OPENING statement - Openings, Part II. Storytelling & "previewing"

Professor Wes Porter discusses opening statements, specifically presenting your case as a clear, short and persuasive story and using the technique of "previewing" to avoid argument and provide for the unknown at trial. This is Part II of a 2-part series. Professor Wes Porter served as a trial attorney with the Department of Justice's Criminal Division, Fraud Section, in Washington D.C., the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Hawaii and the JAG Corps for the U.S. Navy stationed in the Trial Service Office Pacific. After lecturing, coaching mock trial and teaching as an adjunct professor for years, he moved to academia full-time teaching courses in Evidence, Criminal Law and Procedure, and skills courses like Trial Advocacy. Professor Porter earned tenure, became a full professor of law, and led a center devoted to litigation and trial skills training. Professor Porter still teaches in law schools and trains lawyers new to the profession. To contact Professor Porter with questions or video topic requests, you may email him at [email protected]. (c) Copyright Wes R. Porter 2020. All rights reserved. You may request permission to link to these videos in your materials at [email protected].