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
In the first part of this special guest episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small interviews Scott Duval, managing director at FTI Consulting, to discuss the vital role of trial...more
In this special guest episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small interviews Ian Ratner, CEO of GlassRatner and B. Riley Advisory Services. Mr. Ratner reflects on his three...more
In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small discusses the challenges and strategies associated with using expert witnesses in trials. He advises against agreeing to stipulate...more
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small reviews how the effectiveness of expert witness testimony can influence case outcomes. He outlines four critical components...more
Before jurors can deliberate on a case after an expert witness testifies, the expert witness must first complete voir dire. French for “Speak the truth,” voir dire is a questioning process judges and lawyers utilize to...more
As it pertains to building a solid case, persuading jurors, and securing the best chances of a favorable outcome, witnesses can make or break your trial. It’s essential to utilize key witnesses to their full potential during...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
On December 1, 2023, the Federal Rules of Evidence (FRE) 702 will undergo several changes designed to reinforce federal judges’ role as gatekeepers for admitting expert testimony. The changes reinforce the preponderance of...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
IMS Senior Jury Consulting Advisor Dr. Merrie Jo Pitera joins podcast host and IMS Client Services Advisor Adam Bloomberg to discuss the goals of witness preparation, what makes a witness credible, and how witnesses can...more
It comes as no surprise that when a witness is perceived as being credible, their messages will be more persuasive to the jury. Much academic research has been conducted to determine the primary characteristics that measure...more
It has been a tough year for science. On the social-science front, it seems that we have entered a phase where no one believes the polls. To conservative Trump supporters, the consensus of data showing the President well...more
As of press time for this post, 173,094 Americans have died from the novel coronavirus. If the United States had followed the example of other developed countries by taking earlier and more decisive actions against the virus,...more
As a twice-weekly blog writer focusing on the social science of legal persuasion, I am thankful that during this medical emergency, the research has kept coming. Even as restaurants, bars, beaches, and schools have been shut...more
What makes an expert witness persuasive to a jury? Is it their background and training? The work that they did on the case? Their communication skills in teaching the jury? The research suggests that expert influence depends...more
Jurors sometimes need to grapple with science, and given the constraints of the trial process and the often-complex nature of the testimony, “grapple” is probably the right word. Whether it involves working through detailed...more
Remember Carl Sagan and the original show Cosmos? It was a beloved series in the late 70’s, not just for its accessible explanations of something as complex as the history of the universe, but also for its ability to evoke a...more
It was another big moment yesterday as Michael Cohen, President Trump’s former personal lawyer, testified publicly before the House Oversight Committee. Widely seen as an opening act prior to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s...more
So you’re picking an expert witness for your case. What kind of person do you want? Someone with the highest credentials from the best institutions? Someone with a lot of on-the-ground experience in this area? Someone who is...more
Experts have a tough job translating sometimes technical detail to lay audiences and working closely with a party to the litigation while still maintaining the role of “teacher” rather than “advocate.” Some excellent and...more