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Bring SEAK'S customized expert witness training to your office or organization
SEAK’s expert witness courses and content can be easily customized to your particular
needs and brought to your office or organization at a time of your
choosing. We have been running highly-acclaimed, interactive
and customized expert witness training programs for many years and
have trained over 20,000 experts nationwide. SEAK’s in-house
training can be customized so you can address important issues that
meet your specific training needs.
| Benefits of On-Site Customized Expert Witness Training from SEAK, Inc. |
Meeting your needs - We will develop highly custom training to enhance and improve your organizations expert witness skills. Customized material to fit your organization’s training needs. Conducted by leading practitioners - Learn from recognized experts in the field, who are experienced and highly effective trainers. Our faculty are on the cutting-edge of training, possess a wide breadth of expertise and have trained over 20,000 experts nationwide. Convenient - Located at your site and on your schedule, SEAK training provides the curriculum, materials and instructor. Choose the time and place that are most convenient for your group. Comprehensive - Be better prepared to enter the courtroom. Your employees will enhance their expert witness skills in a wide range of areas such as: Testifying Skills, Report Writing, Law School, Negotiating Skills, etc. Cost-effective - Reduced cost per person training, compared to individual off-site training events. Save training dollars on travel expenses and reduce time away from the office. Dynamic - During the course, your employees will experience an interactive learning environment where their specific questions and concerns will be addressed. |
Some of our most popular customized expert witness training subjects include:
Testifying Skills For Expert Witnesses
How to
truthfully and artfully communicate in court and at depositions.
An expert’s value ultimately depends on his or her ability to excel
when testifying. Testifying Skills Workshop is a hands-on
interactive program which has been designed to show experts exactly
what to do, and what not to do when testifying. It features concise
didactic presentations combined with numerous mock trial and
deposition demonstrations using volunteer attendees.
The
fact patterns, CVs, difficult questions, and reports used in the
demonstrations will be submitted in advance by attendees. There will
be ample time for questions and answers. This can be taught at introductory, intermediate and advanced
levels.
Topics covered include:
●
Depositions: Special Techniques
●
Direct
Examination: Persuading the Jury
●
Cross
Examination: Bending but Not Breaking
●
Cross
Examination: Your CV
●
Cross Examination: Your Report
●
Trick and Difficult Questions
●
Protecting Yourself from Attacks on Your Credibility and Credentials
●
Forming Airtight Options
●
Properly Preparing to Testify at Deposition and Trial
●
Defeating Opposing Counsel’s Deposition Tactics
●
Mastering the Art of Persuasion During Direct Testimony
●
Staying One Step Ahead of Opposing Counsel Curing Cross-Examination
●
Going on The Offense During Cross-Examination
●
Advanced Testifying Skills in Action: Skillfully Answering
Cross-Examination Questions
Expert Witness Report
Writing
Writing and defending an expert witness’s written
report.
An
expert’s report is one of the most important services provided to
retaining counsel. A well-written report is immensely helpful to
retaining counsel and may well lead to future referrals and the
ability to charge premium fees. A poorly written report can and will
be used to impeach the expert in the case at hand and future cases
for years to come. Expert Report Writing Workshop is a
lively, hands-on program that features numerous interactive writing
exercises and mock trial demonstrations. It will teach you how to
write more valuable and more defensible reports and how to avoid the
most common pitfalls involved in expert report writing. Attendees
will learn how to structure their reports so as to be resistant to
cross examination. Ample time will be set aside for questions and
answers.
Topics covered
include:
●
Legal Requirements of Expert Reports
●
Formatting
●
Documents and Authority/Research Reviewed
●
Qualifications of the Expert
●
Properly
Expressing Your Opinion
●
Catching
Mistakes Before They Catch You
●
Drafting
a Powerful, Defensible Report
●
Defending Your Report During Cross Examination
Law School For Expert Witnesses
Training designed so that the learner both understands how the
system works and can better deal with their own and opposing counsel.
The most valuable expert witnesses understand the law and the legal
system. Law School for Expert Witnesses is a lively and intense
interactive course which provides experts with an insider’s
understanding of the legal system and civil actions. Experts will
learn how to think and speak like the lawyers that employ them.
Common “legalese” will be made comprehensible and experts will learn
the procedural and substantive laws that govern the civil cases
experts are typically involved in. The course emphasizes not just
the law per se, but how knowledge of the law can make experts more
effective, valuable and successful.
