by Ken Lopez
Founder/CEO
A2L Consulting
We at A2L are launching a new e-book this month. This time, we are publishing the book jointly with IMS ExpertServices, one of the nation’s premier providers of experts and consultants for top law firms and Fortune 500 corporations.
The title of the new book is Expert Trial Testimony: Direct and Cross-Examination. The book answers every question you might have thought of in connection with expert testimony at trial in U.S. courts, and it does so in a clear, conversational manner. Plus, it’s a free download.
As more and more money is at stake in civil trials, and as the subject matter grows more and more complex and difficult for many jurors to understand without assistance, the value and importance of expert witnesses has grown dramatically.
The difference between an effective, well-prepared, convincing expert witness and one who does not come across well to a jury can often be the difference between winning and losing a trial where hundreds of millions, or billions, of dollars are at stake.
The book is directed at experts themselves and gives dozens of do’s and don’ts that will make any expert’s testimony effective and convincing at a trial. It’s not only experts who will benefit from reading this book but also trial attorneys, trial technicians, in-house counsel, and anyone who wants to understand the best ways to put on expert testimony.
The book addresses the typical expert witness as follows:
You have read hundreds, if not thousands, of articles in your field. You likely have an advanced degree that touches on the area about which you have been asked to testify. You may have taught classes on the relevant subject matter at a university. You may have presented your thoughts and research at conferences attended by your peers. You are smart. You are well-credentialed. But are you prepared to testify in a court of law? Do you know what you have to do to be just as effective on the witness stand as you are at the podium?
Among the key topics in the book are:
- How an expert can explain complex scientific topics in language that a juror can understand without “dumbing down” her testimony
- Why pictures, schematics and visuals of all sorts are as important to an expert witness’s testimony as the words he uses
- How an expert should prepare for the toughest questions on cross-examination, including questions that the expert might view as unfair
- How to deal with a “yes or no” question and avoid the pitfalls that such a question usually brings with it
- How an expert should use body language to help, not detract from, the quality of her testimony
We think this book will be invaluable to expert witnesses, lawyers, trial techs, in-house counsel, and others. Please download it here.
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