Deposition Strategies & Techniques: Honing Your Skills and Finding Your Style (Update)

Depositions are one of the most crucial (and exciting) stages of litigation. They clarify and illuminate the facts of your and your adversary’s case in a way that the documents alone simply cannot. They bring a case to life by putting faces to names. They preview what a trial might look like, including the strengths and weaknesses of the case. Handled well, they can also lead to a settlement, solidify your grounds for summary judgment, and lock opponents into important positions for trial. Whether you are a first-year litigation associate or a senior partner, join skilled and experienced litigators Qian Julie Wang and Rayna E. Kessler for a discussion of strategies and techniques for maximizing your effectiveness at preparing for, taking, and defending depositions.

Learning Objectives:

1. Properly prepare to take and defend depositions
2. Identify important considerations when conducting remote depositions in the age of COVID-19 and beyond
3. Set appropriate goals when taking and defending depositions and practice the techniques necessary to achieve those goals
4. Address difficult situations that may arise when taking and defending depositions
5. Define the difference between an individual and a corporate deposition
6. Anticipate the special considerations that arise when taking and defending depositions of expert witnesses
7. Conduct remote video depositions effectively