Communication Tactics for Persuasive Advocacy - On Demand CLE

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In their book, Theater for Trial, David Ball and Joshua Karton use their extensive professional theater and trial experience to give you practical exercises and strategies for connecting yourself, your case, and your witnesses with the jury. In this presentation, Joshua builds on the themes from the book with additional help from Artemis Malekpour, David Ball, and Eric Oliver. 

Learn how to build meaningful relationships in the courtroom with some of the most influential people in your case: the jurors, witnesses, the judge, and even yourself. This program breaks down the three ways humans communicate with each other: Nonverbal communication, vocal tenor, and storytelling. 

In order to be successful with your jury, you need to be able to:

• forge an intimate human connection
• wrap jurors into a circle of trust
• get the jury to recognize in you a person who shares the world and life they know outside the courtroom
• earn their full faith that you are here to protect them

The speakers combine decades of intensive trial experience, in cases from the smallest counties to the halls of the Supreme Court, with lessons from the stage and screen to optimize every moment you’re in trial.

The following videos are included:

From Presentation to Persuasion (99 Minutes)

Joshua teaches you how to truly communicate with your jurors by first empathizing with their experience, and pushes you to find your authentic voice. Humans exchange information primarily through nonverbal communication. Joshua’s carefully crafted exercises are designed to release the body and allow nonverbal communication to shine. In order to be successful, you have to fully commit to communicating with each individual juror. 

The Tools of Oral Advocacy (70 Minutes)

Surveys of human fears consistently put fear of public speaking at the top of the list. Joshua breaks down what happens to our body when stage fright takes over, and gives you tools to change the things holding you back. This talk builds upon the previous session and will teach you to use your voice to project and be available to your audience. 

From Monologue into Dialogue (124 Minutes)

The final session focuses on storytelling. Vocal inflection is a huge part of storytelling, the same story told in different ways can be interpreted differently by an audience. Use storytelling to make the jury see who your client is, instead of just what they are. You can use these same principles to make your experts more approachable and trustworthy to the jury. When you make the jury care about who your expert is as a person, the aperture through which they hear the expert’s testimony will be different. 

Panel Discussion with David Ball, Artemis Malekpour, Joshua Karton, and Eric Oliver (70 Minutes)*

This panel discussion between David Ball, Artemis Malekpour, Joshua Karton, and Eric Oliver covers some of the major issues that trial attorneys face when preparing for court. These expert trial consultants address a variety of issues relating to trials and bring their own expertise when addressing how to make cases stronger. 

In just over an hour the panel discusses:

• The legal team
• Closing arguments
• Alignment in trial
• Damages
• Using Reptile concepts to increase damages
• Strikes for cause
• Admissions
• Language in the courtroom

(*Please note: this is the same video included in David Ball on Damages Advances and Innovations)

Need accreditation in another jurisdiction?  Fill out this form and note Course No. 181007P02.