22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mother Earth to the Expert Witness, March 16, 2003
This review is from: How To Excel During Deposition: Techniques for Experts that Work (Hardcover)
I'm farily judicious relative to giving a product 5 stars when providing reviews however, HOW TO EXCEL DURING DEPOSITIONS (HTEDD), is incredibly deserving. While this is certainly a niche book and one very few in the Amazon world will read, for those few who are professionals, whether in the litigation consulting arena or not, this text provides an over-the-top treatise on the right and wrong ways of providing testimony under deposition. Further, regardless desire, chances are that many professionals will be called upon to give a deposition at some point in their professional careers given the litigous society in which we live. HTEDD is a small investment that will pay off in spades.
The authors, Babitsky and Mangraviti, could be described as the "Expert's Expert." Together, they lead an organization devoted to assisting the expert in understanding the law relative to expert testimony and provide insight into tactics used by attorneys in depositions and trial scenarios. Both attorneys, Babitsky and Mangraviti, are, in fact, experts in providing this tutelage.
The nine chapters in this book are:
1. Deposition Law and Procedure - overviews of the law pertaining to depositions, the discovery process, attorney-client privilege and how that affects the expert, and general decorum during depositions;
2. Why Experts are Deposed - this chapter provides the various reasons opposing counsel wished to take an expert's deposition and the types of probing questions the expert can expect;
3. Preparing for Your Deposition - this chapter stresses the importance of PREPARATION...mastering the facts and understanding the expert's role;
4. Subpoenas/Duces Tecum and Use of Documents at Deposition - explains the different types of subpoenas experts will receive and the proper handling of documents before, during and after a deposition;
5. Answering Counsel's Questions - this is an all-important chapter as it provides actual examples of what to do and what not to do given certain scenarios of probable lines of questioning;
6. Deposition Advice for Expert Witnesses - this chapter is a goldmine of advice from your manner of speaking to eliciting emotion;
7. Setting Your Fee, Billing, and Collecting - speaks for itself; near and dear to every expert;
8. Videotape Depositions - an important chapter inasmuch as videotape depositions are becoming more prevalent in today's courtrooms; and
9. Handling Abuse - yes, the expert does have rights and recourse if an attorney is out-of-line.
I have been providing litigation consulting services for the last five years, have testified and/or been deposed in state court and NASD/NYSE arbitration hearings and can honestly tell you that this book should be considered a guidebook for any expert, whether new or experienced. I can't say enough good things about this book.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
How to Excel During Depositions, June 9, 2000
This review is from: How To Excel During Deposition: Techniques for Experts that Work (Hardcover)
This book touts itself to be an excellent resource, and it is. It is a follow up to a previous legal resource book entitled How to Excel During Cross-Examination. The authors discuss numerous subjects that are germane to expert witnesses. Subjects included in this book range from answering questions correctly to how to set your fee schedule. In addition to providing helpful information on the aspects of the expert witness profession, the authors have included a deposition checklist, 150 examples of questions and answers from depositions, and select Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. It is a must for the beginner as well as the established expert witness.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A MUST-READ for any Expert Witness!!, August 9, 2008
This review is from: How To Excel During Deposition: Techniques for Experts that Work (Hardcover)
Authors Steven Babitsky and James Mangraviti have penned an eminently practical guidebook for the expert witness. Whether you are a "newbie" just starting out or a seasoned veteran of depositions, this book offers dozens of tips that will help you when you sit in the proverbial hot seat.
A recurring theme is that there is no substitute for preparation. This time investment should be made easier by knowing that this will pay off during the deposition.
The examples are top-heavy with medical/physician vignettes, but this is a minor quibble.
The book has some handy Appendices, including a checklist for expert witnesses.
I read this book as I prepped for a 30(b)6 deposition - clearly a slightly different context -- and much of the advice is sound here as well.
Anyone who does expert witness work or considering doing so should have this book on their bookshelf!! A five-star book!
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