Power in a negotiation equates to emotional control, experience, intuition, flexibility, and knowledge of the facts and law. It isn’t anger, hostility, ego, or cockiness. In a negotiation, since the facts determine the law to be used, you must be prepared to persuade. Arming yourself with information and knowing your “audience” should be an integral […]
When my brother was a teenager, he was involved in a car accident. He was stopped at a traffic light when his car was rear-ended. My brother was called for a pre-trial deposition. From the transcript: ATTORNEY: Were you in school at the time of the accident? WITNESS: No, I was in the car. We […]
In my last post, I shared tips on how to prepare your witnesses for a deposition – it was general information geared towards every witness. In contrast, this post includes tips that are appropriate for different types of witnesses. For the first timers Cover the basics. Explain what they should wear, who will be in […]
During the deposition phase of discovery, lawyers usually have to take and defend depositions. But even though a lawyer might defend as many depositions as she takes, the typical lawyer will spend a disproportionate amount of time preparing to take the other side’s deposition. Though it makes sense to spend more time preparing for depositions […]
Preparing for your first deposition? Make sure to read my first post on this topic to get organized. Moving on, I’m providing advice for keeping your composure and working out any anxiety you may have before the day of your deposition. Practice. Practice asking your friends and family deposition questions. Depose them for 5-10 minutes […]
If you’re preparing for your first deposition and you’ve come to this blog, then you’re in luck. I’m breaking my deposition tips list into two parts so we can really delve into the details. Stay tuned for Part 2 next week. Watch a deposition. If you have the opportunity to watch live depositions with a […]
If you’re a seasoned paralegal, you already know this paralegal truth. And if you’re new to the field, I’m happy to share it with you. Your work as a paralegal is driven by deadlines and is highly detailed-oriented. The secret to reducing your stress levels and advancing your career is learning to be a proactive […]
I found that during my legal research class for my paralegal degree that the class was split into two separate camps: those that loved legal research and those that hated legal research. I fell somewhere in between the two sides because I did not love legal research but I would never allow my GPA to […]
I heard someone refer to paralegals as “glorified paper-pushers (actually, it was a paralegal who said that). I believe that paralegals who see themselves as “glorified paper-pushers” might be frustrated because they do not have an efficient document management plan. One of the most frustrating things about being a paralegal can be the amount of […]
As most litigators understand, jury selection is possibly the most important part of a trial case. By the time trial commences, a good attorney has spent a considerable amount of time thinking about the questions he or she will ask potential panel members, has pored over jury pool lists if available, has drafted carefully-thought-out juror […]
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