About This Course
Expert witnesses can lend credibility to a case—or unravel it entirely. A well-executed cross-examination can expose inconsistencies, challenge assumptions, and shift the momentum in your favor. This CLE course provides a comprehensive, adaptable strategy for taking on expert testimony, helping attorneys maximize their impact in court.
Rather than approaching cross-examination as a routine exercise, this course teaches lawyers how to turn it into a powerful advocacy tool. Participants will learn to dissect expert opinions, identify weaknesses, and avoid pitfalls that can strengthen rather than weaken opposing testimony. Through structured techniques and real-world applications, attendees will develop a practical approach that works across all expert disciplines.
Topics covered include:
Understanding the Purpose of Cross-Examination: Establishing clear objectives to either neutralize or dismantle an expert’s credibility.
Strategic Questioning Methods: Controlling the witness, shaping testimony, and reinforcing key case themes.
Gathering Ammunition: Using depositions, research, and published materials to craft an attack plan.
Avoiding Common Traps: Recognizing attorney missteps that can inadvertently strengthen an expert’s testimony.
Legal Leverage: Applying evidentiary rules and case law to challenge expert opinions and methodologies.
Mastering Timing and Pacing: Learning when to apply pressure, when to step back, and how to keep control of the flow.
The Visual Advantage: Using PowerPoint and demonstratives to highlight inconsistencies and reinforce your argument.
Gradual Erosion of Credibility: Employing the “death by a thousand cuts” technique to methodically chip away at an expert’s conclusions.
Exposing Flaws in Foundations: Pinpointing weak assumptions, flawed methodologies, and bias in expert opinions.
