Presenters: Nick Rowley, Courtney Rowley, Judge Prager, Judge Williams, Pej Ben-Cohen, Arash Homampour
Topic: The Do’s and Don’ts of Opening Statements in Action (1:26:34)

The opening statement is a time to get up and have credibility, integrity and to tell the story of your case in a compassionate way that does not get you in trouble. It is a time to show the judge that you can play by the rules and that you are not going to be overreaching them. In this video from the Trial Skills and Ethics Seminar, Nick Rowley leads an informative panel discussion focusing on various ways to prepare for and present your opening statement. The panel discusses the importance of contextualizing your client’s story and telling it in a compelling manner in order to help keep the jurors engaged. The panel members also share tips on sequencing, weaving in the jury instructions, and talking about numbers (at least conceptually).