Mastering the Art of Examining Witnesses 2024

Date:
Time: ()
Location:
Delivery:

Course Leaders:
Tom Curry, Lenczner Slaght
Martha McCarthy, McCarthy Hansen & Company LLP

In this definitive course on direct and cross examination, leading litigators Tom Curry and Martha McCarthy tackle core advocacy skills with practical techniques honed through dozens of trials. Using real-world examples, they bring advanced techniques to life. Hear their stories, watch them break down video examples, and hear about their methods.

This program fills up fast every year, so book your spot today!

New content and practical examples take this year's program to a new level. Whether you're a seasoned litigator or just beginning your career, this flagship advocacy program has something for everyone. Join us for an educational and truly entertaining day, and leave with practical tips to refine your examination skills.

Topics Include:

What's the Story: The Martha Method vs. The Tom Method
Examination-in-chief: why you should care and how to prepare
Cross examination: effective preparation and advanced techniques
Top impeachment tips
Re-examination: when to do it and how to do it right
Examining difficult witnesses

Registration includes breakfast and lunch.

This flagship program will be offered in person only. Spaces are limited.

Faculty Includes:
Tom Curry, Lenczner Slaght
Tom Curry is a partner at Lenczner Slaght. Widely recognized as a leading trial and appellate counsel, Tom has a long record of high-profile success in commercial litigation, class actions, arbitrations, business disputes, administrative law, judicial review, intellectual property and professional liability at both the trial and appellate levels. He has appeared before all levels of court in Ontario, as well as the Manitoba Court of Appeal, the Federal Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. He is a contributing editor of Corporate Liability, a journal devoted to examining issues of liability under criminal and regulatory law. He is also a regular speaker on a wide variety of subjects relating to trial practice and substantive law.

Martha McCarthy, LSM, McCarthy Hansen & Company LLP
Martha was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1991, winning the Silver Medal and the Family Law and Advocacy Prizes. She has practised family law since her call, first in a large Bay Street firm, then at a large specialist boutique, and now with her own firm. Although she is often associated with her leadership in pro bono cases about sexual orientation equality, including as lead counsel in the gay marriage cases, Martha is primarily a trial lawyer. She has over 25 years of courtroom experience involving all aspects of family law. She has particular expertise in alienation, high conflict custody disputes and severe domestic violence cases, all of which frequently involve complex, lengthy and difficult trials. Martha has been instructing in trial advocacy for over fifteen years, both with The Advocates’ Society and as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Toronto. She is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Family Lawyers.

9:00 – 9:10
Welcome and Introductory Remarks

9:10 – 9:35
What's the Story?

9:35 – 9:40
Use Plain Language

9:40 – 9:50
What's in Your Trial Binder?

EXAMINATION IN CHIEF:

9:50 – 10:35
Why You Care and How to Prepare: Torpedoes, Window Guys and Other Oddities

10:35 – 10:55
Break

10:55 – 11:25
Thinking on Your Feet During Chief

CROSS-EXAMINATION:

11:25 – 12:00
Preparation for Cross-Examination

12:00 – 1:00
Networking Lunch

1:00 – 2:00
Cross-Examination Techniques

2:00 – 2:40
Impeachment

2:40 – 3:00
Break

RE-EXAMINATION:

3:00 – 3:15
Re-Examination

EXAMINING DIFFICULT WITNESSES:

3:15 – 3:25
Controlling the Difficult Witness

3:25 – 3:35
The Evasive Witness

3:35 – 3:45
The Hostile Witness

3:45 – 4:00
The Professional Witness

4:00 – 4:15
The Sympathetic and Vulnerable Witness: Strategic Considerations

4:15 – 4:20
Dealing with a Difficult Judge

4:20 – 4:30
Concluding Remarks

Phenomenal Faculty
"Phenomenal rapport between the presenters. Amazing to learn from their wealth of experience."
Peter Entecott, Ministry of the Attorney General

Energetic, Engaging and Interesting
"I most enjoyed the program’s energy, the instructors were engaging, experienced and interesting."
Negar Hashemi, Department of Justice

Fantastic!
"Fantastic and engaging presentation!"
Chad Skinner, Law Society of Ontario

Great Use of Real Life Examples, Transcripts and Videos
"The speakers were very engaging knowledgeable. I found their real life examples, transcripts and videos most useful."
Barry Cox, Boghosian + Allen LLP

Great use of real life examples and clips of video.
Judy Michaely, Department of Justice

The Most Useful CPD, Hands Down!
"It is difficult to adequately capture how much I enjoyed and learned through this program. Hands down, the single most useful lecture/CPD on advocacy that I have ever attended."
Bonnie Greenaway, Lenczner Slaght LLP

No Wasted Time!
"Excellent presenters. It was all useful – no wasted time!"
Lisa Armstrong, Striberger Brown Armstrong LLP

Actionable Strategies
"I enjoyed the real life stories and the concrete, actionable strategies were most useful."
Alexandra Cutler, Shulman & Partners LLP

Fantastic Presenters!
"Fantastic presenters! Great chemistry between them that brought everything to life!"

Best Advocacy Conference to Date for me
"The use of videos to demonstrate points was superb. Best advocacy conference to date for me."

One of the Best!
"One of the best CPDs I have ever attended!"

Eligible CPD Hours:
This program contains 2.0 Professionalism hours, and is eligible for up to 4.0 Substantive hours.

Law Society Accredited

This organization has been approved as an Accredited Provider of Professionalism Content by the Law Society of Ontario.

For information on CPD requirements and accreditation across Canada, please click here.

In this definitive course on direct and cross examination, leading litigators Tom Curry and Martha McCarthy tackle core advocacy skills with practical techniques honed through dozens of trials.

Pricing:
TAS Members: Regular: $599.00 + Tax | Discount: $449.25 + Tax* (please see below)
Non-members: Regular: $749.00 + Tax | Discount: $561.75 + Tax* (please see below)

Sole practitioners, lawyers who practise in firms with fewer than 5 lawyers, and government lawyers (including lawyers who work for legal aid clinics) can take advantage of a 25% discount off the registration fee for this program. If you are eligible for this discount, please enter SSG2024 in the appropriate field at check-out.

*The Advocates' Society is pleased to offer a 25% discount on this program for all lawyers who practise as sole practitioners, or in firms smaller than 5 lawyers, and government lawyers (including lawyers who work for legal aid clinics).

TAS Members always save on CPD Programs. Join us today.

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