presentation

March 12, 2012

Evidence At Trial: Building A Comprehensive Presentation Strategy

Simplify and clarify your story for the jurors by using visuals to shine a spotlight on your best evidence By Rick Kraemer and Adam Shea “Please be good enough to put your conclusions and recommendations on one sheet of paper in the very beginning of your report, so I can even consider reading it.” — Winston Churchill With the preparation of any trial presentation, there are always three crucial components involved: the evidence, the technology, and (the most critical) delivering a clear story to the jury for the achievement of a verdict. Let’s call them the “what,” the “how” and the “why,” respectively. During the construction phase of a trial presentation, there’s an understandable tendency to pay more attention to the “what” and the “how.” But by shifting the focus away from the “what” and “how” and more toward the “why” you can and will create a more targeted and comprehensive presentation strategy that yields greater impact. Motivating a jury to get from A to B is a complex task. Jurors are subjected to bombardments of information, and have their own personal distractions with which to contend. Beyond the cultural and educational differences, people have different ways of learning and […]
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March 22, 2012

Courtroom Technology: Hurray For Hollywood

There are lessons to be learned when Tinseltown is the teacher By Rick Kraemer and Naomi Musnicki For hundreds of years, oratory skills were the primary means by which to persuade a jury. Times have changed. Courtrooms have now become multimedia shows designed to hold the jurors’ interest and to convincingly communicate the client’s story. In effect, trial attorneys are much like movie directors as they orchestrate the drama played out in court. In addition to creating the “plot” or case theme, juggling clients and witnesses, and playing to the audience of jurors, attorneys must now oversee technical and artistic support staff. The opening of a trial is much like a movie trailer. It must capture the jurors’ interest and introduce the theme of the case. The lawyer’s job during the case-in-chief is to develop the theme and build the plot. Professionally prepared computer-generated presentations and visuals will help set the stage of a case theme and help move it along. The jury will come to expect the next visual or computer screen to clue them in on where the attorney is taking them. Just as in the movie business, if the attorney fails to keep the audience’s attention, they […]
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March 30, 2012

Preparing Effective, Convincing Visuals For Trial

Nowhere is the old saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” more true than in the courtroom. By Rick Kraemer Every attorney would agree that early and thorough preparation is essential to the success of a case. Many attorneys, however, fail to realize that proper preparation is also critical when it comes to developing visual aids for trial. Early visual aids planning will enhance your oral presentation and go a long way in creating an effective and convincing presentation before a judge or jury. When is the best time to begin developing visuals? As soon as you know that your case is headed for arbitration or trial. Set aside an appropriate amount of time to discuss your case with a graphics consultant who can then help you devise a graphics strategy that will best help convince a judge or jury to your interpretation of the facts. While attorneys often feel comfortable absorbing information by wading through reams of written documents, members of the general public do not. More and more, they are used to and expect to receive information visually. Television news clips and instant access to graphically enhanced information over the Internet means jurors have less patience and […]
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April 27, 2012

Putting the iPad to Work

It’s time to embrace the latest digital technology and how it can best serve our clients both in and out of the courtroom. There’s a new order in the court; one spurred on by exponential increases in the speed, power, portability and sophistication of today’s generation of digital devices, and the productivity levels they elevate. Here at Executive Presentations we’re proactive regarding the latest technology and how it can best serve our clients both in and out of the courtroom. Three years ago there was no such thing as an Apple iPad. Today, the legal community increasingly wants to know how it can seamlessly blend this revolutionary device into its trial operations. And the answer is: carefully. It’s not unreasonable to marvel at a tablet computer and be enthusiastic in how it could be of benefit to your firm’s lawyers, be it in the courtroom or the conference room. A few months after the first-generation iPad debuted in 2010, consumer rights attorney Randall Ryder, who contributes to Lawyerist.com, unguardedly praised what he saw was the device’s potential. “The iPad is going to be sweet,” he wrote. “It will change the way law students learn the law, and it will be […]
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May 11, 2012