Topics covered include:
●
How
the American Legal System Works
●
Thinking Like a Lawyer Part I-Elements of a Case of Action
●
Thinking Like a Lawyer Part II-Affirmative Defenses
●
Understanding How Lawyers Prove Negligence
●
Understanding How Lawyers Defend Negligence
●
The Economics of a Lawsuit and Determining How Much a Case is Worth
●
Liability Insurance
●
Anatomy of a Lawsuit
●
The Discovery Process and Avoiding Discovery Abuse of Experts
●
What Happens at a Civil Trial
●
What Can and Can Not Be Asked of an Expert at Trial
●
What The Hearsay Rule Is and How It Works
●
The
700 Series of Rules Dealing Specifically With Expert Testimony
●
Expert Witness Liability and Risk Management
●
Concluding Mock Trial Group Exercise
Negotiating Skills
How to be
a far better negotiator and achieve better results.
Topics covered include:
●
Competitive vs. Cooperative Negotiations
●
Asking and Answering Questions
●
Needs, Interests, and Desires
●
Deadlines
●
Power and How to Develop It
●
Negotiating Employment Terms, Conditions and Contracts
●
Preparation
and Aspiration Levels
●
Silence is Golden
●
Concessions
●
Deadlock
●
Negotiating
Business Deals
●
Negotiation Tactics & Defenses
Persuasion / Presentation
Skills
How to teach and persuade any audience you want to win
over.
Topics covered include:
●
Executive Summary for Persuasion Techniques for Expert Witnesses
●
Preparation
●
How
to Best Put Forth Your Qualifications
●
Commenting
on the Opposing Expert and his/her Opinion
●
Developing a Harmonious Interaction with Retaining Counsel
●
Creating and Using Powerful, Memorable Language and Analogies
●
Optimizing Your Teaching Skills
●
Reading
and Bonding with the Jury
●
Dealing with Problem Areas and Weaknesses
●
The
Biggest Mistakes Experts Can Make That Can Turn Off the Judge and
Jury
SEAK's customized expert witness training brochure /
SEAK's one-on-one expert witness training
Examples of the customized courses we've created include:
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A partial list of our clients include:
- The Warren Group
- Benchmark Medical Consultants
- The American Academy of Pain Medicine
- The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- The American Society of Appraisers
- The American Society of Safety Engineers
- The American Society of Civil Engineers
- The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
- The American Society of Consulting Arborists
- The Forensic Expert Witness Association
- The International Association of Professional Security Consultants
- The American College of Gastroenterology
- The Rhode Island Neurological Association
- The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers
- Steamboat Seminars, Inc.
- Florida Department of Transportation
How to bring SEAK's expert witness training to your organization.
If you would like to work with us in this regard, please call
Steve Babitsky, Esq. at (508) 548-9443 or via e-mail at
stevenbabitsky@seak.com
Here’s what our clients have to say about SEAK’s customized training courses:
To Whom It May Concern:
I have known SEAK, Inc. and its principals Steven Babitsky and James Mangraviti for more than six years. I have had the opportunity to attend a number of their conferences and educational programs and participate as a speaker at several of their conferences. My experiences in working with SEAK have been excellent. Both Steven Babitsky and James Mangraviti have a clear understanding the world of litigation and the dynamics of expert witnessing. They have developed outstanding educational programs and present them in a manner that is most valuable to the attendees. As an expert witness and educator, I attend many conferences and programs for forensic experts. The SEAK programs are clearly among the best.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Michael G. Kaplan, CPA/ABV,
CVA, CFFA
Kaplan Abraham Burkert & Company
Forensic Valuation Consultants
To Whom It May Concern:
I have attended SEAK’s National Expert Witness Conference as well as its Advanced Expert Witness Conference. In my opinion, Steve Babitsky and James Mangraviti are outstanding instructors – bringing the courtroom into the classroom. Their tips and techniques on handling every aspect of an expert witness’s job – writing the report, delivering the message on direct examination, and handling difficult cross-examination – have proven invaluable in my career as a financial witness. Indeed, I have sent several of my colleagues to attend the seminars to learn from the best. Not only do Steve and Jim bring real-life experience as litigators to their training seminars, they make the program challenging and upbeat.
I co-lead the financial advisory services practice of a large privately held accounting and consulting firm in St. Louis. My staff and I testify in commercial, civil, and marital litigation on various financial, fraud, and valuation issues in federal and state courts throughout the country.
