Witness Preparation
The best evidence is of little value unless jurors can understand, retain and use it.
We work with expert and lay witnesses, including foreign nationals and witnesses who are not native English speakers, to improve their ability to communicate in depositions and in the courtroom. We do not tell witnesses what to say. We help them say it clearly.
Who we prepare
Expert witnesses
Technical testimony made clear for lay jurors, without the jargon, and ready for cross-examination.
Lay witnesses and parties
Plaintiffs, defendants and other lay witnesses learn what to expect and how to be understood.
Depositions and trial
Preparation for live and remote depositions as well as testimony at trial.
Settlement presentations
When a case is headed for settlement, we help people tell their own story: what happened, what they lost, and who they are. In community-wide fire cases, those accounts become part of the settlement package.
From trial lawyers
“We represented a condominium homeowners association in a complex, multi-party construction defect case in Santa Clara County. The development had many significant problems, including inadequate plumbing and heating systems, leaking decks, windows and pipes, and mold growth. The case came up for trial against the backdrop of plummeting real estate values, and it appeared to us that the defense would attempt to deflect our client’s claims as an effort to recoup real estate values lost due to market forces. Lois Heaney helped us to shape the case themes and our opening statement to simplify the case, and to counter defense arguments before they were made. Lois worked with us and our expert witnesses to eliminate technical construction jargon, to clarify the causes of damage for lay jurors, and to select the most powerful demonstrative evidence for effective presentations.”
John P. Gill Hughes, Gill & Cochrane, P.C., Walnut Creek, CA
“The NJP Litigation Consulting Midwest is an asset no lawyer should be without in an important case. I have worked with my share of jury consultants and Diane Wiley and Susie Macpherson are the best of the best. They help simplify complicated cases. They have a knack for relating to overwhelmed plaintiffs and making them better witnesses. They can visualize a case from the jury’s perspective and catch key issues and themes easily overlooked even by experienced trial lawyers. They know how to get the most out of jury focus groups. They are masters at sizing up prospective jurors and helping counsel during jury selection. I have had the opportunity to work with the NJP Litigation Consulting in many difficult cases over the years. Invariably, they made the difference in those cases. And in the process, they have definitely made me a better trial lawyer.”
Fred Gittes, Attorney The Gittes Law Group
Start with a conversation.
Most engagements begin with a short call about your case, your venue, and your trial date. No budget is too small to talk.
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