Questioning Witnesses, Experts, and Prospective Jurors: A Tactical Guide for Lawyers

Agenda / Content Covered

All times are shown in Eastern time.

1. Questioning Styles and Tactics That Should be in Every Litigator's Arsenal
   11:00 - 11:30, John M. Lynch
2. Secrets to Effective Interviews: How to Get People Talking, Detect Lies, and More
   11:30 - 12:00, Dennis J. Bartek
3. Hearsay and Beyond: Key Evidence Rules for Examinations
   12:00 - 12:45, John M. Lynch
4. Creative Deposition and Cross-Examination Techniques
   1:00 - 1:45, Dennis J. Bartek
5. The Art of Deposing or Cross-Examining the Expert Witness
   1:45 - 2:15, Tracy N. Tool
6. How to Deal With Difficult Deponents and Opposing Counsel
   2:45 - 3:30, Dennis J. Bartek
7. Voir Dire: How to Get Jurors to Recognize and Admit Their Biases
   3:30 - 4:15, Leonard D. Zaccagnino
8. 15 Simple Yet Powerful Direct Examination Tactics You Need to Know
   4:30 - 5:00, Tracy N. Tool
9. Legal Ethics
   5:00 - 6:00, Tracy N. Tool
   1. Preparing vs. Improperly Coaching Witnesses
   2. Guidelines for Compensating Witnesses
   3. Advocacy vs. Misrepresentation: Applying ABA Model Rules
   4. When Aggressive Litigation Tactics Cross the Ethical Line
   5. Juror Investigation and Communication
   6. Legal Ethics of Social Media and Data Mining

Accreditation Details:

DENNIS J. BARTEK is the founder of the Bartek Law Office, which handles cases in wrongful death, personal injury, medical malpractice, products liability, business litigation, insurance coverage, litigation, criminal law, and mediation, in state, federal and appellate courts. Mr. Bartek has spoken at numerous seminars and short courses, professional leadership seminars, workshops, and conferences on all aspects of trial practice. He is admitted to practice in Ohio, as well as in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio; the U.S. Supreme Court; and the U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit. He has appeared pro hac vice in other state and federal courts as well. Prior to establishing his own firm, Mr. Bartek served the community as an assistant prosecutor for Summit County. Additionally, he served as acting judge for Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court by periodic assignment for 14 years. Mr. Bartek is past president of the Akron Bar Association and past president of the Scanlon-Bell Inn of Court (Master of the Bench). He is a graduate of the Justice Institute and has been a recipient of both the University of Akron School of Law Outstanding Alumni Award and the Akron Bar Association Professionalism Award. Mr. Bartek has been selected as one of Ohio's Super Lawyers on numerous occasions, including 2021. He earned his B.A. and J.D. degrees from the University of Akron.

JOHN M. LYNCH is an attorney at The Law Offices of John M. Lynch, where his practice includes federal criminal defense, DUI/DWI defense, drug possession defense, white-collar crime defense, personal injury, gun law, and general trial litigation. Mr. Lynch is a member of The Missouri Bar, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, American Bar Association, American Association for Justice, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, International Homicide Investigators Association, American Trial Lawyers Association, Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, and the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, as well as a member of the Board of Directors for the Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Mr. Lynch has a strong law enforcement background with a decade of experience as a police investigator and federal drug task force agent. He earned his B.S. degree from Columbia College and his J.D. degree from Saint Louis University School of Law.

TRACY N. TOOL is a partner with the law firm of Bye, Goff & Rohde, Ltd., serving Wisconsin and Minnesota. Since 1990, Mr. Tool has focused his practice in the areas of plaintiff's personal injury litigation, nursing home malpractice, wrongful death, employment litigation, and civil rights litigation. He is board certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a civil trial specialist. Mr. Tool earned his B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota and his J.D. degree from the University of Minnesota Law School. He is a member of the St. Croix Valley, Ramsey County, and Hennepin County bar associations; and the Wisconsin Association of Justice.

LEONARD D. ZACCAGNINO is a senior partner with the law firm of Shaw & Shaw, P.C., in Hamburg, New York, where he practices in the areas of personal injury and general civil litigation, as well as civil, criminal, and trial law. Mr. Zaccagnino has spoken before the Young Lawyers Section of the Erie County Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association. He is a member of the New York Trial Lawyers Association, the Western New York Trial Lawyers Association, the Bar Association of Erie County, and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. He serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Buffalo Law School, and coaches the trial team at that school. Mr. Zaccagnino earned his B.S. degree from Canisius College and his J.D. degree from Syracuse University.