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Author: Paul Luvera

Luvera practiced plaintiff law 55 years. He is past President of the Inner Circle of Advocates & Washington State Trial Lawyers Association. Member ABOTA, American College of Trial Lawyers, International Academy, International Society of Barristers and the American Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame. Book Luvera on Advocacy available at Trial Guides Publishing Email paul@luvera.org
Communication rules regardiing starting your story and sequencing

Communication rules regardiing starting your story and sequencing

Today I want to share two more "rules" for communication. The first deals with how you should strart your story to the jury and the second deals with the order or sequence of telling your story. Here are some thoughts for you to consider: START THE STORY WITH THE DEFENDANT & NOT THE PLAINTIFF When a series of focus studies were done across the country the outcome confirmed what was already an accepted fact. That fact is that people apply…

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Trial lessons from clarence darrow

Trial lessons from clarence darrow

I read an interesting article: Who is the Lawyer of the Century by Gerald F. Uelmen, Professor of Law, Santa Clara Univesity  http://llr.lls.edu/volumes/v33-issue2/uelman.pdf The author discusses a number of lawyers who might qualify including Gerry Spence. When Spence was asked who he would select, the author says:    "While Spence does not believe in reincarnation,he certainly believes in heroes, and Darrow is his rolemodel. He points to Darrow’s passion for justice for the underdog and championing the causes of the common…

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Communication rule for voir dire

Communication rule for voir dire

I thought I would share a series of brief basic thoughts about communication generally. I am going to start with a note about jury selection fundamentals and communication: In voir dire follow the practice of not allowing yourself to say anything at the end of a juror’s response until you have taken a full breath in and out. You will find that this will result in correct timing and will actually move things more quickly in the long run. The…

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