Preparing Your Client for Deposition

Preparing your client for deposition is one of the most important parts of a case and will always have an impact on the value of the case. This lecture will focus on every step of the preparation process including during the deposition. I have broken the process down into six steps starting with the purpose of the deposition, exactly what the defense counsel is looking for and how to be brutally honest about the client’s performance. We then move onto the process of the deposition and the people who will be present. This basic technique will build trust between you and your client as to your own knowledge base.We will then discuss the physical appearance of the client and their personal needs. This technique lets the client know you care about them and will be protected during the deposition. Next, we will discuss the presentation at the deposition and how to handle certain questions such as a the “pain scale questions” and how to qualify their testimony. We will address how to present the facts of the case and a discussion of techniques to help the client the remember what body parts were injured, how the injury occurred and deal with prior and subsequent issues related to criminal history and injuries. Lastly, we will cover how to handle the pitfalls that can happen in every deposition with the “gotcha” questions such as “how long had the liquid been on the floor” or “how much do you want from this lawsuit” or “why did you hire an attorney.” All of these techniques will prevent a disastrous deposition and make your client a formidable opponent to the other side. This lecture is a must attend to make sure we are doing everything we can to ensure a great deposition performance by your client.