An opening mock trial demonstration followed by a an explanation of the goals of the course and the interactive teaching methods the course will employ, i.e. a combination of didactic lectures, questions and answers, exercises, and mock trial demonstrations. The instructor will preview and explain the numerous persuasion skills techniques that will be taught and practiced in the course. Questions and Answers

An expert’s ability to persuade is to a very large degree predicated on how and how much the expert prepares. In this segment, the instructor will explain the critical importance of proper preparation as it relates to persuasion, provide numerous examples and review a detailed check list of how experts should prepare, both by themselves and with retaining counsel. Questions and Answers

Break and Networking Opportunity

Experts must be able to put forth their own qualifications in such a way that balances getting their qualifications in front of the jury against the risk of overwhelming and boring the jury and appearing pompous. In this segment, the instructor will explain how to strike the correct balance, which qualifications to highlight, and how to show the jury that your qualifications are particularly relevant to the issues in the case at hand. The instructor will demonstrate a non-traditional approach to presenting qualifications and will further demonstrate with attendees how they can best put forth their qualifications. Questions and Answers

Experts in a case are almost always faced with a colleague working for other parties proferring differing opinions. In this segment the instructor will explain and demonstrate the optimum ways for commenting on and discrediting the opposing expert’s opinion while avoiding disrespect for the expert himself and avoid appearing to be an advocate. Questions and Answers

The most effective direct examinations are characterized by a smooth and balanced interaction between the expert and retaining counsel. In this segment the instructor will explain and demonstrate how to develop an optimum interaction such that the expert’s testimony appears spontaneous and not rehearsed, is succinct and substantive, avoids long narratives, where the expert is not lead and where the expert is able to read retaining counsel for signals as to when to elaborate and when to move on. Questions and Answers

Lunch (Provided with Faculty)

A cornerstone of persuasiveness is the ability to use powerful and memorable language. Powerful language allows the expert to be understood and memorable language allows the expert’s testimony to be easily recalled by the jury and easily referred to by retaining counsel during summation. A crucial tool in using powerful, memorable language is creating and using analogies to help explain your technical expert testimony. In this segment the instructor will explain the techniques for developing powerful, memorable language and analogies and will work with attendees through exercises so that they can develop new, powerful, memorable language and analogies that they can use in future cases. Questions and Answers

The most persuasive experts utilize the communication and persuasion techniques employed by superb teachers. In this segment the instructor will explain and exemplify the ten "teaching" techniques that experts can use to make themselves more persuasive. The instructor will also conduct exercises and demonstrations with the attendees allowing them to further develop and improve their own teaching skills. Questions and Answers

The most persuasive experts are able to tweak their testimony to the particular jury in question, build bonds with the jury and even react midstream to the jurors’ reaction to their expert testimony. In this segment the instructor will explain how to read, build bonds with and better persuade the jury. Questions and Answers

No expert’s opinions, qualifications and credibility are 100% bulletproof. Weaknesses and problem areas will always exist to a greater or lesser extent. The time to first (and most effectively) deal with and defuse such problem areas is during direct examination, not cross. In this segment the instructor will explain the importance of dealing with such problems head on during direct examination and how to best do so. The techniques for dealing with problems will also be demonstrated with volunteer attendees. Questions and Answers

Effective experts must avoid verbal and non-verbal conduct that is likely to diminish their persuasiveness. In this segment the instructor will explain and exemplify the biggest mistakes experts make which can turn off a jury including a review of 25 indicators of deceptiveness. Questions and Answers

The instructor will answer any and all outstanding questions. The instructor and attendees will then work together to develop a "bullet-point" list of the most important concepts, techniques and action steps learned in this workshop. Questions and Answers

Registration 
Info

Expert Report Writing
Workshop

Mail/Orders: PO Box 729, Falmouth, MA 02541
Courier:  316 Gifford St., Falmouth, MA 02540