How To Become a Dangerous Expert Witness
How To Become a Dangerous Expert Witness
June 19, 2007
Four Points by Sheraton Hyannis Resort |
Executive Summary
Dangerous experts are the most sought after and valuable of all experts. Dangerous experts are those experts who are highly resistant to attack, who know how to defeat counsel’s tactics, are skilled at persuading a jury, and who recognize when to seize the moment and turn the tables on opposing counsel. This course will teach its attendees how to become dangerous expert witnesses. How to Become a Dangerous Expert Witness is an advanced, fast-paced, interactive workshop
designed for experienced experts who have already had some formal expert witness training. It is taught by an experienced faculty and features concise didactic presentations coupled with numerous interactive, hands-on exercises. There will also be ample time set aside in each segment for questions and answers. Each registration includes a continental breakfast and lunch with faculty, a workshop manual not available anywhere else and a unique, memorable, educational experience.Here's what past attendees have to say!
“A class act”
“Excellent examples”
“Extremely helpful”
“High caliber group of attendees”
“I learned a ton”
“Very pointed”
“My expectations are exceeded”
“One of the best I’ve attended”
“Outstanding”
“Top Notch – as always”
Distinguished Faculty
James J. Mangraviti, Jr., Esq.,
has trained hundreds of expert witnesses across the United States and Canada. He is a former litigator with experience in defense and plaintiff personal injury law and insurance law. He currently serves as Vice President and General Counsel of SEAK, Inc. Mr. Mangraviti received his BA degree in mathematics summa cum laude from Boston College and his JD degree cum laude from Boston College Law School. His publications include the texts Cross-Examination: The Comprehensive Guide for Experts, National Guide to Expert Witness Fees and Billing Procedures, Writing and Defending Your IME Report, How to Excel During Cross-Examination: Techniques for Experts That Work, How to Excel During Depositions: Techniques for Experts That Work, The Comprehensive Forensic Services Manual: The Essential Resources for All Experts, Writing and Defending Your Expert Report: The Step-by-Step Guide with Models, and How to Become a Dangerous Expert Witness: Advanced Techniques and Strategies.Tuition
The $395 tuition includes a continental breakfast, breaks, lunch with faculty, a detailed manual which can be retained as a bookshelf reference, and a dynamic learning experience.
Click here for registration information.
Continuing Education Information
Note: If your
specialty does not appear below and you desire credits, please
contact Karen Babitsky (781-261-9972 or Karen@seak.com). We can
often obtain desired credits upon request, but unfortunately,
obtaining some types of credits are not feasible. Please register
early, as we can only apply for credits after your registration form
has been received and it can take time to get the requested
approvals back from the accrediting agencies.
Accident Reconstructionists:
The ACTAR Continuing Education Unit has approved this program for
7.0 CEUs.
Accountants:
Earn 8.0 CPE credits in the field of study of Specialized
Knowledge and Applications. SEAK, Inc. is registered with the
National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a
sponsor of continuing professional education on the National
Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final
authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit.
Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be addressed to the
National Registry of CPE Sponsors, 150 Fourth Avenue North, Suite
700, Nashville, TN, 37219-2417. Web site: www.nasba.org For SEAK,
Inc.’s complaint and program cancellation policies please call SEAK,
Inc. at 508-457-1111. There are no prerequisites for this
introductory/intermediate group live program. No advanced
preparation is required.
Appraisers:
The American Society of Appraisers will accept 7.0 continuing
education hours for this program.
Attorneys:
Credit varies by state. Continuing legal education credits for
attorneys will only be applied for if requested in writing when
sending in the registration form for the conference. Please contact
Karen Babitsky (781-261-9972, Karen@seak.com) with any questions.
Engineers:
SEAK, Inc. has been reviewed and approved as an Authorized Provider
by the International Association for Continuing Education and
Training (IACET), 1620 I Street, NW, Suite 615, Washington, DC
20006. SEAK, Inc. will award .7 CEUs to participants who
successfully complete this program.
Nurses:
7.0 Contact Hours. This continuing nursing education activity
was approved by the Ohio Nurses Association (OBN-001-91) an
accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s
Commission on Accreditation. ONA assigned #13,148. Approval valid
through October 26, 2008.
Physicians:
SEAK, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing
Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for
physicians. SEAK, Inc. designates this educational activity for a
maximum of 7.0 AMA PRA Category 1™ Credits. Physicians should
only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their
participation in the activity.
Psychologists:
7.0 CE Credits. SEAK, Inc. is approved by the American
Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for
psychologists. SEAK, Inc. maintains responsibility for this program
and its content. To receive credit each psychologist must attend the
entire program, sign in before the program, sign out after the
program and return a completed evaluation form. Partial credit is
not permitted. There are no prerequisites for this
introductory/intermediate group-live program.
