Upcoming Clinics
Important Notice: Roger J Dodd teaches every clinic with co-teachers unless health issues intervene. We are all trial lawyers. Judges set trials, we do not. We do everything we can to not have trial conflict with any clinic. It is rare, but it happens. As soon as we know we have a potential conflict, we will notify you of the conflict and proposed dates to reschedule the clinic. Please take this into account before making travel arrangements.
We continue to attempt to stay abreast of CDC Guidelines and local guidelines for areas where we will conduct a live Clinic. From the beginning of the pandemic, we took this position on health issues. "We will adhere to all local guidelines for COVID19." Now that we have reopened live Clinics, we will continue to take a conservative position on health issues to do our best to protect our participants, our actors, instructors and staff. THE CDC HAS UPDATED ITS GUIDELINES. MANY COURTS AND GOVERNMENTS HAVE UPDATED THEIR RESTRICTIONS IN RESPONSE. AT A LIVE CLINIC, PEOPLE COME IN FROM VARIOUS LOCATIONS, INCLUDING PARTICIPANTS, ACTORS, INSTRUCTORS, AND STAFF. MANY OF THOSE LOCATIONS ARE NOW LISTED AS ”SUBSTANTIAL” AND “HIGH” TRANSMISSION OF COVID–19 (PARTICULARLY DELTA VARIANTS).
Please make sure you are following the guidelines in place at the date of Clinic.
What an awesome learning experience. This clinic was hands down the best training I’ve had in trying cases. Only wish I’d done it years ago.
— Dan from South Carolina
What you’ll learn
We teach for three different types of cross-examination. Trial cross-examination, but also cross-examination for depositions and most recently cross-examination for zoom depositions.
2 Day Clinics
Roger J. Dodd Trial Skills Clinic provides unique, individualized, real-life, positive, nurturing and safe, experiential training. The course is conducted in a small group setting for lawyers of all experience levels. For two days you will be on your feet performing cross-examinations of witnesses.
Immediate Feedback
Immediate actionable feedback is given by the instructors, and the actor/witnesses. NO delays. This builds listening and cross-examination analysis skills in all participants.Within two weeks a confidential, written critique is given by the instructors to each participant on skills to refine, and on skills to concentrate to improve.
10 Core Concepts
Constructive Cross
Using their witnesses and their documents on cross to prove your theory.
Witness Responses
The mental, emotional, psychological and physiological responses of the witness on cross-examination.
Spontaneous Loops
Cutting edge use of the witnesses' own words.
Difficult Witnesses
Twenty one ways to control difficult witnesses.
Loops
Label every important witness and piece of evidence.
Double Loops
The best way to undermine opposing experts.
Opposing Witnesses
Four best ways to control an opposing expert witness.
Trilogies
How to use the Rule of Threes to make your cross memorable.
Stay Organized
How to stay organized in preparation and delivery of the cross by chapters.
Maximize Effect
How to maximize the effect of cross by proper sequencing of your chapters.
Zoom & New Technologies
For the foreseeable future cross-examinations (at depositions and non-jury hearings and eventually at all non-jury matters) will be done remotely. On Zoom, audio only, visual conferencing or some other platform. These new modalities require a new and separate skill set. We will prepare you for that. We will practice those skills. Each modality requires us to focus, listen and observe differently.
Four Remote Focus Areas
Remote Perspectives
We are able to bring in our BEST professional improv actors. They have been studying on the differences between live performance to on camera performance their whole careers. They will give their insights from the lawyer's point of view and from the witness's point of view. Most importantly they will give us insights from the factfinder’s point of view, be that a judge or jury.
Audio Only vs.
Audio Visual
Each and every problem will have separate clips for audio tone only cross-examination, and audio tone and visual combined with body language cross-examination. We will practice how to do all most effectively.
Refined Word Choice Exercise
We have refined the word choice exercise and others specifically for remote. Most of you have not done this exercise. A few of you were pioneers in its construction. At your level of skills, many of us struggle with the best word selection for the theory and narrative we know will serve our clients best. This fast paced exercise builds those skills. It has now been adapted to the remote platform.
