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Facilitator Guide

Drafting a Deposition Outline

What’s covered

  • Purpose of an outline
  • Organization of an outline
  • Sources of Information for an outline
  • Background questions as an outline topic
  • Steps for drafting an outline

Before the session

Prepare the Attendees

Send the attendees an invitation for the session. Include this link, which has the videos and exercise they’ll need to prepare.

https://www.hotshotlegal.com/discussions/drafting-a-deposition-outline/attendee

Prepare Yourself

Watch the videos and read the exercise so you’re familiar with the Hotshot material.

During the session

Part 1: Knowledge Check

Ask attendees these questions to ensure they understand the topic:

  • What’s the purpose of a deposition outline?
  • How would you go about drafting a deposition outline?
  • What information would you review to prepare a deposition outline?
  • How would you organize a deposition outline?
  • What should be included in a deposition outline?

Part 2: Group Exercise

Lead a group discussion based on the exercise. To encourage collaboration, divide the attendees into groups to discuss the exercise, then have a representative from each group summarize their views to the larger group. Call on people to share their thoughts and ask others to respond.

Tip for remote sessions: use your web conferencing system’s breakout room feature to divide people into groups.

Part 3: War Stories and Firm Specifics

Share your own experiences and guidance, including:

  • Anecdotes and war stories (e.g., about a near-disaster or a tough negotiation)
  • General practice tips (dos and don’ts)
  • Firm-specific guidance and practices

After the session

To continue their learning, attendees can check out related courses in Hotshot’s Depositions topic.