tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8797548749870864034.post7920335458883326528..comments2024-03-17T02:41:07.351-05:00Comments on Advocacy Teaching Blog: Opening Statements: Finding the Essence....Chris Behanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09758408764783435612noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8797548749870864034.post-81249375090634040032011-01-18T18:07:50.051-06:002011-01-18T18:07:50.051-06:00I am thinking about doing opening twice - once at ...I am thinking about doing opening twice - once at the beginning of the course and then again when I do closing arguments. I know that it can cause timing issues, but it might be nice to then compare all three presentations on video.Charlie Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03413140034533721652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8797548749870864034.post-6311547856567784882011-01-18T15:04:00.628-06:002011-01-18T15:04:00.628-06:00I love Judge Habas's Polaroid camera moment, a...I love Judge Habas's Polaroid camera moment, and I intend to try it in my trial ad class this semester.<br /><br />I've had experiences similar to Charlie's with a class delivering well-organized, mechanically correct opening statements that lack "the essence," "the sizzle," "a soul," or any other similar metaphor. I think part of this is related to when in a course the students are giving the opening statement.<br /><br />If the opening statement exercise is close to the beginning of a course--for example, right after the case analysis chapter--my thought is that the students don't yet have enough experience with THIS CASE to prepare a meaningful opening. They haven't examined witnesses yet. They haven't seen their case vulnerabilities played out on cross examination. Most importantly, they haven't had the opportunity to stumble upon or find the memorable phrases that actually form the heart of the case.<br /><br />If the opening exercise occurs closer to the end of the course, as they are preparing for the final trial, I think the chances of students delivering meaningful opening statements is much higher. By this point, they really know the case and can better channel it in their openings.<br /><br />The last couple of times I've taught trial ad, I've moved the opening statement exercise to the very end of the term, just before the final trial. I've found the timing change to be quite helpful.<br /><br />Chris BehanChris Behanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09758408764783435612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8797548749870864034.post-60091088737189860442011-01-18T10:19:59.479-06:002011-01-18T10:19:59.479-06:00Judge Christina Habas wishes to share the followin...Judge Christina Habas wishes to share the following:<br /><br />Opening Statements – is there a MORE important and rarely well-performed part of a trial? NO. I’ve now sat through hundreds of trials, both as advocate and observer, and I have to say in all that time, only 2 Opening Statements were what they needed to be.<br /><br />I have a friend, who is an artist. She has boiled down every case to a formula:<br /><br />Everyone is going along just fine.<br /> +<br />Somebody makes a decision(does something).<br />------------------------------------------<br />= All hell breaks loose.<br /><br />Dang, is she ever right! I have decided that if I had a Polaroid camera at the very point of that “decision” and took a picture, that I begin my Opening with describing that picture. VOILA! It works in almost every case, and keeps to your 3 sentence idea. Try it, you might like it.<br /><br />Tina HabasCharlie Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03413140034533721652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8797548749870864034.post-43880703206945670412011-01-18T04:50:10.862-06:002011-01-18T04:50:10.862-06:00Charlie was being fed some variations on a basic g...Charlie was being fed some variations on a basic gruel ( aka opening) and not finding it at all grabbing. Why? He says because they did not sing. I take that as, 'because they did not sing to him, they did not connect with him, they did not capture him'.<br /><br />Great communicators 'join' with the audience, take the audience with them, and are felt to respect the audience.<br /><br />There's a simple screening test. The communicator who understands the needs and wants of their audience talks about 'us', the one who doesn't talks about 'you'.<br /><br />Singing to Charlie ( aka every decision maker) requires that 'what', that 'why' and that 'how'. But that's not enough. Singing also requires soul and that's not a formulaic task: it's something that comes from deep within and reaches out to envelop the audience.Hugh Selbynoreply@blogger.com