Raising the Bar:
Practice Tips
and Trial Technique
for Young Maryland Lawyers
This book consists of selections from Paul Mark
Sandler’s column in
The Daily Record — Raising the Bar
Table
of Contents
About the Author.......................................................................................... iii
Foreword....................................................................................................... v
Prologue........................................................................................................ vii
Acknowledgments......................................................................................... ix
The Young Lawyer
I. Welcome
to the Profession ......................................................... 3
Community Consciousness ............................................................. 4
II. Tips
for the Young Lawyer ......................................................... 7
Seek Knowledge ........................................................................... 7
Reach Out ..................................................................................... 8
Be Prepared .................................................................................. 8
III. A
Challenge to Law Schools ..................................................... 11
Cross-Disciplinary Curriculum ...................................................... 12
IV. Speaking
of Ethics ..................................................................... 15
V. Making
Rain is no Mystery ..................................................... 19
VI. Let’s
Go to the Movies ............................................................. 23
Litigation Lessons ......................................................................... 24
Preparation and Handling ............................................................. 25
Watch and Learn — or Not ......................................................... 25
VII. Inns
of Court — from England to the U.S. .............................. 27
Mentoring Role ............................................................................ 27
Rhetoric
I. Rhetoric
is Good for You .......................................................... 31
II. Winning
Arguments Are Goal Directed ................................... 35
III. The
Receiver’s Mind ................................................................ 37
Attitudes ...................................................................................... 37
Beliefs .......................................................................................... 38
Values ......................................................................................... 38
The Desire for Consistency ........................................................... 39
IV. Know
Thy Audience .................................................................. 41
V. Getting
to Know the Judge ....................................................... 45
Contact People Familiar with the Judge ......................................... 46
Observe the Judge in Other Proceedings ....................................... 47
VI. Keep
Your Eye on the Goal in Court ....................................... 49
Enhance your Ethos ...................................................................... 50
VII. Spotting
the Fallacious Argument ............................................ 53
Slippery Slope ............................................................................. 53
Compound Questions ................................................................... 53
False Dilemma ............................................................................. 54
Composition and Division ............................................................. 55
Non Sequitur ............................................................................... 55
Be on Guard ................................................................................ 56
VIII. The
Straw Man, the Red Herring and Other Mistakes 57
Begging the Question .................................................................... 57
Ad Hominem ............................................................................... 58
Red Herring ................................................................................. 59
Straw Man ................................................................................... 59
IX. The
Inventive Argument ........................................................... 61
The Challenge .............................................................................. 61
Notes .......................................................................................... 63
X. Does
Your Argument Make Sense, Part I ............................... 65
Variations of Deduction ................................................................ 66
XI. Does
Your Argument Make Sense, Part II ............................. 67
Inductive Reasoning ..................................................................... 67
Analogy ....................................................................................... 67
Generalization .............................................................................. 68
Causal Correlation ....................................................................... 68
Pleading Fundamentals
I. Pleading
Fundamentals, Part I .................................................. 73
Strive for Simplicity ...................................................................... 74
II. Pleading
Fundamentals, Part II: The Demand ........................ 75
Attorneys’ Fees ........................................................................... 75
Interest and Costs ........................................................................ 76
III. Pleading
Fundamentals, Part III: Other Considerations ......... 79
Jurisdiction ................................................................................... 79
Venue .......................................................................................... 81
The Jury
I. Getting
to Know the Jury .......................................................... 85
Conduct Jury Research ................................................................ 86
Develop Jury Profiles ................................................................... 86
Conduct A Mock Trial ................................................................. 86
Understand The Limits ................................................................. 87
II. Mock
Juries Are Serious Business .......................................... 89
III. Throw
Your Case to the Dogs .................................................. 91
IV. Reforming
and Revitalizing the Jury Trial .............................. 93
Depositions
I. Depositions
101, Part I ............................................................. 99
Why Take a Deposition? .............................................................. 99
The Deposition Process .............................................................. 100
Final Thoughts ............................................................................ 101
II. Depositions
101, Part II .......................................................... 103
Twelve Commandments ............................................................. 104
Banish the Nightmare ................................................................. 105
III. Deposition
Trap — The Out-of-Town Witness ...................... 107
Don’t Miss Your Chance ........................................................... 108
IV. Taking
the Corporate Designee’s Deposition ....................... 109
V. A
Discovery Problem and its Solution .................................... 113
Grounds for Sanctions ................................................................ 114
Practice Tips .............................................................................. 115
Opening Statement and
Closing Argument
I. The
Five-Minute Rule ............................................................ 119
Present a Strong Introduction ..................................................... 120
Present a Favorable Impression of Yourself
................................ 120
Present the Theory or Theme of the Case ................................... 121
Preview the Main Points of Your Case ....................................... 121
II. Closing
Argument — Swaying Hearts and Minds ................. 123
Logic ......................................................................................... 123
Emotion ..................................................................................... 124
III. Closing
Argument — “Suit the Action to the Word” ............ 127
Figurative Analogies ................................................................... 127
Rhetorical Question .................................................................... 128
Non-Verbal Communication ....................................................... 128
Choice of Words ....................................................................... 129
O’erdo It Not ............................................................................ 129
IV. What’s
