Litigation is like war: the battle is won before the fighting begins. Preparation is all, and a big part of litigation support is witness preparation.
Lawyers are skilled at preparing witnesses to answer questions in order to establish a credible fact pattern. But few lawyers are ready and willing to address the personal style and mannerisms of a witness– especially those of an important client. Yet personal style and mannerisms can be dispositive.
The unconscious and habitual expressions of a witness influence the very human decision to trust or not to trust, to believe or not to believe.
A witness who radiates warmth and competence can sway judge and jury. A witness who inadvertently expresses contempt or indifference will trigger an opposite bias.
In fact, science has established that our minds ascribe moral intention to gestures if they show any hint of emotional expression.
If you have a witness who is not coming across well, Sims Wyeth will collaborate with you to ensure that your witness will come across to judge and jury as credible and likeable, strengthening your case and your client’s chance of prevailing.
Sims Wyeth has the experience and expertise to help witnesses:
Embedded as a member of the litigation team so that he knows the context and content of the case, Sims Wyeth prepares witnesses to put their best foot forward at deposition and at trial.
His skill derives from his years as an actor and a teacher of acting, his 25-year career as an executive speech coach, and his innate sensitivity to subtle cues of gesture, voice, and facial expression.
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