In 2021, former prosecutor Steve Wood told May the Record Reflect that to grow as a trial advocate, he had to accept that he is “insufferably boring.” What did he mean by that? And, how can it help you grow as an advocate as well? In this self-deprecating but entirely serious conversation, Steve and fellow former prosecutor Laurie Gilbertson talk about the neuroscience of boredom, multisensory engagement in the courtroom, telling a compelling story, and how it all adds up to self-confidence and stronger advocacy for your client. 

Topics
3:27 What it means to be “insufferably boring” in court
5:55 Neuroscience behind boredom
9:06 Why trials are boring
15:11 Bored judges, bored jurors
28:35 Resting postures for hands
37:07 Role of storytelling
42:42 When storytelling is most important
49:36 Repeating yourself without being boring
57:27 Confidence
1:01:36 Preparation, notes, and delivery
1:14:56 Great Hollywood courtroom performances
1:21:00 Signoff questions

Quote
“Our task as trial lawyers, as I see it, is to do three things. One, admit that we’re boring — all of us, all the time. Two, with the aid of people like Laurie, do the things that we can do to be less boring. And then three, never fall prey to the conceit that at any given time a majority of the trier of fact is paying attention. Assume the opposite. But what we can do, most primarily, is introduce change into the courtroom environment. That’s our mission.” Steve Wood

“. . . what I found often is that jurors who have watched so much tv, who have watched so many movies, who have read legal thrillers, who have maybe listened to true-crime podcasts — some of them, if not many of them, expect to be entertained, and when you, as the attorney, are not kind of doing all these things that Steve is talking about in terms of interjecting that change and keeping them entertained, a lot of the jurors are surprised that court is actually that boring. They expect it to be a lot more interesting.” Laurie Gilbertson

Resources
Steve Wood (bio)
Laurie Gilbertson (bio)
Top 10 Tips that Make a Difference, with Steve Wood (episode)
Thinking with Your Hands: The Surprising Science Behind How Gestures Shape Our Thoughts (book)