Last week, the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) put on a full one-day mock trial in San Francisco in front of a large gathering of attorneys to show how the masters of trial do their trade. The mock trial turned out to be a fascinating study in contrasts between the plaintiff and defense in terms of style—both very good, but very different—and offered lessons for trial attorneys. The opening statement, which I’ll focus on here, boiled down to the iPad vs. the yellow legal pad.

This article highlights trial techniques, the use of the iPad in the courtroom, and effective visual presentations for attorneys.