Witness Preparation

Helping You Help Your Client

“Your work with my client for his deposition and subsequent trial testimony provided the help he needed.  He demonstrated confidence, positive body language and good communication to the jury.  Trial can be very stressful. You provided tools to my client to help him cope with a difficult process. “  John  Riley, Montgomery, Little and Soran, PC

When it comes to favorable jury perception, witness confidence rules. Witnesses, no matter how defensible, can feel intimidated, frightened and threatened by the deposition and trial process.  Even the most poised communicator can self-destruct during a deposition or while on the witness stand, especially on cross-examination.

Facts aside, how witnesses present themselves affects the jurors’ assessment. Nervous behavior can be misinterpreted as uncertainty or dishonesty. Nervousness is revealed in the witnesses’ answers, voice, posture, gestures, eye contact, hesitation and delivery. They can be exhausted from the stress of going to trial. Witnesses may have personality, attitude or communication glitches that weaken their position.

Karen Susman works with your clients to:

• Harness the stress of testifying
• Achieve verbal and non-verbal confidence
• Present themselves in a way that exhibits credibility and likability
• Answer a variety of question types effectively
• Stow away their destructive attitudes, personality quirks, ticks and other detractors
• React – or not – to cross-examination “gotchas.”

Results:

• Your clients will best represent themselves
• Your clients will be more likable to the jury
• You’ll gain insights from Karen about your clients that can help you best defend them
• Your clients will applaud you for giving them tools to deal with being deposed or cross-examined
• You’ll save time because Karen can work on witness preparation while you’re working on trial preparation.

Karen’s style puts clients at ease. She follows up and keeps in touch with clients to make sure they’ve adopted the tools and have the skills they need at deposition and trial time.

Your clients like that Karen is not an attorney. They like that she is there with one goal in mind: to help them be their best. And, in the midst of what can be tense, stressful times, your clients will laugh and reduce their stress levels. Do yourself and your clients a favor.

Karen is a member of the American Society of Trail Consultants.