Attendance Policy
We Reserve the Right to Deny Any Person to Participate
After teaching more than 55,000 lawyers and judges for three decades, in all 50 states, and multiple foreign countries, we have discovered that there is at least one person out there that would be toxic to a small group where interaction between all participants, improv actors and instructors is vital. It would not be fair to anyone to endure that environment while trying to learn in a positive environment.
If after accepting a deposit for one of the seats, it is decided by the Clinic that the issues(s) cannot be reasonably resolved, then the fee will be refunded and that participant will not be given a seat. This would only happen following an effort to resolve the issue(s) with the potential participant.
Participation
Your attendance and participation is important not only to you, but also to the other participants of the Clinic. Our experience has shown that eight participants is optimum for learning. The Clinic is not a CLE where you will be one of 400 attendees and your absence does not matter to the presentation. Instead, when someone is unable to participate, it effects the balance and flow of the class. Other participants do not get the insight of observing and receiving critique, suggestions and questions from all participants.
Once a participant is registered with payment our policy is twofold
It will be the sole responsibility of the participant to fill the seat, and thus mitigate the registration fee. There will be no refunds. If possible the seat will be filled and any registration fee collected from the alternate participant will be refunded to the cancelling party less an administration fee of $250.
Despite the fact that it is the sole responsibility of the cancelling participant to fill the seat, we will do all we can to assist you in finding a replacement. Normally we have a waiting list, but the closer in time to the Clinic, the harder it is to fill an empty seat.
Warning: Each Clinic session is limited to 8 participants. Eight has been found to be the optimum size for a clinic to create the maximum interaction and learning between participants. Consequently, once each participant has registered, you are responsible for your tuition. If you develop a conflict or have any other reason that you cannot attend that specific session, you must find a replacement, at your cost. We will assist you to try to find a replacement, but it is your duty.
Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Credit
We will work with you on establishing CLE credit for you where ever you desire. So far, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington, Kansas, Arkansas, New Jersey, Mississippi, and Indiana have approved the Clinic for up to 13 hours of CLE credit. Some jurisdictions have approved the Clinic for a like number of hours of CLE credit on an individual basis.
Roger J. Dodd knows of no jurisdiction that has declined awarding CLE credit for any CLE offering that he has provided in 3 decades of CLE training. We will make all efforts to assist in you obtaining that CLE credit in association with the Clinic.
Testimonials
“It was truly a transformational event for me. Any fear of going to trial is gone and it’s funny now that I have had a chance to reflect, I realize that I actually felt different on day 2 than I did on the first day. The clinic had a major impact on me. You pushed us all really hard without overtly appearing to do so and it was an absolute honor and pleasure to have had the opportunity to learn from you.”
— Jerry, Canada
“It was an intense and memorable process. I learned a lot and am still processing a lot of the info. Nevertheless, I am retraining myself to become better. Your clinic is undoubtedly a major step in that process. Please continue your and Matt’s teaching as long as possible; you are both an asset to those who truly aspire to being a trial lawyer.”
— Trevor, Oklahoma
“Your clinic was deeply inspiring. I have never been to anything like it and can’t wait to use all that you and Tricia taught me. We all felt that it built not only our trial skills but our connections to each other. We are a better team having learned from you together.”
— Alisa, Washington
Individual Coaching
More and more, participants from the various teaching modalities asked for either co-counseling of cases or specific coaching. That evolved into the individualized coaching concept. Individualized to the specific lawyer and to the specific case.
Roger can provide individualized coaching for troublesome
Facts, Tactics, Depositions, or Hearings
Or he can help and coach you through
Shortly after the Sundance Festival. Less Traffic. More reasonable room rates. Better skiing. Join us in-person in Park City, Utah on February 2 -3, 2023.
We will continue to adhere to all local and state guidelines for social distancing and other protections in respects to COVID19.