Sincerely,
Donna Beck Smith,
CPA/ABV, ASA, CVA, CrFA
Brown Smith Wallace
Dear SEAK,
I have been reading and using Steve Babitsky's and SEAK's books and other materials for several years, usually when giving presentations on expert witness testimony. His materials are excellent. As President of the Financial Consulting Group, the largest organization of valuation, litigation services and fraud/forensics firms (the majority are CPA firms), www.gofcg.com I invited Mr. Babitsky to one of our annual conferences to give a one day seminar on litigation and expert witness issues. Steve received a perfect evaluation score of 5 out of 5 from the participants. It was the highest rated program we ever presented. All the participants raved about the seminar including both inexperienced and very experienced experts. I was also in attendance at Steve's seminar and I can attest that it was very informative and a great learning experience. Mr. Babitsky knows this area well and has a talent for effective teaching. I highly recommend him.
James R. Hitchner,
CPA/ABV, ASA
Managing Director, The Financial Valuation Group
President, The Financial Consulting Group
Editor in Chief, Financial Valuation and Litigation Expert
President, Valuation Products and Services
To Whom It May Concern:
Last November,
I attended Advanced Testifying Skills for Expert Witnesses
presented by Steve Babitsky, Esq., President of SEAK, Inc.
In my opinion, it was one of the best two-day seminars I have
ever attended. Not only did I learn a lot, but it was
presented in an entertaining and informative manner. Mr.
Babitsky is an excellent trainer.
As all of us in the profession are well aware, there are many continuing professional education courses that we have attended that were taken simply to meet our minimum CPE requirements for the year. Our body was in the seat but our mind was elsewhere. That is not the case when Mr. Babitsky is teaching. You will be awake, involved and informed.
My qualifications for endorsing his
skills include:
1. Presentation of over 50 seminars myself for AICPA,
state CPA societies, various Federal agencies, AGA, ACFE and
other audit and fraud-related groups.
2. Service on the AICPA Task Force on the Future of CPE
3. Service on the AICPA Professional Education
Executive Committee.
4. Service on the AICPA Task Force on the Certificate
of Educational Achievement in Government and Nonprofit
Accounting and Auditing.
5. Service on the AICPA Auditing Standards Board
6. Accounting Instructor at Lincolnland College
Sincerely,
Linda K. Cheatham, CPA, CFE
Dear SEAK,
Thank you for your recent presentation of the Testifying Skills Workshop to our engineers and support staff. As you are aware, we are a forensic engineering consulting company whose engineers are frequently deposed in the course of their duties.
The training you provided was detailed and comprehensive. We were surprised that it covered areas from website content to information contained in curriculum vitae. The engineers especially found the mock depositions useful and gleaned new techniques to help them with their next tough cross-examination. The staff walked away talking about the relevancy to our day-to-day operations.
Because of the training, The Warren Group has begun to look at our internal operations with a new eye towards the engineer and our work product being “deposition ready.” We highly recommend this training to any other expert consultants who must face tough depositions in the course of their jobs.
Sincerely,
The Warren Group, Forensic Engineers
Jeffery H. Warren, Ph.D., P.E., CSP
Chief Engineer & CEO
Dear SEAK,
I want to thank you and Jim for everything SEAK has done for the Continuing Education Department and our on-site training
program. You are exceptional presenters and trainers and the impact and quality of your seminars and instruction is a
consistent theme in the evaluations we receive from our participants. When we hear comments like "this is the best
continuing ed course ever attended", and "the value of attendance was beyond measure", or
"over the top- the best I have ever experienced" we know we have teamed with a wonderful tandem of
professionals who are highly committed to helping our individual members and member organizations achieve their training and
development objectives.
You are a pleasure to work with and your professionalism is unparalleled. You do a stellar job in working closely with our
clients and in tailoring the training to their own specific set of goals and objectives and, in this way, you always project an
outstanding image of the Society.
Please know your hard work and your dedication is truly appreciated by everyone here.
