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| The Hon. Arnold L. New |
By Adrianne E. Walvoord, Esq
Judge New’s acumen and wisdom as a judge is based on his experience as an Assistant District Attorney and as a young lawyer running a private practice in criminal defense and plaintiffs’ personal injury. Judge New has served for over twenty years as an esteemed judge in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and currently is assigned to the Philadelphia Commerce Court.
Judge New participated in implementing the Day Back Day Forward program in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Since its implementation in 1995, it effectively cleared a ten year back-log of cases in the Philadelphia courts.
He’s personally experienced many perspectives in the courthouse and now provides some insight for PAJ Future Leaders from a judge’s perspective.
Adrianne E. Walvoord: What advice do you have for new attorneys in your court room?
Judge Arnold L. New: A bit of general advice—be honest and admit to the judge that it is your first or second trial or motion argument, etc. because with this knowledge, a judge can try to make the courtroom as comfortable as possible. I can help to teach young attorneys how to improve their practice by sustaining an objection with an explanation or offering an impartial critique of their advocacy skills after the proceedings are concluded.
A bit of practical advice on cross-examination – don’t bury your smoking gun question in the middle of a cross! I’ve seen it too many times, a lawyer makes an excellent point and then drags on with the questioning only to lose the jury’s attention.
How does the Day Forward program affect young lawyers?
Young lawyers should know that Philadelphia judges will work their hardest to keep cases current and to stay on schedule. We stick to discovery deadlines and trial dates, so be sure to stay on top of your deadlines, too. When we worked to clean up the dockets in the 90s we told the lawyers they weren’t going to sleep, eat, or see their families until the cases got moving. In exchange, we made big sacrifices too – my “poor” wife even had to go on vacation to Paris without me because I had a trial and the date was set. The hard work of the bench and bar was remarkable and we are determined still today to keep the dockets moving in Philadelphia.
What do you see from attorneys that impresses you the most in the courtroom?
I am always impressed by lawyers who know their cases inside and out and organize their cases in a way that incorporates applicable law, follows proper procedure, and makes sense to the jury. I am blown away by the quality of many of the lawyers I see - judges don’t forget what it’s like to be a lawyer and what a skill it takes to balance your work load and prepare for trial.
Judge New’s acumen and wisdom as a judge is based on his experience as an Assistant District Attorney and as a young lawyer running a private practice in criminal defense and plaintiffs’ personal injury. Judge New has served for over twenty years as an esteemed judge in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and currently is assigned to the Philadelphia Commerce Court.
Judge New participated in implementing the Day Back Day Forward program in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Since its implementation in 1995, it effectively cleared a ten year back-log of cases in the Philadelphia courts.
He’s personally experienced many perspectives in the courthouse and now provides some insight for PAJ Future Leaders from a judge’s perspective.
Adrianne E. Walvoord: What advice do you have for new attorneys in your court room?
Judge Arnold L. New: A bit of general advice—be honest and admit to the judge that it is your first or second trial or motion argument, etc. because with this knowledge, a judge can try to make the courtroom as comfortable as possible. I can help to teach young attorneys how to improve their practice by sustaining an objection with an explanation or offering an impartial critique of their advocacy skills after the proceedings are concluded.
A bit of practical advice on cross-examination – don’t bury your smoking gun question in the middle of a cross! I’ve seen it too many times, a lawyer makes an excellent point and then drags on with the questioning only to lose the jury’s attention.
How does the Day Forward program affect young lawyers?
Young lawyers should know that Philadelphia judges will work their hardest to keep cases current and to stay on schedule. We stick to discovery deadlines and trial dates, so be sure to stay on top of your deadlines, too. When we worked to clean up the dockets in the 90s we told the lawyers they weren’t going to sleep, eat, or see their families until the cases got moving. In exchange, we made big sacrifices too – my “poor” wife even had to go on vacation to Paris without me because I had a trial and the date was set. The hard work of the bench and bar was remarkable and we are determined still today to keep the dockets moving in Philadelphia.
What do you see from attorneys that impresses you the most in the courtroom?
I am always impressed by lawyers who know their cases inside and out and organize their cases in a way that incorporates applicable law, follows proper procedure, and makes sense to the jury. I am blown away by the quality of many of the lawyers I see - judges don’t forget what it’s like to be a lawyer and what a skill it takes to balance your work load and prepare for trial.
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| Future Leaders Section Member Adrianne E. Walvoord is an associate in the Philadelphia offices of Anapol Schwartz. |
