Turning Points At Trial: Great Lawyers Share Secrets, Strategies and Skills

Thirteen of the greatest lawyers in the country, such as Robert S. Bennett, Alan Dershowitz, Mark Lanier, Bryan Stevenson, and Tom Girardi share with you the powerful secrets from their most interesting cases, from depositions to trials to appeals. Lawyers can apply these techniques immediately in their practice. Non lawyers will get a front row seat to these fascinating lawyers and the turning points in their most intriguing cases. There are also 447 tips summarized in chapter checklists. Leaders of the best litigation organizations and judges have called Turning Points the best trial advocacy book. In addition, the book's website has related audio and video clips that enhance the lessons that are taught. Today's most successful lawyers benefit from the wisdom described in this book and now you can too. The book is divided into seven parts: opening statement, direct examination, cross-examination, cross-examination of the expert witness, closing argument, deposition, and appellate oral argument. In each part, there are chapters that profile an attorney famous for his or her skills and an analysis of court transcripts where that skill was displayed. For example, chapter one features Mark Lanier, who has achieved nationally recognized record-setting jury awards. Lanier candidly reveals his strategies and secrets for creating a spellbinding opening statement. The author, an accomplished trial attorney and highly acclaimed teacher, then extensively analyzes a court transcript from one of Lanier's famous trials so you can learn the building blocks for an opening statement and apply Lanier's techniques at your next trial. At the end of the chapter, there is a checklist that summarizes Lanier's tips. Other chapters feature highly acclaimed lawyers such as Alan Dershowitz who explains the key to a successful cross-examination and Lisa Blatt, the woman with the most appearances before the U.S. Supreme Court, who shares her secrets for a successful oral argument. In short, this book will teach you everything you need to know from deposition to trial to appellate oral advocacy from the finest lawyers in the USA. BEGINNING......Page 2 PART ONE Opening Statement......Page 25 INTRODUCTION......Page 27 CHAPTER 1 Mark Lanier......Page 28 Create a Spellbinding Opening Statement......Page 29 1.1 THE BIGGEST MISTAKE LAWYERS MAKE IN THEIROPENING STATEMENTS......Page 35 1.2 CREATE A THEME FOR YOUR CASE......Page 36 1.3 HOW TO CHANGE BAD FACTS INTO GOOD FACTS......Page 38 1.4 DON’T OVERSELL YOUR CASE......Page 39 1.5 DELIVERING AN OPENING STATEMENT......Page 40 1.6 ERNST V. MERCK......Page 42 1.7 LANIER’S OPENING STATEMENT......Page 46 1.8 DEFENSE OPENING STATEMENT......Page 63 1.9 CHAPTER CHECKLIST......Page 66 CHAPTER 2 Windle Turley......Page 71 Connect with the Jurors......Page 72 2.1 TRIAL STRATEGIES......Page 75 2.2 OPENING STATEMENT STRATEGIES......Page 77 2.3 THE RUDY KOS TRIAL......Page 79 2.4 TURLEY’S