Most Sincerely,
John A. Wyrick
Manager, On-Site Training Worldwide
American Society of Civil Engineers
Dear SEAK,
It is with great pleasure that I provide this recommendation for Steven Babitsky and James Mangraviti. My name is Donna Gumenuk
and I am ASCE's Senior Manager for Continuing Education Programs. Steven and James have provided training to ASCE members and
others in the civil engineering community for over seven years. Their programs have been well received and
consistently received ratings in the 9 and 10 category with 10 being excellent. I have attached two evaluations from their
2005 presentations for your review. Not only are they valued at ASCE for their fine presentation skills and technical
expertise - but for their professionalism. Their response to any of my requests for information/explanation have been prompt
and complete.
I am in a position where I deal with approximately 150 seminar leaders throughout the year. James and Steven are in the top 10%
for their willingness to listen to ideas, explore new venues, and to realize my deadlines and for this I am truly grateful.
Best Regards,
Donna M. Gumenuk
American Society of Civil Engineers
Senior Manager, Continuing Education Programs
www.asce.org
Dear SEAK,
The American Society of Safety Engineers held a symposium on Law for the Safety, Health and Environmental
Professional. Jim Mangraviti of SEAK, Inc., Falmouth, MA produced and delivered this program to 120 of our Safety Professional
members.
Attendees were asked to complete an evaluation at the end of the program. Mr. Mangraviti received outstanding evaluation
scores and comments from attendees. Our participants were very impressed with the quality of this program and the skill of the
instructor.
Mr. Mangraviti has a unique ability to engage students in what could be dry subject matter. For this program, he took the
elements of negligence and the basics of Civil Law and transformed this information into a highly successful interactive
learning experience for attendees. Mr. Mangraviti designed this program so that attendees could experience the Law in the role
of a law student and an attorney. Attendees participated in question and answer sessions, completed a “bar exam” with the
highest scoring students receiving prizes, and served as attorneys and claimants in a mock trial.
I highly recommend Mr. Mangraviti as an instructor and SEAK, Inc. seminars. This was the second time I used SEAK seminars for
ASSE members and would definitely call on them again to deliver education. Mr. Mangraviti was excellent to work with on both
occasions. Because of my confidence in Mr. Mangraviti, I was able to organize this educational offering without concern for the
quality of the program.
Trudy Goldman, ARM
Manager, Education and Program Development
American Society of Safety Professionals
Re: Law School for Safety Professionals
Dear SEAK,
It was a pleasure to attend such a well rounded, well presented training session. Very seldom does anyone attend such a training class with so much information, and interaction going on at one time and yet is able to comprehend each subject area. All of us at the Hawaii Chapter Veterans of Safety found this training everything that we thought it would be a more.
Most of us do presentations from time to time on various subject matters related to safety and health and we have a great appreciation for speakers who can keep the interest going. You did a wonderful job and we all will miss you. Next time your in Hawaii please give us a call.
Aloha,
Jimmy Zane President
Hawaii Chapter Veterans of Safety
Dear SEAK,
On behalf of the members of American Society of Appraisers, we would like to thank you for your time, talent
and teamwork during the International Appraisal Conference in Kansas City. The conference was a tremendous success and we would
like to acknowledge your part in help making it so. Your session entitled "Expert
Witness Testifying Skills & Report Writing For
Appraisers" was most enlightening and certainly stimulated a very interesting and informative educational session.
Taking the initiative and making the time for ASA says a lot about an individual and we know that members and nonmembers, such
as you, are responsible for making ASA stand apart from other appraisal organizations. You do make a difference and are
appreciated. Again, thank you for your commitment and dedication to the profession and helping achieve the standard of
"excellence" we strive for in our educational programs.
Sincerely,
Janet P. Coe, CMP
Director of Meetings and Conferences
American Society of Appraisers
Dear SEAK,
SEAK’s Law School for Jewelry Appraisers was a great success! James Mangraviti provided a well professionally
developed and organized course of instruction similar to SEAK’s other “Law School for … Courses”, but slanted toward jewelry
appraisers and containing appraisal and jewelry trade oriented examples. The class discussions generated between the instructor
and conference participants were lively and educational. The copyrighted course manual provides a good overview of the law in
general and applicable jewelry trade related issues in particular. The contractual agreement was easily developed and firmly
adhered to from the inception of the proposal to the finished product.
This course was our second venture with SEAK and lived up to all of our expectations. Mr. Mangraviti is an excellent instructor
and classroom moderator who obviously has a firm understanding of his topic and is able to relate with his audience in an easy
going affable manner. We look forward to using our already developed course manual, and having this same course taught, at a
date sometime in the near future.
