Litigation Skills Series: Depositions

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Our first-ever deposition training will feature lecture, demonstration, and Q&A from Arnold & Porter litigation partners Phil Horton and Josh Davis. Phil and Josh will cover both taking and defending depositions.

The portion of the program on taking depositions will cover such topics as how to frame effective questions, proper use of direct vs. leading questions, personal style, use of outlines, and deposition strategy.

The program on defending depositions will cover both how to prepare a witness (both on the facts of the case and on how to be an effective witness), as well as how to defend the actual deposition. The instructors will also give a demonstration on taking and defending a deposition in a landlord/tenant case.

Depositions can be useful tools in all kinds of cases. Under DC's local rules, you may use an iPad to record video depositions in Superior Court housing cases. We'll explain the basics of doing this and how it can make depositions more affordable for pro bono and public-interest lawyers and their clients.

Bring your lunch, and join us in learning the basics of how to prepare yourself and your witness for a deposition, what techniques are most effective, and what traps to avoid.

Scholarships are available thanks to the generosity of the D.C. Bar Foundation. Please email Nancy Lopez at nlopez@wclawyers.org for more information.

  • CLE Credit Comments: We are seeking to have this course approved for CLE credit in CA, NY and VA. Approval currently is pending and not guaranteed.
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  • Website: wclawyers.org