The Examination Before Trial - Honing Your Deposition Skills in Tort and Personal Injury Cases - 2010 Video Webcast

7.0 MCLE Credits
(2.5 areas of professional practice; 4.5 skills)

The ability to properly prepare witnesses, conduct and defend examinations before trial, and effectively use the transcript, is essential to your practice. This seminar will provide you with practical skills and strategies to assist you in becoming an experienced litigator.

Agenda

I.   THE FOUNDATION - Understanding the Rules & Law of Examinations Before Trial

A.   Purpose of taking an EBT
B.   Venue and Priority
C.  The EBT notice
D.  Production of “things” at the deposition
E.  What did I just stipulate to?
F.  Objections

1.  “Form” - what is an objection to the form of the question?
2.  Other objections

II.   PREPARATION - YOURS - What you should know before you start questioning

A.  Discovery before the EBT
B.  Strategy and purpose - what are you trying to accomplish?

1.  Discovery
2.  What do I have to get the witness to say in order to win at summary judgment?

C.  Ethics of pre-deposition investigation

1.  Disclosure of statements
2.  Social networking
3.  Public records research

D.  Crafting your questions

III.   PREPARATION - THE WITNESS - Protecting Your Client and Your Case

A.  What the client knows
B.  What the client should know
C.  What can the client review
D.  What prep is discoverable?
E.  How to get your client to show his/her “best side”
F.  Ethical considerations

IV.   A VIEW FROM THE BENCH - What You Need to Know Before Going to Court

A.  What’s the difference between discoverable, relevant and/or admissible?
B.  Calling the judge for a ruling
C.  11 NYCRR 221 - Rules of Civility
D.  Uses and abuses of the deposition transcript at trial
E.  Technology in the courtroom for play back of a videotaped examinations before trial

V.  CONDUCTING THE DEPOSITION - How to Prove Your Case At the EBT

A.  Strategy and technique
B.  Exhibits
C.  Dealing with objections
D.  Achieving your goal
E.  Making a record
F.  Stop coaching the witness!
G.  Whether or Not to Videotape           

VI.  DEFENDING THE DEPOSITION - How Not to Lose the Case at the EBT

A.  What’s an objectionable question?
B.  Making objections
C.  Coaching
D.  Making a record
E.  When should you question your own witness?

VII.  DEMONSTRATION OF AN EXAMINATION BEFORE TRIAL OF AN AUTO ACCIDENT PLAINTIFF

VIII. DEMONSTRATION OF AN EXAMINATION BEFORE TRIAL OF AN AUTO ACCIDENT DEFENDANT

IX.  AFTER THE EXAMINATION BEFORE TRIAL - What’s next?

A.  “Read and sign”?
B.   Who pays for the transcript?
C.   Rulings on preserved objections at the time of trial
D.   Discovery after the deposition
E.   When can you use the transcript at trial?
F.   Non-parties

 

Program Faculty

Overall Planning Chair

Kenneth A. Krajewski, Esq., Brown & Kelly, LLP, Buffalo

Albany Speakers: 

Edward B. Flink, Esq. (Albany Program Chair), Flink Smith LLC, Latham
Jeffrey K. Anderson, Esq., Anderson, Moschetti & Taffany, PLLC, Latham 
Leah Walker Casey, Esq., Carter, Conboy, Case, Blackmore, Maloney & Laird, P.C., Albany
Christopher A. Guetti, Esq., Flink Smith LLC, Latham
Hon. Michael C. Lynch, New York State Supreme Court, Third Judicial District, Albany
Claudia A. Ryan, Esq., Towne, Ryan & Partners, PC, Albany
Eugene Sarfoh, Esq., O'Connor, O'Connor, Bresee & First, PC, Albany

View the Program Brochure

2010 NYSBA CLE Webcast Archive

This program was recorded on April 9, 2010.

This archived webcast is a video online program that you will view and listen to on your computer screen. The program code for each topic that you write on the included MCLE Form only appears on the screen and is not announced by audio.