Schedule

Faculty

Registration Info

Registration Form

PDF version

Learning Objectives

At the completion of this seminar you will be able to:

• Prepare to perform in a superior fashion during cross-examination

• Artfully answer even the most difficult cross-examination questions

• Defeat counsel's cross-examination tactics

• Turn the tables on opposing counsel

• Become a more dangerous and far more valuable expert witness

Steven Babitsky, ESQ, is the President of SEAK, Inc. Mr. Babitsky trains hundreds of experts every year. He was a personal injury trial attorney for twenty years and is the former managing partner of the firm Kistin, Babitsky, Latimer & Beitman. Mr. Babitsky is the co-author of the texts Cross-Examination, The Comprehensive Guide For Experts, Writing and Defending Your Expert Report: The Step-by-Step Guide With Models, How to Excel During Cross-Examination: Techniques for Experts That Work, The Comprehensive Forensic Services Manual: The Essential Resources for All Experts, and How to Excel During Depositions: Techniques for Experts That Work. Attorney Babitsky is the co-developer and trainer for the "Testifying Skills Workshop" seminar, the seminar leader for the National Expert Witness Seminar, and the scriptwriter for the videos "Winning Over the Jury: Techniques for Experts That Work" and "The Expert Deposition: How to Be an Effective and Ethical Witness."

Robert K. Scott, ESQ, is a trial attorney who specializes in all aspects of bad faith insurance litigation in Newport Beach, California. He has obtained several multimillion dollar verdicts against insurance companies. His largest-ever settlement, $35 million against CIGNA Life Insurance Company, occurred in February 1997. Attorney Scott attended United States International University, receiving a BA. He obtained his JD from California Western School of Law. Attorney Scott tries cases nationally.

For FEWA Members who register before February 28, the tuition is $345.  For Members registering after March 1st, tuition is $395.   For Non-Members who register before February 28, the tuition is $445.  For Non-Members registering after March 1st, tuition is $495. The tuition includes continental breakfast, breaks, seminar manual, and a unique and practical hands-on learning experience. We expect this seminar to sell out early.

Seminar Venue:
The Sutton Place Hotel
4500 MacArthur Blvd., 
Newport Beach, CA 92660

How to register:

Register directly with the FEWA.

Phone (949) 640-9903
Fax (949) 640-9911

Or print this page and mail it to 

FEWA Executive Director
2402 Vista Nobleza
Newport Beach, CA  92660

Thursday, March 25, 2004

Introduction

Experts will witness an initial demonstration of cross-examination of an attendee. The performance of the expert attendee will be critiqued and specific recommendations for improvement will be provided. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

HOW TRIAL ATTORNEYS PREPARE TO CROSS-EXAMINE AN EXPERT

Experts will be provided with an insider's view as Attorney Babitsky discloses the secrets of how he and other trial attorneys prepare to cross-examine experts. Included will be a detailed disclosure of how the attorney conducts his research and investigation of the expert, how he decides which questions to ask, which questions not to ask and how to ask each question, and how the attorney's cross-examination strategy and tactics are settled upon. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Attorney Babitsky will explain how jurors react to cross-examination of experts. Specific recommendation on how to best impress a jury during cross-examination will be provided. A mock cross-examination demonstration of an attendee will be conducted, and this will be critiqued with emphasis on the issue of how the cross-examination would have likely played before a jury. Specific recommendations on how the expert could have performed better in front of the jury will be provided. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Superior performance during cross-examination is usually far less a result of inspiration and far more a result of thorough preparation. Attorney Babitsky will provide detailed, specific advice, strategies and techniques regarding how to best prepare for cross-examination and will review the likely areas of inquiry that experts will face during cross-examination. A mock cross-examination demonstration of an attendee will be conducted, and this demonstration will be critiqued with emphasis on the issue of how specific preparation steps would have likely improved the expert's performance. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Attorney Babitsky will explain specific techniques experts can utilize in order to raise their performance during cross-examination to the highest level. Mock cross-examination demonstrations of attendees will be utilized, and these will be critiqued with emphasis on what techniques were effectively used by the expert and what techniques could and should have been used to make the expert much more effective. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Break and Networking Opportunity

Through didactic presentations and mock trial demonstrations, students will learn from Attorney Babitsky the most challenging tactics counsel uses to assault an expert during cross examination and, more importantly, specific advice on how to defend against each and every one of these tactics. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Experts attending will be inundated with a memorable, rapid-fire fusillade of dozens of difficult and insidious trick questions from Attorney Babitsky. Each expert's response to these questions will be analyzed and critiqued with specific suggestions given on the most artful way to answer the question and, for many, how to turn counsel's own trick question against him. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

A review of the advanced cross-examination techniques learned in the course will be conducted. The faculty and attendees will then present and list the specific action steps incorporating these techniques that experts will be taking away in order to raise their cross-examination skills to the next level. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS