In our consulting work, the primary focus areas are being able to shift your Client/Witness from the Role of The Victim to the Role of The Victor.

This is the foundation for Jesse’s book Witness Preparation: How To Tell The Winning Story (Trial Guides) and the KEY to our approach with every trial team, not just in witness preparation but in helping frame and present your entire case to judge and jury. (The origins of the Victim to Victor approach came from Jesse Wilson working with inmates and addicts in prisons across Colorado- a powerful and game-changing experience.)

Most clients painfully cast themselves in the wrong role- the role they believe the jurors need to see them as. Our message to the client is simple, transformational, and it’s within the first five minutes of meeting with your client.

You are not your pain.

You are the strength of trying
(key word) to overcome your pain.

This is who you are.

This is what we need to show the jury.

We are here to show the story of strength.

In our experience, once the witness deeply and emotionally understands what it will take to help them win their case (although it is never their case to win when they are on the stand; that is the lawyer’s job) we find that the rest of the objectives needed to cover in our prep sessions with the client become infinitely easier.

Amazing what happens when you know your role!

Once the Witness is warmed up to their role as The Victor, not The Victim, more specifically, witness preparation entails:

Direct/Cross Wordsmithing and Rehearsal

Flipping the script on the Killshots/Danger points of defense

Nonverbal communication

Listening (Less is more…unless more is more with joy)

Don’t guess/ don’t volunteer

Sticking with the 3 C’s (Cool, Calm, Collected)

Staying in your lane – not your case to win

Don’t tell the story you want to tell, tell the story you have to tell!

Tell The Winning Story’s case strategy session is a collaborative process that focuses efforts on the development of the case narrative, themes, and language that will effectively reach the heart of the jury.

We will help you:

Develop the Opening/Closing story so the right story powerfully resonates with the jury

Rehearse the Opening/Closing story

Work with you on all verbal and non-verbal communication to create a compelling and congruent message the jury can trust

Integrate, Rehearse, and Choreograph Powerpoint Presentation, Exhibits and Demonstratives with your Opening Statement and/or Closing Argument

Direct/Cross Examination Sequencing, Word-Smithing and 4 Step of The Stage Preparation (Happy to walk you through what our radically simplified 4 Step Process looks like)

Voir Dire sequencing and rehearsal with jurors (focus groups)

Identify central case strengths and weaknesses (kill shots of defense), focusing on how to successfully embrace and integrate them into the case narrative

Before giving us a call to discuss the development and presentation of your case and the preparation with your client/s, please take a moment to reflect upon these questions:

Tell The Winning Story Client Checklist

Does your client fall more into the Victim vs Victor category? (99% of most witnesses are stuck in the Victim Trap!)

On a scale of 1-10, how do you rate the client’s ability to tell a credible / winning story?

What do you feel is their “beneath the surface” story (the one that may not ever necessarily need be communicated verbally to the jury)?

What do you feel is your client’s greatest strength?

What do you feel is your client’s greatest weakness?

How confident are you in your client’s direct/cross examination?