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Facilitator Guide

Preliminary Statement in a Brief

What’s covered

  • Goals of a preliminary statement 
  • What to include
  • Theme of your brief
  • Drafting persuasively

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/preliminary-statement-in-a-brief/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 are some of the goals for a preliminary statement? 
  • What information should you include in a preliminary statement? 
  • Why might you consider addressing your opponent’s compelling arguments in your preliminary statement?
  • How can developing a successful theme improve your preliminary statement?
  • What are a few ways that lawyers sometimes oversell their points? 
 
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 Motion Practice topic.