Becoming a Trial Lawyer

Book excerpt: "Trying a case is an incredibly exciting and terrifying experience. While thorough preparation is crucial to performing effectively in court, the trial is a dynamic process that often requires even the most comprehensively prepared attorneys to adapt on the spot to the shifting sands in the courtroom. This book teaches fundamental trial advocacy skills, and it helps readers both prepare systematically for what they can expect to face in the courtroom and handle those sands as they shift. The authors offer tips on how to sharpen and shape one's advocacy for different settings as well as creative strategies for trying a case with limited financial resources. An entire chapter devoted to using courtroom technology is also included.A CD, Casefiles for Becoming a Trial Lawyer, authored by Steven Grossman and Michele Gilman, accompanies the book. It contains five full casefiles and three mini-cases designed to let readers practice the skills and strategies discussed in the substantive book.These realistic simulations include both civil and criminal cases and include a summary of the case, the relevant law, witness and expert depositions and statements, and a wide array of exhibits. The CD's detailed teacher's manual includes suggestions for how to use these materials, summaries of the particular skills that each casefile is intended to develop; and comprehensive analysis of the direct and cross-examinations of every witness in each case. Taken together, Becoming a Trial Lawyer and the casefiles provide invaluable materials for readers wanting to take that significant first step on the road to becoming an effective courtroom lawyer."