Sincerely,
James V. Jolliff DrEngr, CSM
Executive Director
The American Society of Consulting Arborists has worked with SEAK, Inc. for the last 4 years doing expert
witness training. From the very beginning both Steve and Jim have been excellent to work with in taking our wishes and desires
into consideration in the formulation of the workshops and summit programs. I cannot recommend them more highly. They are
excellent in all aspects.
Best regards,
Beth W. Palys, CAE
Executive Director
American Society of Consulting Arborists
This letter is written on behalf of SEAK, Inc., who has conducted four (4) consecutive Medical Legal Workshops in conjunction
with the American Academy of Pain Medicine Annual Meetings in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003. The 2003
pre-conference event had the highest attendance ever- a testament to the high quality of this program.
Steven Babitsky, Esq. and James Mangraviti, Jr., Esq. are outstanding presenters. Their ability to offer a hands-on course with
interactive presentations keeps the attending physicians interested and involved. They consistently rank as some of the best
speakers at our meetings, while the course itself always receives high marks from the attendees.
Participant comments from past courses include such statements as:
- “I wouldn’t just recommend that my peers take this course, I would require it.”
- “Great role-playing and examples.”
- “Easy to ask questions.”
- “This expert witness training workshop should have been taken by every healthcare professional after they graduate.”
- “Frank, non-presumptuous, practical advice.”
Logistical planning and communication with SEAK, Inc. has been a pleasure. Planning for these pre-conferences is effortless,
much to the advance preparation and professionalism of SEAK, Inc. On behalf of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, I would
not hesitate to recommend this course.
Regards,
Kimberly Kutska
Manager
American Academy of Pain Medicine
Dear SEAK,
On behalf of our CME Committee, John L. Chase, MD, FACS, and everyone at Benchmark Medical Consultants, we would like to sincerely thank you for your participation in our medical-legal seminar on May 5, 2007.
Your knowledge, experience and insight was extremely valuable to the further education of these medical-legal consultants and to the success of this CME activity. The comments from the participants on their evaluation forms were very favorable, as you have seen. These indicate that your presentation was effective, informative and addressed the objectives of the seminar. We would also be interested in any feedback you might have about the overall presentation.
I will be meeting with our CME Committee shortly to discuss next year’s seminar. Given the success and effectiveness of your presentation, we may want to repeat it in the spring or fall of 2008, or present something slightly different, but with the same focus on improving testimony skills. Let me know if you would be interested.
Thanks again!
Sincerely,
Craig Vreeken
CME Director
Benchmark Medical Consultants
Steven Babitsky, Esq. and James Mangraviti, Jr., Esq. of SEAK, Inc., recently presented a customized medicolegal training
seminar to our Rhode Island Neurological Association. They did an extraordinary job. Our members found their
interactive style quite engaging. They provided us with an enormous amount of information during the day-long event yet no one
was fatigued or bored. In short, it was one of the most valuable and enjoyable seminars that we have attended.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Wishik, MD, JD
President
Rhode Island Neurological Association
Dear SEAK,
On behalf of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and the ACG Educational Affairs Committee I would
like to expressly thank you for your presentation and participation at the ACG Annual Meeting in New York City. Your
presentation on negotiation skills and pitfalls at the annual Fellows’ Forum was insightful, informative and entertaining.
I have received numerous compliments regarding the program and attendees were very grateful to have an opportunity to hear you
speak and to receive copies of your excellent book, The Successful Physician Negotiator, How to Get What You Deserve. They were
also appreciative of the time that you spend interacting with them after the program and answering their questions on an
individual basis. I believe that the program gets better each year and you were an integral part of this year’s success as
judged by the record number of attendees and post-program evaluations. Again, thank you very much for your participation.
Sincerely,
Brooks D. Cash, M.D.
American College Of Gastroenterology
ACG Fellows’ Forum Director
Dear SEAK,
Congratulations on an extremely successful expert witness training seminar which you presented on Saturday March 23rd at the Hyatt Newporter
Hotel in Newport Beach, CA. The reviews have been outstanding and those folks that I spoke with were so thrilled with what they
learned and how the day was presented. No one fell asleep which is a plus for you and for us and in fact I haven’t seen a room
full of people so wide-awake all day long.
It was a pleasure to work with both of you. You make it all so easy! We at Forensic Expert Witness Association
look forward to a very long and productive relationship for the future.
Sincerely,
Norma S. Fox
Executive Director
Forensic Expert Witness Association