Advanced Expert Witness Cross Examination Workshop
Advanced Expert Witness Cross Examination Workshop
June 20, 2007
Four Points by Sheraton Hyannis Resort |
Executive Summary
This is an advanced course. It is designed for those expert witnesses who have already had training in the subject of testifying skills and those experts who already have had significant testifying experience. The purpose of Advanced Cross-Examination Workshop is to help attendees become the rarest and most valuable of all experts, namely an expert who opposing counsel is worried about cross-examining.
Advanced Cross-Examination Workshop is a hands-on, interactive program which features didactic presentations, numerous memorable cross-examination demonstrations using volunteer attendees and detailed critiques of these demonstrations. Specific advice will be provided on how to achieve superior performance during cross examination. Attendees will have the opportunity to have all their cross-examination questions answered.Here's what past attendees have to say!
“Nice to look “behind the curtain” and see how
trial attorneys think”
“Excellent course”
“Keep up the great work”
“Great job in presenting the material”
“Terrific and a lot of fun too”
“Excellent information, well presented”
“Concise, direct, helpful”
“Very enjoyable learning experience”
Distinguished Faculty
Steven Babitsky, Esq., is the President of SEAK, Inc. 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 a prolific writer on expert witness issues and 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, 2004 National Guide To Expert Witness Fees and Billing Procedures 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 SEAK’s Annual National Expert Witness Conference (now in its 16th year), and the scriptwriter for the videos “Th e Most Difficult Questions For Experts: With Answers,” and “Th e Expert Deposition: How to Be an Effective and Ethical Expert,” “Cross-Examination: How to Be an Effective and Ethical Expert Witness,” and “Winning over the Jury: Techniques for Experts That Work.” Mr. Babitsky has trained thousands of expert witnesses.
Tuition
The $395 tuition includes a continental breakfast, breaks, lunch with faculty, a detailed manual which can be retained as a bookshelf reference, and a dynamic learning experience.
Click here for registration information.
Continuing Education Information
Note: If your
specialty does not appear below and you desire credits, please
contact Karen Babitsky (781-261-9972 or Karen@seak.com). We can
often obtain desired credits upon request, but unfortunately,
obtaining some types of credits are not feasible. Please register
early, as we can only apply for credits after your registration form
has been received and it can take time to get the requested
approvals back from the accrediting agencies.
Accident Reconstructionists:
The ACTAR Continuing Education Unit has approved this program for
7.0 CEUs.
Accountants:
Earn 8.0 CPE credits in the field of study of Specialized
Knowledge and Applications. SEAK, Inc. is registered with the
National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a
sponsor of continuing professional education on the National
Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final
authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit.
Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be addressed to the
National Registry of CPE Sponsors, 150 Fourth Avenue North, Suite
700, Nashville, TN, 37219-2417. Web site: www.nasba.org For SEAK,
Inc.’s complaint and program cancellation policies please call SEAK,
Inc. at 508-457-1111. There are no prerequisites for this
introductory/intermediate group live program. No advanced
preparation is required.
Appraisers:
The American Society of Appraisers will accept 6.0 continuing
education hours for this program.
Attorneys:
Credit varies by state. Continuing legal education credits for
attorneys will only be applied for if requested in writing when
sending in the registration form for the conference. Please contact
Karen Babitsky (781-261-9972, Karen@seak.com) with any questions.
Engineers:
SEAK, Inc. has been reviewed and approved as an Authorized Provider
by the International Association for Continuing Education and
Training (IACET), 1620 I Street, NW, Suite 615, Washington, DC
20006. SEAK, Inc. will award .7 CEUs to participants who
successfully complete this program.
Nurses:
7.0 Contact Hours. This continuing nursing education activity
was approved by the Ohio Nurses Association (OBN-001-91) an
accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s
Commission on Accreditation. ONA assigned #13,145. Approval valid
through October 26, 2008.
Physicians:
SEAK, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing
Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for
physicians. SEAK, Inc. designates this educational activity for a
maximum of 7.0 AMA PRA Category 1™ Credits. Physicians should
only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their
participation in the activity.
Psychologists:
7.0 CE Credits. SEAK, Inc. is approved by the American
Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for
psychologists. SEAK, Inc. maintains responsibility for this program
and its content. To receive credit each psychologist must attend the
entire program, sign in before the program, sign out after the
program and return a completed evaluation form. Partial credit is
not permitted. There are no prerequisites for this
introductory/intermediate group-live program.
Click here for Continuing Education Information.
Scheduleclick here to view the complete schedule
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
7:30-8:00Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:00-9:00Trial
Demonstration
Students 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. Learning Objective: List methods for improving an
expert’s performance during cross-examination.
9:00-9:45How Trial
Attorneys Prepare for Cross Examination of an Expert
Students will be
provided with an insider’s view as the faculty disclose the secrets
of how they 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.
Learning Objective: Discuss how trial attorneys prepare to
cross-examine experts.
9:45-10:45Juror Reaction
to Cross Examination of Experts
The
faculty will explain how jurors react to cross examination of
experts. Specific recommendations 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. Learning Objective:
Identify techniques that can be used to make a positive impression
on the jury during cross-examination.
10:45-11:00BREAK &
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY
11:00-12:00Preparing for
Your Cross Examination
Superior performance
during cross examination is usually far less a result of inspiration
and far more a result of thorough preparation. The faculty 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. Learning Objective: List numerous strategies to best
prepare for cross-examination.
12:00-1:00LUNCH PROVIDED WITH FACULTY
1:00-2:00Cross-Examination:
Your CV
Attendees will learn
how counsel will attempt to challenge their qualifi- cations during
cross-examinations. Artful responses that meet these challenges will
be suggested. Volunteer attendees will be cross-examined on their
pre-submitted CVs. Questions and Answers. Learning
Objective: Explain how to defend against cross-examination attacks
based on an expert CV.
2:00-2:45Advanced Cross
Examination Techniques
The faculty 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. Learning Objective: Describe numerous techniques
to excel during cross-examination.
2:45-3:00BREAK &
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY
3:00-3:45Defeating
Counsel's Cross Examination Tactics
Through didactic
presentations and mock trial demonstrations students will learn from
the faculty 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.
Learning Objective:
Explain how to defend against opposing counsel’s cross examination
tactics.
3:45-4:15Tough Questions
and Tougher Answers
Experts attending will be inundated with a memorable, rapid fire
fusillade of dozens of difficult and insidious trick questions from
the faculty. 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.
Learning Objective: Describe the process for preparing
truthful and artful responses to trick and difficult
cross-examination questions.
4:15-4:30Takeaways,
Conclusion and Evaluation
The
faculty will address any final questions and elicit from the
audience a bullet-proof list of what specifically they will be doing
diff- erently in light of what was learned at the course.
Questions and Answers. Learning Objective: List concrete
actions you will be taking to improve your performance during
cross-examination.