Comments on: What trial skills would you like to learn?

By: Ann

Ann — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:42:20 +0000

I would love tips on impeaching a witness with prior inconsistent statements. I am a prosecutor and would like to know how to successfully impeach both a defense witness as well as a State witness with prior inconsistent statements (e.g., domestic violence victims). Everyone seems to have a different opinion on how to do this. Thanks for all the tips!

By: James Cool

James Cool — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 07:30:37 +0000

Always more on storytelling.

By: NAGA SRINIVAS RAO

NAGA SRINIVAS RAO — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:45:10 +0000

I AM GREATFUL TO YOU FOR GIVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM YOUR THE LEGAL SKILL AND PROBELM IS SAME AS EXPRESSED BY VALENTINE AS I AM ALSO FROM INDIA AND PRACTSING IN THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH. I REQUEST YOU KINDLY SUGGEST WHAT YOU HAVE SUGGESTED TO VALENTINE. THANK YOU.

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:23:10 +0000

Tips on how to conduct a 15 minute voir dire in a personal injury case.

By: Sean

Sean — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 23:40:27 +0000

Many thanks for your great tips and advice!

I am an attorney in the London office of a New York law firm practising in international arbitration. The dynamic is a little different to litigation in that there is almost never any direct examination, only cross-examination and re-examination. Each side’s evidence is effectively locked in in advance by way of witness statements which are tendered to the tribunal members and the other side many weeks in advance of the hearing. You therefore lose the ability to fine-tune the presentation of your side’s evidence to take account of developments in the case or your case theory in the weeks/days leading up to hearing or during the hearing itself. Do you hve any tips for dealing with this, or on presenting to a tribunal of international arbitrators?

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 21:55:05 +0000

Once the jurors found out that the client I had been appointed to represent had been convicted of a sex offense against a child, whatever the prosecutor in the civil proceeding wanted to do to him was o.k. with them. A few jurors were not that way- how do I get more of them?

By: VALENTINE

VALENTINE — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 18:26:34 +0000

I am practicing in the Dist. Court in India. India is one of the most populous countries of the world and naturally its problems and skills required to tackle them are various. However, the law system is basically the same as in the rest of the world. Because of population there is always a huge burden of cases in any court in India. Lawyers have to say a lot in a very short time. This requires brevity and a well-planned selection selection of words.
There is a slight variation as compared to the US system; Jury selection of a foreign thing in India. Judges are very few and always in short supply. Another variation is in the language. Here the lawyers have to be well-converstant with two languages-Vernacular and English. In District court bi-lingual proceedings are allowed whreas in High Courts, Tribunals and above only English is allowed.s problems in India are different but the procedural aspect is more or less the same. Thus legal system of any country can fit in India.
Since problems are many, only important matters get proper legal attention. For petty cases lawyers have to struggle real hard to get justice for their clients.
This calls for high level of persuading or convincing skills and this brings us to the art of cross examination, argumentation and articulate prepartion of briefs. This consumes a great deal of time and efforts. Return, of course, is not so great in terms of money.
I hope the above would give you an idea as to how to help Indian students and lawyers. The world has become very small and no country is foreign. Many universities and institutions from the world over have settled their base in India and making their system popular.
Valentine

By: Stephan

Stephan — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:41:20 +0000

Some tips on jury selection – methods/techniques to help with the conversational flow rather than just a question and answer session. I know every jury panel is different, but…

By: Stuart

Stuart — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:20:35 +0000

How about evidence presentation, I am trying to present evidence that makes my case but having a hard time with the best way to present. I want to just present it but I think a story presentation would make a much better presentation but not sure how to combine the story with the evidence and how that evidence provides enough proof of a breach in the law, (intended language), for a civil case.

By: Jill

Jill — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:22:54 +0000

I am a brand new prosecutor (since April ’08). I always find the introductory questions a little awkward. Trying to get my witness pinpointed on the event that they are here to testify about – without being too leading.

Also – perhaps a couple basic things for us newbies to keep in mind. When I am handed a folder what is the best method for screening my case and making sure I can cover all my elements?

Thanks!