Podcast - Expert Witnesses, Special Issues
Podcast - Direct Examination of Expert Witnesses
Preparing for Deposition Success
Podcast - Getting Dressed for Court
Podcast - The Witness Outline
More on Cross-Examination: Building a Case Brick by Brick
Podcast - Refresh vs. Impeach: Know the Difference
Podcast - Cross-Examination of Expert Witnesses
Cross-Examination: The Three C’s of Impeachment
Cross-Examination: How to Effectively Impeach with a Prior Inconsistent Statement
Podcast - Cross-Examination: Don't Argue - Elicit Facts
Work This Way: A Labor & Employment Law Podcast - Episode 20: Tips for Court Cases with Judge Dennis and Judge Wilkins of Maynard Nexsen
Understanding When to Cross-Examine
Basic Points to Consider in Redirect Examination
Podcast - Direct Examination: Getting Rid of Clutter
Exuding Credibility in the Courtroom
Podcast - The Differences Between Persuasion and Argument
Witness Testimony Themes, Cross Examination, & Preparation Consultants – IMS Insights Podcast Episode 55
Witness Prep Goals, Credibility Factors, & Juror Comprehension – IMS Insights Podcast Episode 54
Podcast - Ethical Deposition Conduct
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
1) Preservation Demand. Send an evidence preservation notice to anyone you think may be liable or contributed to the fire (so the entity is on notice not to destroy, delete, or alter relevant evidence)....more
The receipt of a notice for a client’s deposition usually sets off a chain reaction of familiar events in most law offices across the country. The deposition is calendared. Materials requested in the notice or accompanying...more
Legal discovery often comprises the longest stage of casework—identifying evidence, developing timelines, and vetting witnesses. The facts, strengths, and weaknesses of a case provide puzzle pieces that attorneys identify and...more
A high school reunion can be a wonderful, surreal experience at best, and a handwringing, anxiety-ridden event at worst. During those formative years of our teenage lives, we were surrounded by – and spent countless hours...more
In a commercial dispute involving allegations against a manufacturing plant, plaintiff’s counsel was cross-examining a plant manager....more
The testimony given at a deposition vs. testimony during a trial have a lot in common. They’re both sworn under oath, under penalty of perjury, and part of official court records. There’s a longer list, however, of how they...more
The discovery phase is often the most critical component of legal work, leading 95% of civil cases to a settlement negotiation instead of a courtroom trial. Given this, how information is collected from potential witnesses is...more
Depositions can be stressful affairs. For many witnesses, depositions are a once-in-a-lifetime plunge into the unknown with a lot riding on their testimony. Sitting in a room full of strangers, listening to lawyers argue over...more
30(B)(6) Preparation Tips - If you have ever said “that rule may make sense in theory, but it does not work in real life,” you may also have spent weeks futilely attempting to prepare a witness to serve as a corporate...more
Despite the ubiquitous advantages of AI-powered eDiscovery, matter management, content analysis, and other solutions, litigation costs and data volumes continue to rise. Is there any end in sight? A traditional tagging and...more
More than a meeting but less than a trial—depositions are key building blocks to civil and criminal cases. Depositions are usually scheduled to interview your opposition’s witnesses, but as an attorney, you may also depose...more
In his article Eight Traits of Great Trial Lawyers, former U.S. Federal District Judge Mark W. Bennett remarked that lack of preparation topped the list of trial lawyer shortcomings in his courtroom. “Preparation,” Judge...more
A recent discovery ruling from an Ohio federal magistrate judge offers a helpful primer on how corporate representatives should prepare for depositions. The ruling, In re FirstEnergy Corp. Securities Litig., No. 2:20-cv-3785...more
This deposition preparation checklist is an essential tool for attorneys to tackle depositions with minimal roadblocks and guide their witnesses to successful testimony. ...more
In the fourth episode of his "Ethical Witness Preparation" podcast series, "Finding the Balance," litigation attorney Dan Small draws a parallel between witness preparation and translating different languages. Mr. Small also...more
Thanks to the trial between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp, we have a timely reason to talk about e-discovery metadata. What happens on the rare occasion when forensic data collections and trials of cultural relevance overlap?...more
The First Line of Defense Against Plaintiff Overreach - The suit has been filed, the troops have been marshaled, and written discovery is underway. What’s next are the inevitable requests for depositions of current and...more
Planning and preparation are key components for any successful arbitration. Over the years, as a former litigator and current arbitrator, I have gleaned a number of lessons and tips that I believe will help any attorney who...more
Experienced trial lawyers know it is important that their witnesses are prepared to testify. At the deposition stage, and even when the likelihood of a trial is uncertain, it is critical to invest the time in making sure that...more
Lawyers have always been bound by ethical standards. The pandemic created a new one – reduce the spread of a deadly disease by staying home and working remotely. The American Bar Association has established that attorneys...more