Modern Trial Advocacy: Analysis and Practice [Unabridged] [Paperback]

Steven Lubet (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2004 | ISBN-10: 1556818866 | ISBN-13: 978-1556818868 | Edition: 3

NITA’s best-selling text, Modern Trial Advocacy: Analysis and Practice, has set the standard for trial advocacy texts since 1993. All NITA’s renowned full trial programs use the text, as do prominent law schools nationwide. Steven Lubet guides the beginning advocate from developing a winning case theory through all phases of trial. He explains how to present a case as a story, and how to tell the story to the jury powerfully and persuasively.

Since its initial publication, Lubet significantly enhanced the book in 1997 and now he revises it again to include a new chapter on the most recent revolution in trial advocacy: technology in the courtroom."Electronic Visuals," the new chapter by Edward R. Stein, provides a useful and insightful introduction to technology in the courtroom, ranging from evidentiary issues to practical advice. The new edition also includes updates to Federal Rules 702 and 703.

Modern Trial Advocacy contains separate sections on case theory, witness examination, making the record, and talking to the jury; a comprehensive discussion of case theory explaining how to test and develop alternate trial strategies; a portion of each chapter addressing ethics concerns as they arise in practice; and a unique chapter on persuasion theory describing how the principles of cognitive theory can be used to capture the jury’s imagination.

Modern Trial Advocacy presents a realistic and contemporary approach to learning and developing trial advocacy skills. Lubet writes in a clear, concise style that is attractive to both the beginning advocate and the experienced trial lawyer. And, most importantly, this book offers a sophisticated theory-driven approach to advocacy training that distinguishes it from other books in the field.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Quite simply, it’s the best book on trial advocacy ever written." -- Zachary Weiss, Senior Investigative Counsel, New York County District Attorney’s Office

"Steve Lubet’s book is an outstanding addition to the literature of advocacy and persuasion." -- Dominic J. Gianna, Middleberg, Riddle & Gianna, New Orleans, Louisiana

"This is a must for any trial lawyer’s library." -- Barbara Bergman, Professor of Law, University of New Mexico, School of Law

About the Author

Steven Lubet is a professor of law at Northwestern University. As Director of the School's Program on Advocacy and Professionalism, he teaches courses on Legal Ethics, Trial Advocacy, Pretrial Litigation, and Negotiation. In addition to writing more than 30 books on legal ethics and litigation, he has published widely in the areas of international criminal law and dispute resolution. Professor Lubet is the author of Modern Trial Advocacy, which is now in use at more than 60 U.S. law schools, and the major law schools in Canada and Israel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 563 pages
• Publisher: Natl Inst for Trial Advocacy; 3 edition (May 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556818866
• ISBN-13: 978-1556818868
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #593,488 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #72 in Books > Law > Administrative Law > Civil Law

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Litigation Essential, July 29, 2003

By 

Steven J. Drahozal (Dubuque, IA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Modern Trial Advocacy: Analysis and Practice (Paperback)

I bought this book after reading another review stating how superior it was to Mauet's "Trial Techniques." The review was correct. This book can assist the new litigator or can help polish the style of an experienced one. I recently had the opportunity to attend a NITA Trial School and see the techniques in the book in action. You are not serious about litigating well unless you have this book in your library. The book is practical and exceptionally informative.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Theory of Trial Advocacy Explained, October 16, 2007

By 

D. Shane Read "Author of Winning at Trial, wi... (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Modern Trial Advocacy: Analysis and Practice (Paperback)

This book, in its third edition, is used very successfully by instructors in NITA's trial skills seminars and is known by almost anyone who has taken a NITA course. Whereas Mauet's book, Trial Techniques, teaches with an emphasis on examples, this book focuses more on explaining the reasons and theory of particular trial practices. However, Lubet provides plenty of examples to make sure his points are understandable.

The third edition improves upon earlier editions by including a new section on electronic visuals and new sections covering evidentiary problems raised by the internet. Moreover, Professor Lubet's experience in teaching at Northwestern University and his authorship of over thirty books provide him the tools necessary to very effectively teach the law student and lawyer the theory of trial advocacy in this highly readable book.

8 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars In Love With His Own Words ..., October 21, 2004

By 

Webermax (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Modern Trial Advocacy: Analysis and Practice (Paperback)

This is a tough book to critique b/c my law school recommended it. The author writes a well organized book, but every chapter has been padded -- chapters that could have been concisely written in 20 pages drag out to sixty. Buy this book only if you have to and read it only if you must. You aren't going to learn anything definitive from these chapters and all the practicing lawyers I run into think the authors ideas are just plain silly. The best way to teach about trial advocacy is to include REAL transcripts from REAL cases, not made up stories about fire trucks and people late for work. Those work great -- on paper. Plus the book never answers the big question -- what is the author's ACTUAL TRIAL EXPERIENCE?