Esquire Deposition Solutions In his article Eight Traits of Great Trial Lawyers, former U.S. Federal District Judge Mark W. Bennett remarked that lack of preparation topped the list of trial lawyer shortcomings in his courtroom. “Preparation,” Judge Bennett wrote, “means thinking of every detail, especially when communicating with juries.” Modern discovery depositions are a good case… Continue reading Taming the Fears of First-Time Deposition Witnesses
Tag: construction law
Quick Tips for Ethical, Effective Deposition Witness Prep
Esquire Deposition Solutions If the word “Shaq” conjures up the image of professional basketball legend and amiable IcyHot liniment pitchman Shaquille O’Neal, you could be missing out on a valuable mnemonic device for preparing witnesses for deposition: Short Honest Answers to Appropriate Questions, or SHAQ. In a deposition, a short answer gives the other side as little… Continue reading Quick Tips for Ethical, Effective Deposition Witness Prep
Eight Ethical Pitfalls to Avoid at Your Next Deposition
Esquire Deposition Solutions The line dividing zealous advocacy and professional misconduct can be hard to spot, and it can appear with little advance notice during a heated moment in litigation. This is particularly true in pretrial depositions, which take place without judicial supervision and where the lawyers are left to call their own balls and… Continue reading Eight Ethical Pitfalls to Avoid at Your Next Deposition
Can Insurers Dictate How the Insured’s Deposition Will be Conducted?
Esquire Deposition Solutions Insurers and large corporate legal departments are sophisticated consumers of legal services, but they face a constant struggle to contain the ever-rising cost of litigation against a background of budget tightening by senior executives. One strategy is to keep more legal work in-house. Other approaches include increasing the use of alternative legal… Continue reading Can Insurers Dictate How the Insured’s Deposition Will be Conducted?
Mistake No. 5 of the Top 10 Horrible, No-Good Mistakes Construction Lawyers Make: Being a Jerk to Opposing Counsel
David K. Taylor | BuildSmart I have practiced law for 40 years with the vast majority as a “construction” lawyer. I have seen great… and bad… construction lawyering, both when representing a party and when serving over 300 times as a mediator or arbitrator in construction disputes. To be clear, I have made my share… Continue reading Mistake No. 5 of the Top 10 Horrible, No-Good Mistakes Construction Lawyers Make: Being a Jerk to Opposing Counsel