Katherine James has a BFA from Illinois Weslyan University where she graduated Phi Kappa Phi, Summa Cum Laude. She received her MFA at the American Conservatory Theater where she studied as a classical theater actor and began creating original work and adaptations of classical literature. She continued that writing when she created the Free Association Theater, of which she continues as resident writer, director, actor and producer.

For almost 40 years, Katherine has studied the rhetoric of performance as well as human behavior and learning theory. Using this knowledge she, and her partner and husband Alan Blumenfeld, have grown ACT of COMMUNICATION^® into the premiere trial consulting firm recognized as the leader in the Art of Advocacy. Katherine has been a part of trial teams that have brought more than 1,000 cases to trial and has helped prepare hundreds of witnesses.

Katherine is on the Board of the American Society of Trial Consultants where she has served on the Standards and Practices Committee. Having served as the board liaison for The Education and Professional Visibility Committees, she is currently board liaison for the Membership Committee. For ASTC, Katherine is a frequent lecturer on both the practices of consultants and on the business of trial consulting.

As an instructor and teacher, Katherine is invited to conduct workshops and seminars all over the country and throughout the world, having recently taught in Canada and Australia. All of her workshops and seminars are hands-on, participatory courses on the many areas of consulting in which she is considered as an expert and master. These include her specialty of Witness Preparation as well as Voire Dire and Trial Skills.

As a professional actor and writer, Katherine has appeared on stages throughout the country and on film and television. She continues her busy acting and writing career as a member of the Seedlings Program at Theatricum Botanicum as well as writing and directing original plays in Los Angeles and elsewhere as the Founding Director of her company Free Association Theater.

Alan Blumenfeld graduated with a BA from Sarah Lawrence College and earned his MFA at the American Conservatory Theater where he trained as a classical repertory actor. It was there in 1973 that he, and his wife Katherine James, began their life long collaboration as theater artists, teachers and visionaries – applying theater techniques to other disciplines, most notably the law. Alan is a member of the American Society of Trial Consultants.

For almost 40 years, as co-founder of ACT of COMMUNICATION^® Alan has been developing, and conducting workshops for lawyers and their clients all through the country and the world. As a highly sought after teacher and performer, Alan has taught more than 30,000 attorneys in Legal Education courses, colleges, self-sponsored workshops, law firms and as a part of faculty at law schools and legal seminars, including: NITA, ALI-ABA, The Defense Research Institute, Attorney’s General Advocacy Institute, USC Law School, Harvard Law School, Georgetown Law School, American Association for Justice Ultimate College (Founding Faculty), and scores of others; as well as at firms such as O’Melveny & Myers, Munger Tolles & Olson, Fish & Richardson, Latham & Watkins and internationally in Edmonton, Canada and a series of workshops in Australia for The Shine Law Firm.

In 1977, Alan and Katherine also founded the Free Association Theater, a collection of theater artists creating, producing and performing original works and adaptations of classical literature.

Currently, they are producing Katherine’s original plays in the Los Angeles area.

For almost 40 years, Alan has had an active career in film, television and theater, having guest starred on more than 300 television shows and appearing in more than 30 films. (link here to film/TV/theater resumes and videos). One of Alan and Katherine’s favorite projects was performing in the film, CALLBACK, with original music and sound recording by their son, Nathan Blumenfeld James. Their older son, Jordan, has been named a Rising Star in the Super Lawyers of Los Angeles and California.

Alan is currrently working on a book for actors based on his 6 years of teaching at Pomona College, his experiences filling in and teaching at UCLA and USC, and his 37 years of professional experience. The book will be focused on acting for the contemporary stage, for classical theater and for film and television.

 
If you would like to view Katherine’s entire acting resume, please click here, or for Alan’s, please click here.