This comprehensive guide reviews the laws governing the civil pretrial process and the skills needed during pretrial proceedings. It focuses on the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, including the 2006 amendments concerning electronic discovery and the extensive 2007 amendments resulting from the Civil Rules Style Project. State counterparts to these rules have been adopted in a majority of jurisdictions and the pretrial skills considered are essential in both state and federal practice. Coverage includes client interviewing, the attorney-client relationship, pretrial planning and investigation, pleadings, discovery, pretrial motion practice, and settlement.