OPENING STATEMENT......Page 81 2.5 DEFENDANT’S OPENING STATEMENT......Page 113 2.6 REVIEW OF TURLEY’S OPENING......Page 118 2.7 THE VERDICT AND AFTERMATH......Page 119 2.8 CHAPTER CHECKLIST......Page 122 CHAPTER 3 Bryan Stevenson......Page 126 Speak from the Heart to Persuade......Page 127 3.1 HOW TO DELIVER A WINNING ARGUMENT......Page 130 3.2 CREATING A THEME FOR AN OPENING STATEMENT......Page 132 3.3 STEVENSON’S TED TALK......Page 134 3.4 APPLY STEVENSON’S TALK TO YOUR NEXT OPENING STATEMENT......Page 148 3.5 CHAPTER CHECKLIST......Page 150 PART TWO Direct Examination......Page 153 INTRODUCTION......Page 155 CHAPTER 4 Ken McClain......Page 157 Be the Truth Teller in the Courtroom......Page 158 4.1 STRATEGIES FOR DIRECT EXAMINATION......Page 161 4.2 DIRECT EXAMINATION OF ERIC PEOPLES......Page 165 4.3 VERDICT AND AFTERMATH......Page 194 4.4 BIGGEST MISTAKES LAWYERS MAKE......Page 195 4.5 CHAPTER CHECKLIST......Page 197 CHAPTER 5 Maureen O’Brien......Page 199 Telling the Story with a Reluctant Witness......Page 200 5.1 TECHNIQUES......Page 203 5.2 WITNESS PREPARATION......Page 210 5.3 THE BIGGEST MISTAKES LAWYERS MAKE......Page 212 5.4 TRIAL STRATEGIES......Page 213 5.5 STATE OF ILLINOIS V. TIMOTHY MOORE AND CORTEZ LYONS......Page 215 5.6 DIRECT EXAMINATION OF ROBIN......Page 216 5.7 DIRECT EXAMINATION OF CHRISTOPHER PITTMON......Page 234 5.8 AFTERMATH OF THE TRIAL......Page 239 5.9 CHAPTER CHECKLIST......Page 241 PART THREE Cross-Examination......Page 244 CHAPTER 6 Alan Dershowitz......Page 248 The Creative Cross-Examination......Page 249 6.1 TRIAL STRATEGIES......Page 252 6.2 RULES OF THE JUSTICE GAME......Page 253 6.3 HIGH PROFILE CASES......Page 254 6.4 OBSERVATIONS ON CROSS-EXAMINATION......Page 255 6.5 THE MURDER OF IRIS KONES......Page 257 6.6 TECHNIQUES......Page 262 6.7 CROSS-EXAMINATION OF PAROLA......Page 265 6.8 EPILOGUE......Page 275 6.9 CHAPTER CHECKLIST......Page 277 CHAPTER 7 David Bernick......Page 279 Beating the Evasive Witness......Page 280 7.1 MOST COMMON MISTAKES LAWYERS MAKE......Page 284 7.2 VOIR DIRE STRATEGIES......Page 285 7.3 OPENING STATEMENT......Page 286 7.4 MAINTAIN CONTROL OF WITNESS ON CROSS-EXAMINATION......Page 287 7.5 CROSS-EXAMINATION OF EXPERTS......Page 289 7.6 USE CHARTS ON CROSS-EXAMINATION......Page 290 7.7 CLOSING ARGUMENT STRATEGIEs......Page 291 7.8 DO NOT USE NOTES......Page 292 7.9 INSIGHTS FROM THE GRACE TRIAL......Page 293 7.10 EXCERPTS FROM THE OPENING STATEMENT IN UNITED STATES V. W.R. GRACE & CO.......Page 297 7.11 CROSS-EXAMINATION OF ROBERT LOCKE......Page 300 7.12 CROSS-EXAMINATION OF INVESTIGATOR......Page 331 7.13 THEME IN CLOSING ARGUMENT......Page 337 7.14 AFTERMATH OF TRIAL......Page 339 7.15 CHAPTER CHECKLIST......Page 341 PART FOUR Cross-Examination of the Expert Witness......Page 350 CHAPTER 8 Robert S. Bennett......Page 353 Wage Guerrilla Warfare with the Expert......Page 354 8.1 ZAPRUDER V. UNITED STATES......Page 357 8.2 BENNETT SETS UP CROSS-EXAMINATIONS DURING THE OPENING STATEMENT......Page 359 8.3 