Your Theme? .............................................................. 131
Early and Often — But Not Too Often ....................................... 133
Witness Examination
I. Direct
Examination Primer ..................................................... 137
The Art of Questioning ............................................................... 137
To Lead or Not to Lead ............................................................. 138
Make it Vivid ............................................................................. 139
II. Cross-Examination
Primer ...................................................... 141
III. Cross-Examining
the Mendacious Witness ........................... 145
Two Examples ........................................................................... 145
IV. Foot
in Mouth: Impeachment, Part I ...................................... 149
V. Foot
in Mouth: Impeachment, Part II .................................... 153
Another Approach ..................................................................... 155
VI. Foot
in Mouth: Impeachment, Part III ................................... 157
Asking the Right Questions ......................................................... 158
VII. A
Little Trial Tactic — Immunization .................................... 161
Witness Immunization ................................................................. 162
VIII. The
Character Witness: A Potent Weapon 165
IX. Presenting
the Character Witness ......................................... 167
Caution ...................................................................................... 169
X. The
Zen of Direct and Cross-Examination ............................ 171
XI. The
Zen of Cross-Examination ............................................... 175
Achieving Control ...................................................................... 175
Watch the Witness ..................................................................... 177
XII. Notes
from the ABA Annual Meeting ................................... 179
MacCarthy on Cross .................................................................. 180
Star Power ................................................................................ 180
Start Planning ............................................................................. 181
XIII. My
Friend Tutt 183
Dirty Tricks ................................................................................ 183
Old-Fashioned Honor ................................................................ 185
Beyond Embarassment ............................................................... 186
XIV. ................ The
Forgetful Witness — “I Need My Notes”, Part I 187
Present Recollection Revived ...................................................... 187
Aid, Not Evidence ..................................................................... 188
XV. The
Forgetful Witness — “I Need My Notes”, Part II......... 191
Past Recollection Recorded ........................................................ 191
XVI. An
Advocate’s Ethical Dilemma ........................................... 195
Post-Script .............................................................................. 196
Expert Witness
I. The
‘Deus Ex Machina’ Expert ............................................. 199
Selecting the Expert .................................................................... 200
II. Expert
Essentials .................................................................... 201
The Gatekeeper Question ........................................................... 201
The Expert’s Basis ..................................................................... 202
Ultimate Issue ............................................................................ 203
Shield and Sword ....................................................................... 204
III. Experts
and Discovery ............................................................ 205
Communicating With an Expert ................................................... 205
Full Disclosure ........................................................................... 206
IV. The
Expert at Trial .................................................................. 209
Meet the Expert ......................................................................... 209
The Climactic Question .............................................................. 210
V. Everyone’s
An Expert ............................................................. 213
Establishing Basis ....................................................................... 213
Lay Witness Opinions ................................................................ 214
Appeals
I. Preliminary
Considerations for Appeals ................................ 219
II. Before
You Write that Brief… ............................................... 223
The Record Extract .................................................................... 223
The Standard of Review ............................................................. 224
III. Going
for the Jugular .............................................................. 227
Statement of the Case ................................................................ 227
Questions Presented ................................................................... 227
Statement of Facts ..................................................................... 228
The Argument ............................................................................ 229
IV. Winning
Appellate Oral Arguments ....................................... 231
Family Law
I. So
You’re Getting Divorced, Part I ........................................ 237
II. So
You’re Getting Divorced, Part II ...................................... 241
Listening to Your Lawyer ........................................................... 241
Anger and Denial ....................................................................... 242
Follow the Money ...................................................................... 243
III. So
You’re Getting Divorced, Part III ..................................... 245
Grounds for Divorce .................................................................. 245
Marital Property ......................................................................... 246
Alimony ..................................................................................... 247
Children: Custody, Visitation and Support ................................... 247
Know the Ground Rules ............................................................. 248
IV. So
You’re Getting Divorced, Part IV ..................................... 249
Marital Settlements ..................................................................... 249
Spare the Children ..................................................................... 250
Limitations of the Legal Process .................................................. 250
V. So
What’s a Prenuptial Agreement? ...................................... 253
Prenups in Maryland .................................................................. 254
Media
I. Think
Before You Leap: Talking to the Media ..................... 259
ABA Model Rule ....................................................................... 259
Client’s Best Interests, Not Yours .............................................. 260
Prepare First, Speak Later ......................................................... 260
Crystallize Your Message ........................................................... 260
Know the Attitudes of the Judge and
Opposing Counsel ............. 261
II. The
“Fourth Estate” and You ................................................. 263
Tactical Advantage ..................................................................... 264
Public Interest
I. “A
Sad Day in July” — Reason to Remember
Sacco and Vanzetti .................................................................. 269
II. What
is a Joint Defense Agreement? .................................... 273
III. Defining
Freedoms .................................................................. 277
First Cornerstone ....................................................................... 278
IV. The
Privacy Penumbra ............................................................ 281
“Big Brother” Blocker? .............................................................. 282
V. Cruel
and Unusual ................................................................... 285
Due Process .............................................................................. 286
Trial by Jury ............................................................................... 287
VI. Winter’s
Hidden Liabilities ..................................................... 289
Location Matters ........................................................................ 289
Snow Suits ................................................................................. 290
VII. Three
Cheers for Legal Aid ................................................... 293
Civil Legal Services .................................................................... 293
Backing Justice for All ................................................................ 294