Mediation or Trial: What Will Bring the Best Result for Your Client
Total Credits: .50 including .50 Alabama CLE Credit
- Average Rating:
- Not yet rated
- Categories:
- Trial & Litigation
- Faculty:
- Dean Carole Smitherman
- Format:
- Audio and Video
- Original Program Date:
- Dec 19, 2025
- License:
- Access for 90 day(s) after purchase.
Description
Get expert insights on choosing the best path for your client at the CLE seminar featuring Judge Carole Smitherman (ret.) Dean, Miles Law School. With years of experience on the bench and now leading a law school, she will share valuable perspectives on when to opt for mediation and when to take a case to trial. You'll gain practical insights into evaluating case strengths, understanding client goals, and making informed decisions that drive successful outcomes. Learn how to strategically advise your clients and maximize their chances of success.
Handouts
| Seminar Handout (877.6 KB) | 12 Pages | Available after Purchase |
Faculty
Dean Carole Smitherman Related Seminars and Products
Miles Law School
Dean Smitherman grew up in Birmingham and graduated from Spellman College in Atlanta in 1973. She went on to earn her J.D. at Miles Law School, graduating first in her class in 1979. Dean Smitherman was first elected to the Birmingham City Council in 2001 and has been re-elected twice. She campaigned unsuccessfully for the mayor's office in 2003, 2007, and 2009. As President of the Birmingham City Council she assumed the office of mayor when Larry Langford was convicted in 2009. A month later, she then lost the position when the new council convened on November 24, 2009, and elected Roderick Royal as council president on a 5–4 vote, thus automatically making Royal the acting mayor. Smitherman later lost her election bid as mayor in a special election following Langford's conviction. Carole Smitherman was Birmingham's first African-American female mayor. She also was the first African-American woman hired as a deputy district attorney in Jefferson County and first African American female Municipal and Circuit Court Judge in Birmingham. Smitherman also served as a municipal prosecutor for the city of Irondale. She was elected to her current judicial office in 2012, after beating attorney Pat Thetford. The seat handles civil matters and controversy over $10,000.