Click here for Continuing Education Information.
Scheduleclick here to view the complete schedule
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
7:30-8:00Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:00-9:15Bullet-Proofing
Yourself
In order to become
dangerous, an expert must deny opposing counsel ammunition to attack
the expert’s credentials and credibility. This segment will identify
a check list of potential areas of attack that experts may be
subject to regarding their credentials and credibility including:
problem language on CVs, skeletons in the closet, past testimony,
controversial associations, missing credentials, etc. The faculty
will provide specific advice on how to insulate yourself as much as
possible from these attacks before you ever take the stand.
Questions and Answers. Learning Objective: List techniques to
insulate yourself from potential attacks by opposing counsel.
9:15-10:00Bullet-Proofing
Your Opinions
Dangerous expert
witnesses express opinions that hold up under the most rigorous
scrutiny and cross-examination. This segment will identify the most
common ways in which opposing counsel is able to poke holes in an
expert’s opinion and provide specific action steps to bullet-proof
your opinion including, learning how and when to say “no” to
retaining counsel, buttressing your opinions with research,
conducting a thorough investigation, staying within your true area
of expertise, case selection, etc. Questions and Answers.
Learning Objective: Describe how to make your opinions more
resistant to cross-examination.
10:00-10:15BREAK & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY
10:15-11:15Defeating
Opposing Counsel's Deposition Tactics
Most cases are won and
lost in the discovery phase. The expert’s deposition is a crucial
component of discovery. The rules under which a deposition is
conducted are much different than the rules that apply at trial. For
example, there is no judge present at a deposition and the grounds
for objection are far more limited at deposition than at trial. In
this segment, experts will learn advanced techniques for defeating
25 of opposing counsel’s tactics used to trick and trap an expert at
depositions. Many of these tactics and defenses will be demonstrated
with student participation. Questions and Answers.
Learning Objective: Discuss how to defeat opposing counsel’s
deposition tactics.
11:15-12:00Hitting a Home
Run During Your Direct Examination
Experts typically
obsess about cross-examination and worry (and prepare) far less than
they should for direct examination. Dangerous experts understand
that their direct examination testimony is probably more important
in most cases than their cross-examination testimony. In this
section, a concise lecture on advanced direct examination strategies
for experts will be followed by short interactive demonstrations
where student experts are asked to provide direct testimony and this
testimony is critiqued by the group and judged on understandability,
persuasiveness, style, and the all important “intangibles.”
Questions and Answers. Learning Objective: List techniques to
present more persuasive direct testimony.
12:00-1:00LUNCH PROVIDED WITH FACULTY
1:00-2:00Defeating
Opposing Counsel's Cross- Examination Tactics
Experts can expect
opposing counsel to use numerous tactics, fair and unfair, to
attempt to twist and spin the facts and attack and degrade the
expert. Dangerous experts are prepared to defeat opposing counsel’s
cross-examination tactics. In this segment, experts will learn
advanced techniques for defeating 25 of opposing counsel’s
cross-examination tactics. Many of these tactics and defenses will
be demonstrated with student participation. Questions and
Answers. Learning Objective: Explain how to defeat opposing
counsel’s cross-examination tactics.
2:00-3:15Truthfully and
Artfully Answering Trick and Difficult Questions
Good experts often do
very well while testifying except for one or two trick or difficult
questions which they are unprepared to answer and stumble on.
Dangerous experts have mastered the techniques for identifying and
responding to trick and difficult questions. In this segment,
experts will learn advanced techniques for identifying and
responding to trick and difficult questions. These techniques will
then be demonstrated and students tested and critiqued on their
skills as the instructor asks numerous difficult trick and difficult
questions to class members. Questions and Answers.
Learning Objective: Describe truthful and artful responses to trick
and
diff cult questions.
3:15-3:30BREAK &
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY
3:30-4:15Sticking the
Knife In
The most dangerous of
all experts are those experts who are able to turn the tables on
opposing counsel and “stick the knife in.” These experts are
particularly dangerous as opposing counsel is quite likely to lose
far more ground during cross-examination that she is to gain. In
this section the faculty will explain several techniques on how and
when seize the opportunity to turn the tables on opposing counsel.
Each of these techniques will be demonstrated by brief interactive
cross-examination demonstrations using students in the class.
Questions and Answers. Learning Objective: Explain how to
turn the tables on opposing counsel.
4:15-4:30Takeaways,
Conclusion and Evaluation
The
instructor will take any final questions and solicit from the group
a concise set of practical “bullet point” takeaways based on what
was learned in this workshop. Learning Objective: List techniques
to be a more effective expert witness.