four of the prominent national trial lawyer organizations: he is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and the International Society of Barristers. Clients note that Pat “is an excellent lawyer [and] he’s very comfortable in court,” and “is a great trial lawyer with a strong state and national reputation.” (Chambers USA 2023).

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