by Ken Lopez
Founder/CEO
A2L Consulting

A successful trial lawyer is one who is able to persuade a jury or judge of the truth of his or her client’s case. In order to do that, a lawyer must connect with people on an emotional level. The only way to do that is to tell a compelling story. Stories are the way in which people learn and the way in which they organize reality.

Law school may prepare lawyers to build a case around the law, but it doesn’t teach the science or art of persuasion. Sitting in a jury and analyzing evidence is likely one of the most complex things a juror will ever do, so you need to make it easier for them and as entertaining as possible. You need to hook them early and keep them engaged.

No matter what you say during opening statements, a jury will try to fit the evidence into a story format. The question is, will they use your story, your opponent's story or one that they make up for themselves.

Great litigators understand the need to control the trial narrative. They understand that once a story takes hold, a jury will selectively hear evidence that tends to confirm the logic of the story they've adopted. This confirmation bias when combined with the knowledge that as many as 80 percent of jurors will make up their minds during opening statements, means that the story a litigator tells during opening is arguably the single most important thing done at trial.

At A2L Consulting, we have just put together the third edition of our very popular (and free) e-book on storytelling and persuasion. It’s entitled “Storytelling for Litigators: Building a Great Narrative for Judge & Jury.”  This e-book is based on the latest research, and it is designed to explain the theory behind the importance of storytelling, the basic concepts of building a persuasive story for jurors, and the specifics of how to use your story in the courtroom.

This e-book expands dramatically on the previous two editions by adding 65 additional pages of expert-authored articles on the topics of storytelling and persuasion. Now, at 144 pages and 44 articles, this is the most comprehensive and unique volume available at any price in the litigation and persuasion fields (and it's free).

The e-book is recommended for anyone whose job involves seeing the inside of a courtroom on a regular basis, but anyone charged with persuading a skeptical audience will find value in it. It features such topics as “How to Emotionally Move Your Audience,” “Ten Things Litigators Can Learn From Newscasters,” “20 Great Courtroom Storytelling Articles from Trial Experts,” “Portray Your Client As a Hero in 17 Easy Storytelling Steps,” “Planning for Courtroom Persuasion: Use a Two-Track Trial Strategy,” and “Five Essential Elements of Storytelling and Persuasion.”

I hope you enjoy this book, and I hope you will take a moment to share some feedback by contacting A2L. If you ever have a question about how to prepare the themes and story of your cases, please ask.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE STORYTELLING FOR LITIGATORS E-BOOK