In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small explores three pivotal trends that have significantly impacted courtroom advocacy in recent years: the digital revolution, shortened attention spans and a lack of trial experience among attorneys. Mr. Small reflects on the increasing prevalence of these trends and underscores the need for attorneys to adapt their approach to effectively engage and communicate with jurors.

In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small discusses how to learn the intricate process of trials. He shares valuable advice for attorneys looking to improve their courtroom skills, including reading educational books, observing other professionals in action, seeking guidance from seasoned trial attorneys, honing skills outside the courtroom and gaining experience as an arbitrator or a judge.

In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small explores the vital role of storytelling in court cases, highlighting the need to construct, narrate and display a story effectively. He emphasizes the importance of establishing central themes for a case, customizing the narrative to suit the court and audience, and humanizing the case to make it relatable for a jury. Mr. Small also covers how to integrate motives, morality and justice into a story while utilizing visual tools to show it, including transcripts, videos, timelines, summaries and exhibits.

In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small discusses effective strategies for closing arguments in trials. Mr. Small emphasizes two key principles: not asking for more than necessary to win the case and clearly articulating what you want from the jury. He stresses not only the importance of clearly explaining the desired outcome but also how to avoid common pitfalls in closing arguments.

In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small zeroes in on the enemies of impactful closing arguments: disorganization and verbal clutter. He critiques the common pitfall of overloading jurors with unnecessary words, demonstrating how a streamlined approach can significantly bolster an argument's clarity and force. Mr. Small advocates for concise language and ditching legalese to maintain juror engagement and effectively drive home key points.

In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small outlines essential rules for lawyers during closing arguments. He speaks about the importance of not misstating evidence or introducing facts that were not presented during trial. Mr. Small also reminds attorneys to refrain from expressing personal opinions and focus solely on the evidence at hand.

In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast, Partner Dan Small shares insights on crafting persuasive closing arguments. Mr. Small emphasizes the importance of organization, preparation and effective time management in delivering compelling closings. He discusses common pitfalls to avoid and offers practical strategies for guiding jurors to a favorable verdict. This episode provides essential advice for trial lawyers looking to enhance their courtroom performance and maximize their persuasive impact during closing arguments.

Litigation attorney Dan Small shares insights and strategies for delivering a compelling closing argument in this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series. He explains the challenges of delivering a closing argument as well as the opportunities that come with effectively concluding a case by weaving together evidence into a clear and comprehensive picture for the jury. Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of persuading rather than arguing to help guide jurors to a favorable verdict.

In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small addresses the art of making effective objections during trial, highlighting the importance of preparation, quick thinking and poise. He delves into strategies for anticipating objections, the significance of listening intently to catch leading questions and the proper manner to object and respond to objections. Mr. Small stresses that beyond preventing unfavorable evidence, objections serve to preserve issues for appeal, underscoring their pivotal role in successful trial advocacy.

In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small explains the importance of maintaining control during cross-examination by asking short, clear questions. Mr. Small advises to avoid the temptation to ask witnesses to agree with characterizations or conclusions and instead to focus on what the witness saw, heard and did. He also notes an effective approach is to build a case "brick by brick," presenting a series of factual questions that lead the jury to draw the desired conclusion on its own.