Argument is the fundamental tool of the lawyer's craft, and this practical book describes the twelve material factors that influence the persuasive effect of any argument. These twelve secrets, based on ideas from some of the world's great thinkers and advocates, will show you how to make the most persuasive argument possible and maximize your success before a judge or jury, in mediation or arbitration, and anywhere else. These secrets of persuasion come from Aristotle's Rhetoric; others were revealed in the classical writings of Quintilian, Cicero, and Demosthenes. Some come from the work of contemporary scholars in communications and social psychology, some derive from the world's most renowned lawyers, and others are distilled from the authors' own collective experience of more than 100 years as trial lawyers and teachers of trial advocacy. These secrets, both classical and new, can be your key to successful argument.

Secret 1: Focus on Your Goal

Secret 2: Tailor Your Argument to the Decision-Maker

Secret 3: Cultivate Ethos

Secret 4: Base Your Argument on Reasons

Secret 5: Build with Evidence, Law, and Policy

Secret 6: Appeal to Emotion

Secret 7: Use the Best Medium for the Message

Secret 8: Strategically Arrange Your Arguments

Secret 9: Argue with Style

Secret 10: Use Delivery to Enhance Communication

Secret 11: Engage Your Listener

Secret 12: Immunize and Refute Opposing Points