CROSS-EXAMINATION PRINCIPLES......Page 362 8.4 ZAPRUDER ARBITRATION TRIAL......Page 367 8.5 CROSS-EXAMINATION OF CAMERON MACAULEY......Page 368 8.6 OPPOSING COUNSEL’S DIRECT EXAMINATION OF JOHN STASZYN......Page 383 8.7 BENNETT’S CROSS-EXAMINATION OF STASZYN......Page 386 8.8 THE ARBITRATORS’ QUESTIONS......Page 394 8.9 BENNETT’S CLOSING ARGUMENT STRATEGIES......Page 396 8.10 ZAPRUDER VERDICT......Page 397 8.11 CHAPTER CHECKLIST......Page 399 CHAPTER 9 Frank Branson......Page 406 The Art of Undermining the Expert Witness......Page 407 9.1 SIMO V. MITSUBISHI......Page 410 9.2 CROSS-EXAMINATION STRATEGIES......Page 411 9.3 CROSS-EXAMINATION OF EXPERT WITNESS FOR MITSUBISHI MOTORS......Page 414 9.4 CHAPTER CHECKLIST......Page 433 PART FIVE Closing Argument......Page 435 INTRODUCTION......Page 437 CHAPTER 10 Mark Lanier......Page 438 Empower the Jury to Change the World......Page 439 10.1 LANIER’S CLOSING ARGUMENT STRATEGIES......Page 440 10.2 LANIER’S CLOSING ARGUMENT IN ERNST v. MERCK......Page 445 10.3 DEFENDANT’S CLOSING......Page 458 10.4 LANIER’S REBUTTAL ARGUMENT......Page 462 10.5 ALLEN v. TAKEDA......Page 468 10.6 STRATEGIES FOR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARGUMENT......Page 470 10.7 LANIER’S PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARGUMENT......Page 471 10.8 CHAPTER CHECKLIST......Page 475 CHAPTER 11 Tom Girardi......Page 483 The Passionate Closing Argument......Page 484 11.1 TRIAL TRENDS......Page 487 11.2 SELECTING JURORS......Page 488 11.3 YOU MUST CARE ABOUT YOUR CLIENT......Page 489 11.4 CANDOR IN CLOSING ARGUMENT......Page 491 11.5 HOW TO DISCUSS JURY INSTRUCTIONS......Page 492 11.6 AN ARGUMENT TO MAKE WHEN JURORS FAVOR CORPORATIONS......Page 493 11.7 HOW TO MAKE A DAMAGES ARGUMENT......Page 494 11.8 PUT IN THE HARD WORK......Page 495 11.9 DELIVERY......Page 496 11.10 GET THE TRIAL TRANSCRIPT......Page 497 11.11 USE VISUAL AIDS......Page 498 11.12 HOW TO ARGUE AGAINST A LIKABLE OPPOSING LAWYER......Page 499 11.13 STOW V. LOS ANGELES DODGERS......Page 500 11.14 GIRARDI’S CLOSING ARGUMENT......Page 504 11.15 DEFENSE CLOSING......Page 521 11.16 GIRARDI’S REBUTTAL ARGUMENT......Page 528 11.17 AFTERMATH......Page 531 11.18 CHAPTER CHECKLIST......Page 533 CHAPTER 12 Frank Branson......Page 536 The Closing Argument Built on Credibility......Page 537 12.1 INTRODUCTION......Page 540 12.2 BOHNE v. ENVIROCLEAN MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC. AND YARBROUGH......Page 541 12.3 THE TRUCK DRIVER’S DEPOSITION (YARBROUGH)......Page 543 12.4 THE SAFETY DIRECTOR’S DEPOSITION (LAROSEE)......Page 547 12.5 WILLIAMS’ DEPOSITION (THE MAN WHO HIRED THE DRIVER)......Page 549 12.6 CLOSING ARGUMENT AND TRIAL STRATEGIES......Page 551 12.7 DEFENSE CLOSING ARGUMENT......Page 554 12.8 BRANSON’S REBUTTAL ARGUMENT......Page 556 12.9 CHAPTER CHECKLIST......Page 565 PART SIX Deposition......Page 570 INTRODUCTION......Page 572 CHAPTER 13 Michael Brickman......Page 574 Win at Deposition through Relentless Preparation......Page 575 13.1 