Jury Trial Strategy – Trial Lawyer Stuff

This one is a little off the legal landscape, but these are some great tips on how to use gestures while you are storytelling (telling your client’s story).

Herbert Stern talks about why you should not read questions when questioning witnesses. Keep it simple and ask questions in plain English.

He also discusses the “doctrine of fencing off”. Cutting off all avenues of escape “before” you ask the ultimate question.

Part 5 of this series regarding presentations at trial, or anywhere else, is generally to plant your feet and stand still. Use your hands for gestures and movement – not your feet. Enjoy:

Be sure to embrace you silences. They aren’t as long as you think, allow a short silence. Pursuasion happens during these short silences:

Taking your time, pauses, are important while speaking so the audience can take in what you are saying. Speak too fast and you lose them:

Part 6 of this presentation series is about how to speak. Chunking your phrases as you speak helps keep energy high. Enjoy:

How do deal with your adrenaline rush you get when you present. Enjoy:

Part 3 of this series of how to present – same guy giving the advice.  He’s very good.  Says to be natural – but acting natural while presenting can actually be very unnatural because you have to project your voice, stand more formal, etc.  Enjoy:

Here is an embedded video – same guy – different presentation on same thing – giving advice on natural ways to use your body while making a presentation / talk to court / talk to a jury.  Enjoy:

I ran across this video that gives great and humorous advice on presentation skills.  This one concentrates on what gestures people make.  Ever get up and wonder “should I put my hands in my pocket?  How about just one hand in my pocket? Maybe I should just grab the podium?  Maybe I should just pace back and forth so I can get some of this nervous energy out and get a good look at everyone in the jury panel/box and make them think I’m talking to them personally.  This guy addresses all these issues in his series of videos.  This particular video talks about your hands.  Enjoy . . . I did, he’s really good.

Gestures while speaking to a jury