Depositions for Young Lawyers: Question Form and Technique Are Key

The prospect of taking a first deposition can be daunting for inexperienced lawyers. If it is a difficult or unguided experience, it may not make things easier for the depositions that follow. But there is hope: “Knowledge is power!” While there is no question that experience hones skills and makes lawyers more proficient at taking depositions, inexperienced practitioners can nonetheless bridge the experience gap with careful study and independent observation and practice of basic questioning techniques. This article aims to inform, but also to provide a framework that lends itself to further study and practice.