DEPOSITION STRATEGIES......Page 579 13.2 STYLE OF QUESTIONS......Page 581 13.3 MEDICAL MALPRACTICE DEPOSITIONS......Page 582 13.4 THE DERMATOLOGIST’S DEPOSITION......Page 584 13.5 THE PHARMACIST’S DEPOSITION (KAY KIMBALL)......Page 599 13.6 THE PHARMACY SUPERVISOR’S DEPOSITION......Page 611 13.7 CHAPTER CHECKLIST......Page 621 CHAPTER 14 Don Tittle......Page 625 The Purpose Driven Deposition......Page 626 14.1 INTRODUCTION TO LORD V. CITY OF DALLAS......Page 630 14.2 MICHAEL BURNSIDE’S DEATH AND OLIVIA LORD’S ARREST......Page 631 14.3 DEPOSITION STRATEGIES......Page 637 14.4 THOMPSON’S DEPOSITION......Page 638 14.5 SUMMARY OF TITTLE’S TACTICS......Page 660 14.6 THE CIVIL TRIAL......Page 662 14.7 DEFENDANT’S OPENING STATEMENT......Page 663 14.8 CROSS-EXAMINATION OF DETECTIVE THOMPSON......Page 664 14.9 DEFENDANT’S CLOSING ARGUMENT......Page 679 14.10 TURNING POINT IN CLOSING ARGUMENT......Page 681 14.11 TITTLE’S REBUTTAL ARGUMENT......Page 683 14.12 VERDICT......Page 684 14.13 THE AFTERMATH......Page 685 14.14 CHAPTER CHECKLIST......Page 688 PART SEVEN Appellate Oral Argument......Page 690 INTRODUCTION......Page 693 CHAPTER 15 Bryan Stevenson......Page 694 Have a Conversation, Not an Argument, with the Court......Page 695 15.1 ORAL ARGUMENT STRATEGIES......Page 700 15.2 PARTICULAR CHALLENGES FOR DEATH PENALTY AND CRIMINAL APPEALS......Page 714 15.3 VIEWS ON THE DEATH PENALTY......Page 715 15.4 ARE CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS GUILTY?......Page 718 15.5 NELSON V. CAMPBELL BACKGROUND......Page 720 15.6 NELSON ORAL ARGUMENT......Page 723 15.7 REBUTTAL ARGUMENT......Page 731 15.8 SUPREME COURT’S DECISION......Page 733 15.9 MILLER V. ALABAMA......Page 734 15.10 MILLER ORAL ARGUMENT......Page 737 15.11 SUPREME COURT’S RULING......Page 743 15.12 STEVENSON’S NEXT CHALLENGE FOR THE SUPREME COURT......Page 744 15.13 CHAPTER CHECKLIST......Page 746 CHAPTER 16 Lisa Blatt......Page 751 Channel Your Client......Page 752 16.1 MAKE THE CLIENT REAL......Page 755 16.2 DELIVERY......Page 757 16.3 MAINTAINING CREDIBILITY......Page 759 16.4 UNITED STATES V. FLORES-MONTANO......Page 760 16.5 ADOPTIVE COUPLE V. BABY GIRL......Page 765 16.6 BLATT’S ORAL ARGUMENT......Page 768 16.7 ORAL ARGUMENT OF ATTORNEY FOR DUSTEN BROWN......Page 775 16.8 BLATT’S REBUTTAL ARGUMENT......Page 779 16.9 COURT’S DECISION......Page 782 16.10 CHAPTER CHECKLIST......Page 785 CHAPTER 17 Alan Dershowitz......Page 792 Meticulous Preparation Wins......Page 793 17.1 TAILOR YOUR BRIEF TO THE ARGUMENT......Page 796 17.2 PREPARING FOR ORAL ARGUMENT......Page 797 17.3 BIGGEST MISTAKE LAWYERS MAKE......Page 798 17.4 DELIVERY......Page 799 17.5 HOW TO ANSWER DIFFICULT QUESTIONS......Page 801 17.6 TABISH AND MURPHY V. NEVADA......Page 803 17.7 ORAL ARGUMENT......Page 806 17.8 AFTERMATH......Page 814 17.9 CHAPTER CHECKLIST......Page 816 Q & A With the Author......Page 818 Afterword......Page 821 Works Consulted......Page 822 Acknowledgments......Page 824 About the Author......Page 825 Index......Page 828