Podcast - Bring Out the Bad Stuff
Key Discovery Points: ESI Protocol Objection Denial Party
Just Press "Play"
The Journey of Litigation
Podcast - Part II: The Do’s and Don’ts of Demonstratives
Podcast - Persistence and Determination
Podcast - Part I - The Do’s and Don’ts of Demonstratives
Podcast - Walking Tall
Podcast - The Seeds of Corruption
Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast Episode 316: Spotlight on Torts (Part 1 – Negligence)
Podcast - How Do You Define Success?
Podcast - Seek Out Feedback
The Three C’s for Addressing Prior Inconsistent Statements
Podcast - Part II: Being an Expert Is a Lonely Business
Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast Episode 313: Spotlight on Criminal Law (Part 3)
Podcast - Part I: Being an Expert Is a Lonely Business
Podcast: Don't Just Say It – Show It
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?"
Some of the most critical evidence at trial comes in the form of deposition testimony from witnesses who are unable to testify live at trial. Done right, deposition designations can powerfully support your case. Done poorly,...more
As a litigator, I routinely prepare clients for depositions. A deposition is a pre-trial procedure where a party or witness in a legal case provides sworn testimony outside of a courtroom. A lawyer asks questions of the...more
Preparing for a deposition can be challenging whether it is a person’s first or hundredth time testifying under oath. Being questioned frequently causes anxiety. But the experience does not have to be so daunting with...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
Behind every winning argument is a compelling story. But crafting that narrative is not as simple as piecing together a few pieces of evidence. Legal teams have to prepare for and take depositions, manage transcripts, conduct...more
Welcome back to the Bar Exam Toolbox podcast! This is the second of three episodes in which we review the substantive Civil Procedure law we've covered in our "Listen and Learn" series. This time we're talking about...more
Cross-examination is the stuff of drama in fictional courtroom depictions. The savvy lawyer taking on a hostile witness on the stand—these are the moments TV and movie audiences live for. However, the truth is real-life...more
Given how critical depositions are to the legal process, it stands to reason that fair deposition practices are paramount to a legal team’s success. However, several forms of unethical and unfair conduct can emerge during...more
Jury testing is a powerful tool in litigation, and attorneys would be well served to think about their cases as studies worthy of experimentation. Cases are not mysteries to be solved; they are a series of testable questions...more
Noticing a deposition is a critical part of the litigation process. Far from just a formality, it’s an assurance that a deposition you’re engaging in is being done fairly and in good faith. By giving all interested parties...more
The blog post Turning Deposition No-Shows to the Client’s Advantage proved popular with our readers when written (2021!) and for years afterward. The sustained readership of that article is gratifying but also disappointing...more
Depositions of witnesses residing in Mexico, at one time a relatively rare occurrence, are becoming commonplace for large law firm litigators. This is because many U.S.-based businesses have relocated manufacturing operations...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
In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small discusses what to do when impeaching with a deposition. Impeachment with a prior inconsistent statement is difficult if the...more
Just what is it that wins a trial case? It’s not a simple matter of providing a bullet list of facts. The subject matter and fine points of evidence can be complex and difficult to follow, and the trial attorneys rarely have...more
When preparing for trial, depositions play a foundational role, critical to the discovery phase. After the deposition, having a succinct, accurate deposition summary is a strategic component of developing and refining case...more
Dismissal of a lawsuit is a rare sanction for a discovery violation, but it happened recently in a workplace discrimination lawsuit, due in large part to two probing depositions that called into question one party’s assertion...more
Rule 202 refers to the pre-suit deposition rule in the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. This rule allows a person or party involved in a dispute to request deposition – sworn testimony recorded by a court reporter – to...more
Depositions allow attorneys to gather important information from witnesses before a court trial begins. As such, these official proceedings are the cornerstones of the discovery phase of a legal case. Although both...more
If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s possible to create a “video deposition” merely by recording a Zoom call, you’re not alone. After all, the litigators and witnesses, and the court reporter, are present, their voices and...more
The U.S. court system has long recognized the difficulty with equal access to justice when an individual with limited English proficiency appears in a U.S. court. Therefore, courts across the country now require that...more
The California Supreme Court recently issued an important ruling on the use of civil discovery depositions in lieu of trial testimony. The court’s opinion in Berroteran v. Los Angeles County Superior Court, No. S259522...more
In popular culture, a trial often hinges on a single moment – an accidental admission of guilt or sudden epiphany from a budding lawyer. But when a matter heads to a final arbiter in the real world, a legal team will have...more
Whether it’s during a deposition or during trial, the job of preserving errors for judicial review is a vital part of the litigator’s professional obligation to his or her client. Many trial outcomes turn on evidentiary...more
Post-review litigation preparation traditionally occurs over email, with competing versions of outlines sent back and forth until no one is sure what’s the most up to date. Digitally preparing for trial often involves a...more