Podcast - Part II: The Do’s and Don’ts of Demonstratives
Podcast - Part I - The Do’s and Don’ts of Demonstratives
Podcast - How Do You Define Success?
Podcast - Seek Out Feedback
Podcast - Part I: Being an Expert Is a Lonely Business
Podcast - Finding Common Ground
Law School Toolbox Podcast Episode 504: Listen and Learn -- Motions for Judgment as a Matter of Law and Motions for New Trial (Civ Pro)
Podcast - "Ready for Trial?"
Podcast - Every Case Is a New World
Podcast - The 3 Core Themes of Trial Law: Do the Right Thing
Podcast - How Did We Get Here?
Podcast - Parting Thoughts: Be a "Peddler of Common Sense"
Against All Odds- Part Four
Podcast - Expert Witnesses, Special Issues
Podcast - Direct Examination of Expert Witnesses
Podcast - Drowning in Complexity
Podcast: Part I - Reading the Jury
Podcast - How to Use Humor and Anger Effectively in the Courtroom
Preparing for Deposition Success
Podcast - Connecting Separate Pieces of Evidence Clearly, Persuasively
Trial strategy isn’t solely a matter of collecting and presenting the right set of evidence and testimony—it requires organizing and crafting a narrative that connects with jurors. With each new jury, you’re back at the...more
When I first decided I wanted to become an attorney, I did not think about being in trial. Even in law school, I gave little thought about what it would mean to be in trial. Like a lot of people, my experience with being in...more
In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer’s Handbook," litigation attorney Dan Small reflects on the question of what it truly means to "win" in the courtroom, sharing insights from his experience prosecuting the Farmers Export...more
What makes for an effective closing argument, and how important is it? Even after days of testimony and evidence, your closing argument has the potential to sway a jury’s decision and bring about a successful outcome for your...more
Litigation attorney Dan Small unexpectedly took the lead in prosecuting the high-profile case of the Farmers Export grain elevator explosion, a major incident in Galveston, Texas, that resulted in the deaths of 18 people in...more
In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small recounts his experience as a new prosecutor in the U.S. Department of Justice's Criminal Division, where he was unexpectedly...more
Law firms are increasingly using technology to assist and optimize their litigation and trial processes, and this trend will almost certainly continue into the future. In particular, the use of external graphics technologies...more
A couple of weeks ago, I was in court to help pick a jury in a high-value case. During that early phase of jury selection, the gallery was full to capacity with potential jurors, the counsel and parties were present, the...more
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small reflects on essential principles for trial lawyers, emphasizing the importance of clarity and organization in presenting...more
I remember listening to Justice Frank Cleckley of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, my professor for Evidence, open his first lecture with a discussion of Federal Rule of Evidence 103. As a young law student, I was...more
It is common advice for witnesses in the courtroom or representatives at counsel table: keep a poker face. That advice — avoid scowls, grimaces, and other head-shaking reactions while you’re being observed by a jury — has...more
In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook," litigation attorney Dan Small explores the importance of rhetoric in courtroom communication. Although rhetoric has been less studied in recent times, it has enabled speakers...more
An old adage states, “The worst settlement is often better than the best trial, particularly for the losing party.” This was true in a recent upstate New York case where a jury awarded damages twenty times the realistic...more
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small outlines essential rules for lawyers during closing arguments. He speaks about the importance of not misstating evidence or...more
As a trial attorney, you’ll often enlist expert witnesses to evaluate claims, clarify complex evidence, write an expert witness report, and offer authoritative opinions. Because time and money can be tight during trial prep,...more
First impressions are crucial—especially when you’re delivering an opening statement to a court of law, establishing and framing the crux of a case for judges and jurors when a trial begins. Clarity, conciseness, resonance,...more
Litigation attorney Dan Small shares insights and strategies for delivering a compelling closing argument in this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series. He explains the challenges of delivering a closing...more
When a case proceeds to trial, a legal team may face a critical decision about whether to have it adjudicated by a jury of peers or a single judge. Both options can offer benefits depending on the merits and subject matter...more
Case preparation can take months of research, depositions, and strategic planning—all for that one high-pressure moment in court. Even learning how to write a good opening statement can take a considerable amount of time and...more
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small discusses the frequently stated rule that an opening statement is intended to be only a summary of the facts, not an argument....more
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small delves into the critical importance of establishing and relaying accurate measures of time, distance and speed in the...more
In a recent jury research exercise for a product liability case, both the plaintiff and the defendant presented testimony from their respective medical expert, each offering her professional opinion as to the primary...more
Consider this recent example of two jurors, one a trial juror and one a mock juror. In both cases, the defendants’ arguments relied largely on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The trial juror: A very liberal,...more
If you are like most attorneys, you think of drones in terms of their ability to capture images of large expanses of land and sea—and they are great for that purpose. But Andrew Buckley, trial consultant and a certified drone...more
Why Expert Credibility is Crucial - The adversarial nature of a jury trial leads many of our clients to ask, “Will my expert come across better than theirs?” This is a justifiable concern since jurors’ decisions about...more