Joshua Karton pioneered the application of the writer/director/actor's communication techniques of theatre/film/television to the art of trial advocacy.
He has designed curriculum and served on the faculties for Trial Lawyer's College, AAJ’s Ultimate Course, Trial School, JAG Corps, National Criminal Defense College and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Justice Advocacy Africa, American Bar Association, Loyola and California Western Schools of Law, and numerous state trial lawyers associations and criminal defense associations.
Over thirty years of work in this field culminated in his preparation of the winning oral argument to the United States Supreme Court in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld.
He currently develops programs and seminars for live and virtual CLE training, as well as maintaining a professional practice of individual case consultation and witness preparation. Having trained at the American Conservatory Theatre, he returned there to teach after writing/directing film/video the Bicentennial Theatrical Evolution film/video units, winner of the New York Drama Desk Award. His acting students at ACT and at USC’s School of Theatre include recipients of Oscars and Emmys. Television writing and acting ranged from Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman to Beverly Hills 90210. He was an editor at Samuel French Trade and the creator of Bantam Books' Film Scenes for Actors series. His museum installations and education programs have been the recipient of grants from the Arco Foundation, the Ford Motor Company Fund, the California Arts Council, and the Kellogg Foundation.
He is the 2016 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Center for Excellence in Advocacy, and co-author with David Ball of Theater for Trial (Trial Guides, 2017.)
