Top Tips for an Effective Voir Dire

Join Mukul Kelkar, Partner at Dentons US LLP, for an insightful exploration of top tips for conducting effective voir dire. Voir dire, meaning "to speak the truth," is a critical phase of jury selection in legal proceedings. This course provides practical strategies to prepare, engage, and filter potential jurors while presenting your case compellingly. From winning over the panel through transparency and vulnerability to filtering out biases and telling your story effectively, participants will gain valuable insights to enhance their voir dire techniques.


Learning Objectives:

1. Develop effective preparation strategies for voir dire, including understanding the demographics and concerns of potential jurors and memorizing panel names for personalized engagement
2. Implement techniques to win over the panel by fostering transparency, vulnerability, and comfort, and effectively addressing jurors' concerns about work, travel, and family commitments
3. Utilize filtering methods to identify and exclude biased or unfavorable jurors, such as asking objective questions to reveal subjective biases and expanding jurors' preconceived notions through storytelling
4. Navigate legal limitations and challenges in voir dire, including restrictions on asking commitment questions and handling Batson challenges related to protected and unprotected classes
5. Enhance courtroom presence and advocacy skills by delivering a captivating voir dire performance that resonates with jurors and reinforces the narrative of the case