Calendar of NMDLA Events

Free CLE: Preventing Nuclear Settlements: The Economic Impact of Ineffective Witness Testimony

February 17, 2023, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Zoom Conference

In this presentation, we discuss the criticality of deposition performance on case outcomes, particularly economically. Strong, effective depositions decrease a client’s financial exposure and costs, while weak, ineffective depositions result in higher payouts on claims during settlement negotiations (i.e., a nuclear settlement). Specifically, when witnesses drop “bombs” at deposition, those “bombs” end up costing an extraordinary amount of money.

Dr. Bill Kanasky, Senior Vice President of Litigation Psychology at Courtroom Sciences, Inc., reviews the fundamental components of witness effectiveness and how to maximize witness testimony performance to deliver superior litigation outcomes. Dr. Kanasky will also discuss why the “take a break every hour” philosophy long held by most attorneys is a gross strategic and neuropsychological mistake that leaves the witness highly vulnerable to cognitive fatigue, which can result in higher payouts on claims.