Why attend?

MCLE's two-day Taking Depositions Workshop is a unique opportunity for attorneys with little or no experience in handling depositions to learn how to prepare for, take, and defend depositions and to use deposition testimony at trial.

Throughout two days of "on your feet" participation, you play the role of counsel and witness in mock exercises. During the exercises, you take a portion of the deposition of the opposing party's witness, defend your own witness, and take the deposition of experts. Your performance is immediately critiqued by faculty in small groups. In addition, the faculty participate in panel discussions and demonstrate effective techniques for explaining the process of a deposition to the witness, taking a deposition, introducing deposition testimony at trial, and using prior inconsistent deposition testimony for impeachment.

Unparalleled learning experience

For over a decade, young trial lawyers have turned to MCLE for hands-on training in deposition practice. Hundreds of attorneys have participated in the Taking Depositions Workshop since its inception. Join the ranks of satisfied litigators who have taken advantage of this unique learning laboratory to practice their deposition-taking skills in a nonthreatening, yet rigorous, environment.

Tips and pointers for every step

From start to finish, you experience every step in a deposition. This workshop teaches you how to:

Expert faculty

The Taking Depositions Workshop features an opportunity for you to work directly with over two dozen highly skilled trial lawyers from around the Commonwealth. In order to ensure that students maximize their participation, MCLE has carefully selected an enthusiastic faculty of expert litigators who are qualified to teach and critique deposition skills. Collectively, the faculty brings to the workshop years of practical experience in a wide range of litigation contexts.

Special workshop materials and preparation

You receive workshop materials, including simulation exercises, approximately one week prior to the workshop so that you may prepare. Preworkshop preparation ensures that you maximize the learning experience for yourself and for other registrants.

In addition, attendees receive three excellent resources to use when preparing and conducting depositions. Each registrant receives Effective Deposition Strategies and Techniques by Christa Arcos, a portable reference guide to assist you in preparing an outline, asking questions, and responding to objections, as well as defending a deposition. The second resource, Selected Cases on Deposition Sanctions, is a compilation of judicial rulings on improper deposition conduct prepared by the Honorable Peter M. Lauriat which attorneys can refer to when dealing with an obstreperous opponent. The third resource is MCLE's invaluable Massachusetts Deposition Practice Manual, also by Judge Lauriat.