Better Questions, Better Answers: LGBTQ+ and Disability-Informed Legal Interviewing

Lawyers are communicators, and thus, lawyers must be competent in their communication with a diverse array of clients, witnesses, adversaries and other legal professionals. Presented by Collins Saint, a sought-after trainer and consultant, this CLE program will demonstrate how culturally competent communication directly affects the quality, accuracy, and effectiveness of your legal practice, including in client intake interviews, internal investigations, and witness questioning. Attendees will learn practical strategies for using respectful and legally appropriate language when communicating with LGBTQ+ individuals and individuals with disabilities. Attendees will also explore common communication pitfalls that can undermine trust, distort testimony and statements, or create unnecessary conflict.  

This program will benefit litigators, employment attorneys, education lawyers, investigators, and any practitioner who regularly conducts interviews or gathers statements. Attendees will leave with concrete tools for building rapport, asking better questions, navigating neurodivergent communication styles, and creating interview environments that promote clarity, dignity, and reliable information.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Identify appropriate terminology and inclusive language for LGBTQ+ and disabled individuals in legal interviews
2. Apply culturally competent interviewing techniques to improve rapport, accuracy, and client cooperation
3. Recognize communication differences related to neurodivergence and disability, including eye contact, processing time, and sensory needs
4. Prepare interview environments and question frameworks that reduce bias and avoid retraumatization
5. Evaluate common interview mistakes that create legal risk or undermine witness credibility