Cross-Examination: The Three C’s of Impeachment
Cross-Examination: How to Effectively Impeach with a Prior Inconsistent Statement
Podcast - Cross-Examination: Don't Argue - Elicit Facts
Podcast - Direct Examination: Getting Rid of Clutter
The Basics of Opening Statements
Exuding Credibility in the Courtroom
Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast Episode 233: Listen and Learn -- Impeachment (Part 2)
The Strategic Advantages of Working with Jury Consultants – IMS Insights Podcast Episode 56
Witness Testimony Themes, Cross Examination, & Preparation Consultants – IMS Insights Podcast Episode 55
Witness Prep Goals, Credibility Factors, & Juror Comprehension – IMS Insights Podcast Episode 54
Live Trials During the COVID-19 Pandemic: What’s Changed?
Protecting Trade Secrets When Facing Lawsuits or Alternative Dispute Resolution Procedures
Podcast - Listen for the Song in Your Witness' Head
Podcast: What is a Deposition?
The "Compass Rose" Method for Corporate Witness Interviews
Podcast: Witness Preparation is Okay
Podcast: Bridging the Gap
Podcast - Rule 6: If You Don't Remember, Say So
Podcast - Rule 4: Be a Relentlessly Polite Witness
Podcast - Rule 2: Remember, You Are On The Record
As a presentation technology consultant, I have been sitting in the hot seat for almost 25 years. I average one trial a month with about 75% being medical malpractice (med mal) cases. I work with both plaintiff and defense...more
This two-day interactive workshop is for investigators who already know the basic skills and leaders who supervise an organization’s investigations program. Attendees will engage in expert-led discussions on a wide variety of...more
In keeping with past trends, the New Jersey Appellate Court has again refused to overturn a lower court decision that was based on the assessment of a witness’s credibility and competent evidence. In Smith v H&M...more
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small sits down with Frank Vecella, principal at McKool Smith and former head of litigation for Ericsson, for an in-depth discussion...more
Are you looking to take your investigative skills to the next level? This new conference is for experienced investigators who already know the basic skills and for leaders who supervise the organization’s investigations...more
Workplace investigations should only be conducted by company's appropriately trained HR staff, attorneys or licensed private investigators. Whether it is an in-house HR Department employee or an outside investigator, a...more
On the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Title IX, the U.S. Department of Education proposed several noteworthy changes that provide additional protections against pregnancy discrimination, gender identity discrimination...more
I have worked with more than one defendant who simply could not resist it: Right out of the gate, in opening statement, they come out swinging against the plaintiff. They’re not being honest, they have their own share of...more
A Pennsylvania court recently addressed whether a deponent could be compelled to remove a face mask during his deposition after the deponent refused, citing health concerns. After rescheduling the deposition once,...more
The idea is a merger of pop culture with academics. In pop culture, “truthiness” refers facetiously to the feeling of something being true, independent of its actual truth value (a term coined by late-night comedian, Stephen...more
When preparing a witness, there can sometimes be a strong impulse to say, “Just answer the question.” That impulse comes from an appropriate desire to keep things simple, and to keep the witness from wandering or waffling....more
In United States v. Solano, the Second Circuit (Kearse, Calabresi, and Carney) vacated and remanded a conviction for attempted possession of cocaine with intent to distribute on the grounds that the district court had...more
As a sign of just how serious the coronavirus pandemic is getting, the President has finally appeared in public with a mask. The precaution of wearing a face mask is still highly politicized, but it is slowly catching on. In...more
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, courts and litigants are reinventing civil litigation – holding hearings on Zoom or Skype, using emails and conference calls to communicate status, and taking remote depositions. That...more
As American society copes with the COVID-19 pandemic, masks and face coverings have become the focus of legal mandates, political protests, and nonstop commentary—in some instances, even violence. But beyond the public health...more
For someone starting out in a career, or in some other situation where credibility will be required, there is an expression: “Fake it until you make it.” In other words, if you act like you’ve got it, then people are going to...more
It is one of the central messages of witness preparation: Be confident, because if you’re confident, you’ll be more credible. Once, I got the reply from a witness, “But I don’t feel confident,” and the question, “Should I act...more
It is almost election time again. But the normally low-turnout midterm may not be in the cards this time around, owing to the outrage on both sides of the political spectrum. And some believe that it’s a shame that we have...more
When you read a good novel, you sometimes can’t wait until it’s made into a major motion picture. While the scale might be smaller in the legal publishing world, the benefits of extending an initial vision are parallel. In...more
As we have seen, there are few things that can be counted on in labor relations. Oftentimes, several experts look at the same problem and come to vastly different conclusions. What is (almost) guaranteed, however, is that the...more
In any investigation of a harassment complaint, the investigator must interview people and take notes. This fourth part of a six-part series addresses techniques for note-taking and tips for assessing the credibility of...more
As experienced investigators know, an investigation into allegations of harassment, discrimination or other misconduct may lead to a so-called “he said/she said” scenario, possibly leaving the investigator in a quandary as to...more
I was challenged recently by a participant during an in-depth webinar on conducting investigations of employee misconduct that I was leading. As I discussed how to assess witness credibility—one of the most difficult...more