Witness Preparation Manual

From the experts in litigation communication comes this much-requested compilation of tips for helping lawyers in civil cases prepare witnesses for testimony in deposition and at trial. This manual is filled with tools to help you do what you will spend most of your time actually doing with your most important fact witnesses: finding out what they know, helping them think about how to testify to it clearly and accurately, and preparing them for questioning at deposition by an adverse party's attorney. This small book is packed with substance and will be your constant companion and reference.

"Preparing Witnesses helps lawyers improve their witness prerparation skills. By going through the general concepts, focusing on a series of clear and simple rules, then discussing how to adapt those rules to different situations, it will assist you in that preparation effort"--Back cover.

This updated edition is designed to help lawyers prepare clients for the very formal and unnatural "question-and-answer" environment. Written by ABA bestselling author and seasoned litigator Dan Small, this easy-to-read guide provides a systematic witness preparation process and offers strategies and "Ten Rules" to help make witnesses comfortable and effective in a wide range of witness scenarios.

The Witness Preparation Partner, is a resource for trial lawyers and witnesses to use in partnership with each other. It is a collaborative tool to help prepare witnesses for deposition, trial, and the litigation process in general. The Witness Preparation Partner assists attorneys and witnesses by being an integral part of the witness preparation process. It provides tools that start the right conversations and continue those conversations throughout the life of the litigation. It guides the collaboration, training and education between attorney and witness at each step.

The admission of expert witness testimony remains one of the most contentious, critical, and interesting aspects of modern-day litigation process. This book examines the role of the expert witness, focusing on taking depositions, expert qualifications, admissibility of testimony, attorney-client privilege, Daubert, rules of discovery and evidence, selecting and presenting experts, and direct examination of experts.

Deposition preparation is necessary and vital to be a good witness. Whether you filed the lawsuit; it was filed against you; or you are only a third-party witness (for example, you witnessed an accident), this book provides the tips and tactics to succeed and reduce witness stress. Applying his over 20 years of experience in lawsuits throughout the United States, attorney Samuel F. Miller breaks down the nine simple rules to be an effective and excellent deposition witness. Those rules are applied in the context of the role of depositions in lawsuits and specific circumstances that commonly arise. Practical guidance is contained throughout the booking including what to wear, what to expect, and common tricks laid by clever attorneys.

Order two copies of this book: one for yourself and one for your expert witness. It will give experts the confidence they need to be comfortable in court, and give you the skills necessary to emphasize the credibility of your experts. You can avoid pitfalls such as unintentional signals, inappropriate demeanor and appearance, and awkward body language by using Expert Testimony: A Guide for Expert Witnesses and the Lawyers Who Examine Them as your guide. In this newly revised Fourth Edition, Elizabeth Boals and Steve Lubet provide counsel on the development and presentation of expert testimony in the digital age, including discussion of visual aids and electronic discovery; analyze the Federal Rules of Evidence and Federal Rules of Civil Procedure; discuss the ethical rules governing expert retention and testimony; give examples of expert witness examinations and detailed discussion of techniques for coping with lawyer questioning; and provide checklists for quick reference. The collaborative effort of Professors Lubet and Boals has resulted in a new edition worthwhile to both the expert witnesses and the lawyers who examine them.