Zoom Zoom

EP looks at the Prezi presentation software system and sees potential. Launched in 2009, Prezi is a cloud-based presentation software system that has opened up an exciting new dimension beyond exhibit boards and slides. With its zoomable canvas, Prezi delivers visually engaging presentations that lead viewers down a captivating path of discovery. Realizing the system’s potential for compelling use in the courtroom, Executive Presentations Design Consultant Troy White took Prezi for a test drive and came away impressed. What he liked most is its functionality in moving in and around a large graphical layout that delivered both a big-picture view as well as detailed and focused information in a unified way. Below is a screengrab of the title page of a demonstration Troy crafted to show an example of a timeline presentation and some of its possibilities: You can view and move through this web-based demo on the Prezi website (for best results go to full-screen viewing available by clicking the “more” link in the bottom right corner). Troy looks at Prezi’s pros and cons after the jump.
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August 1, 2013

First In A Series: An Ounce Of Prevention

With the upcoming annual Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA) Convention — the largest trial lawyer convention in the nation — scheduled to take place beginnning August 29 in Las Vegas (and Executive Presentations proudly exhibiting there in Booth No. 308), we decided in the next few weeks leading up to that event to serve up segments online of an article on trial presentation technology by our Rick Kraemer that appeared in the May 2013 issue of CAALA’s Advocate magazine. Titled “An Ounce of Prevention,” Rick takes an in-depth look at how the available technology can make — or potentially break — a lawyer’s case, and he starts it off by recalling a recent exclusive visit to the world-famous Jet Propulsion Lab and how a conversation with one of the fastest men on the planet, National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Full Throttle Drag Racer Dave Grubnic, led Rick to draw comparisons between his professional experience and the racing champion’s: I recently received an invitation from Bob Girardi (Tom and Jack’s brother) to attend a private tour he had arranged at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena.  Among the guests was Bob’s friend “Aussie” Dave Grubnic, a professional NHRA Full […]
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August 8, 2013

Second In A Series: An Ounce Of Prevention — Computer Systems, Components, And Software

With the Consumer Attorney’s Association of Los Angeles’ (CAALA) annual Las Vegas Convention arriving August 29, we’re serializing a feature article on trial presentation that appeared in the May 2013 issue of CAALA’s Advocate Magazine. Last week, Rick started off the series by recalling a recent exclusive visit to the world-famous Jet Propulsion Lab and how a conversation with one of the fastest men on the planet, National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Full Throttle Drag Racer Dave Grubnic, led Rick to draw comparisons between his professional experience and the racing champion’s. This week he bullet points the key issues regarding computer systems, components, and software: • A poorly chosen system can be monstrously incapable of performing the tasks for which it is intended. Computer processor technology has developed rapidly and anything older than three years may not process large graphic, video or trial database files adequately. • While you do not need to buy the latest software as soon as it hits the market, your software should be no more than two versions behind. • Make sure you have adequate file storage space on your server, along with routine backup systems and controls in place to protect the integrity and […]
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August 20, 2013

Fourth In A Series: An Ounce Of Prevention — Video

Previously: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 With the Consumer Attorney’s Association of Los Angeles’ (CAALA) annual Las Vegas Convention arriving August 29, we’re serializing a feature article on trial presentation that appeared in the May 2013 issue of CAALA’s Advocate Magazine. Last week, Rick looked at the technology and tactics that will put less error in your trial. This week he explores the power of video and how it is much more than just lights, camera, and action: Videos can be powerful persuaders when used for settlement or trial, such as in wrongful death and personal injury matters.  Whether a video is presented to corporate mediators, opposing counsel, an insurance adjuster or jury, a well-made video places the decision-makers directly inside of your client’s condition. When it comes down to the final decision, it is the facts of the case that will determine its outcome.  But the added depth and dimension provided by an insightful video presentation can facilitate a clearer and quicker understanding of the issues and experiences, and often result in more favorable outcomes. However, there are some risks involved if you decide to make a video yourself instead of hiring a professional video producer.  […]
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