The Trial Lawyer's Handbook
The Trial Lawyer's Handbook is a Courtroom Preparation podcast series brought to you by Holland & Knight. This series is hosted by litigation attorney Dan Small and is based on a longstanding article series he co-authored with Judge Dennis Saylor for Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. Listeners of this series will gain a fresh perspective on how attorneys can address various trial preparation issues and set themselves up for success in and out of the courtroom.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 7 minutes
- Episodes
- 109
- Years Active
- 2023 - 2025
The Basic Elements of Direct Examination
In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small outlines the basics of an effective direct examination. He walks listeners through the six key elements …
Opening Statements: Some Common Challenges
In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small discusses the complexities attorneys face in crafting an effective opening statement during a trial. He …
Ep. 27 - Opening Statements: Common Mistakes
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small discusses some common mistakes that lawyers tend to make in opening statements. As he explains, alth…
Opening Statements: The Prohibition Against Argument
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small discusses the frequently stated rule that an opening statement is intended to be only a summary of t…
Opening Statements: Telling the Story
In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small outlines the importance of connecting with jurors from the beginning of the trial. He explains that an i…
Openings of Openings
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small describes different approaches to opening statements in a trial, outlining three common styles: dram…
The Basics of Opening Statements
Litigation attorney Dan Small continues his insightful "Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series with a new episode focused on opening statements. Drawing from his extensive trial experience, Mr. Smal…
Effective Trial Language Part 3: Jargon
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small discusses the use of jargon within a courtroom. Mr. Small goes over the negative impact that it can …
Effective Trial Language Part 2: Legalese
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, Holland & Knight litigation attorney Dan Small discusses the use of legalese in the courtroom. He advises attorneys to avoid exces…
Effective Trial Language Part 1: Noise
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, Holland & Knight litigation attorney Dan Small explains the importance of being concise in the courtroom. He describes how to elim…
Dealing with Evidence of Time, Distance and Speed
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small delves into the critical importance of establishing and relaying accurate measures of time, distance…
Why Demonstrative Aids Are Critical in Every Case
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small discusses why demonstrative aids are critical in every case. Mr. Small shares why he believes simple…
Using Technology in the Courtroom
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small discusses the pros and cons of using technology in the courtroom. Mr. Small provides six helpful tip…
Showing Exhibits to the Jury
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small highlights seven basic ways to effectively show a document or other exhibit to the jury. Mr. Small s…
Exuding Credibility in the Courtroom
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small sits down with Frank Vecella, principal at McKool Smith and former head of litigation for Ericsson, …
Key Lessons and Takeaways for Jury Trials
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small is joined by Jason Bloom, a jury consultant and the founder and president of Bloom Strategic Consult…
The Pitfalls of Technology in Trials
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small covers seven pitfalls of using technology in the trial setting. Mr. Small discusses ways in which te…
The Importance of Civility in Trial Law
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small sits down with fellow litigation attorney Trish Rich for a conversation on the importance of civilit…
Ep. 11 - Bringing Mindfulness and Best Practices to Trial Law
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small is joined by intellectual property and litigation attorney Joshua Krumholz to discuss the ins and ou…
Ep. 10 - A Checklist of Common Objections
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small provides a checklist of the most common objections and their shorthand descriptions. Mr. Small share…