Built on Experience, Backed by Research, Refined Through Teaching
Persuasive Communication & Advocacy
Communication Skills
Helping each person find his/her individual style and voice to speak effectively and persuasively whether in case-related matters (trial, arbitration, hearings) or in presentations.
Key Outcomes: Explore delivery techniques and strategies for being a persuasive and believable presenter, including how to structure presentations, how to make ideas and arguments more memorable, and how to maintain the audience’s focus on the presentation. In addition to content, the presentation will provide guidance and methods on how a speaker can control his/her body, from breathing, using hand gestures, voice variations, and how to stand.
Duration: 60-90 minutes and can be combined with other course offerings.
Trial Advocacy
This is a competency development course designed to improve the participants’ knowledge and skills for core areas of trial and are equally applicable to other areas of advocacy. The trial advocacy curriculum can include presentations and workshops on each of the following topics, among others, and can be customized:
Opening Statements – How to structure and deliver an effective opening statement, selectively presenting a factual overview without improper argument.
Direct Examination – Learning specific techniques to be able to structure and deliver a clear, memorable, and credible direct examination.
Cross-Examination – How to plan and strategize when and how to cross-examine a witness, asking proper leading questions, to obtain favorable testimony and/or neutralize unfavorable evidence. Impeachment, such as when and how to impeach a witness and categories of impeachment, can also be part of this segment or as a separate presentation and workshop.
Closing Arguments – How to structure and deliver a persuasive closing argument, arguing how the facts do/do not support the elements necessary for a verdict.
Exhibits, Evidentiary Foundations, Illustrative Aids – Presentation focused on laying the proper foundation depending on the type of exhibits to be introduced, as well as the use of specific types of exhibits, including summary charts and demonstrative/illustrative aids.
Witness Preparation – Discussing techniques on how to prepare yourself to interview the witness and prepare the witness to testify.
Making and Meeting Objections – Examining how, when, and why to make objections and how to respond.
Jury Selection – Exploring the mechanics and rules for jury selection and how to effectively use the voir dire process for your case.
Evidence – Covering the common evidentiary rules that arise at trial and planning accordingly.
Key Outcomes: The course uses a “describe, demonstrate, and do” model in which the instructors provide presentations and demonstrations of the various skills, then the participants practice the skills in workshops (which can be recorded) and then receive feedback and critiques from instructors.
Duration: The usual duration of this course is 3-5 days, but its length and content can be tailored to fit specific needs.
Trial/Arbitration/Presentation Consulting
Implementing the techniques and concepts taught in the various offerings, we can provide individualized consultation, feedback, and critiques on how to improve presentations to enhance the effectiveness and persuasive impact, including, among other things, on the structure, delivery, and use of visuals in the presentation.
Teaching, Presenting & Facilitating
Teaching, Presenting & Facilitating
Teaching, Presenting & Facilitating
Train-the-Trainer Workshop
Sharpen skills in designing and delivering effective, engaging instruction by incorporating the science of adult learning and instruction, as well as feedback from instructors and colleagues, into your training.
Key Outcomes:
Design objectives, activities, content, and structure using a “backward designed” model;
Develop supporting materials using principles of multimedia learning and design; and
Deliver an introduction for your presentation and facilitate an engagement exercise.
For each segment, you will receive specific, helpful feedback using a model designed for training.
Duration: 2.5 days, but length and content can be tailored to specific needs.
Working Group/Conference Planning Workshop
Need to plan a training or conference but not sure where to start or how to make it engaging? This workshop will walk you through our “backward designed” training development model to create a training or conference framework and agenda that incorporates academic and practical research on adult learning.
Key Outcomes: Develop a complete program/conference agenda that includes clear, audience-focused objectives, engaging activities and discussions, and relevant content/topic areas.
Duration: 1 day or less, depending on the size and scope of the program or conference.
Creating Effective PowerPoint Slides
We’ve all been in presentations or meetings where the speaker monotonously reads from a poorly designed set of PowerPoint slides overflowing with text – a frustrating and often ineffective means of communicating information or influencing audiences.
Key Outcomes: Based on research about how to use multimedia (e.g., slides, handouts) most effectively, learn how to provide critical information without overloading or confusing your audience. Learn and incorporate ways to make your presentations more effective by discussing common mistakes with PowerPoint slides and how to avoid them when presenting.
Duration: 60-90 minutes.
Creating Effective Visuals for Presentations and Trials
Audiences have shorter attention spans and expect more visual stimulation. Communicating clearly and effectively, especially when presenting new or complicated information, requires thoughtful use of words and graphics to maintain audience attention and help listeners understand and remember information.
Key Outcomes: Learn five research-based ways to use visuals in your presentations and trials to support audience attention, understanding, motivation, and decision-making.
Duration: 60-90 minutes.
Active Listening
Effective communication begins with intentional listening. This targeted training equips professionals and supervisors who need to influence others with the skills to foster trust, clarity, and collaboration through active listening—an essential leadership competency in today’s dynamic workplace.
Key Outcomes: Examine and practice research-based methods on how to listen with purpose and build an environment of trust and credibility.
Duration: 60-90 minutes.
Giving and Receiving Feedback
Master the art of delivering actionable, respectful feedback—and receiving it with openness and resilience. Build a culture of continuous improvement by turning feedback into a tool for growth, not judgment. Whether you're leading teams, mentoring colleagues, or navigating complex stakeholder relationships, this training equips you with practical strategies to elevate your communication, strengthen collaboration, and lead with authenticity.
Key Outcomes: Learn techniques and methods to deliver constructive feedback, which is specific and actionable, that motivates improvement and creates an environment and culture in which feedback is collaborative and received with openness.
Duration: 60-90 minutes.
Fully Customizable Training
Many of the above-offered trainings can be combined and/or modified based on specific needs. As one example, trial advocacy training can be combined with Communication Skills and/or Creating Effective Visuals for Presentations and Trials training where requested. Or as another example, a train-the-trainer workshop can be offered in conjunction with an already existing trial advocacy program to help improve or modify a current course and provide useful feedback to improve future offerings.
Deposition Training
Deposition Training
Deposition Training
Taking and Defending Depositions
This is a competency development course that can be integrated within and/or combined with the Trial Advocacy program or offered as a stand-alone course designed to prepare participants in: techniques to prepare a witness for a deposition; how to conduct the deposition to gather important information, obtain admissions, and lock in witnesses; how to effectively use documents and exhibits during the deposition; and how to make and respond to objections, which includes dealing with difficult witnesses and counsel.
Key Outcomes: This deposition training uses a “describe, demonstrate, and do” model in which the instructors provide presentations and demonstrations of the various skills, then the participants practice the skills in workshops (which can be recorded) and then receive feedback and critiques from instructors.
Duration: The usual duration of this course is 1-2 days, but its length and content can be tailored to fit specific needs.