Training Guide

Introduction to Depositions

Training Guide

Introduction to Depositions

Topic: Civil Litigation Basics
Duration: 1 hr
Format: Remote or in person

What’s Covered

Deposition goals
Types of witnesses
Deposition procedure
Tips for preparing materials for deposition or witness prep

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/trainings/introduction-to-depositions/attendee

Prepare Yourself

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

Course

Introduction to Depositions

An introduction to depositions, including why they’re used, the different types of depositions, deposition procedure, and objections made during depositions.
Course

Tips for Deposition Prep

Effective depositions require a lot of preparation. This course provides tips on how associates can best help their teams prepare to take or defend depositions, including selecting documents for the deposition prep binder, preparing a deposition outline, and preparing witnesses to testify.
Exercise

Introduction to Depositions
PDF

During the Session

Part 1: Knowledge Check

Ask attendees these questions to ensure they understand the topic:

What are five goals for taking a deposition?
How can deposition testimony be used at trial?
What are the types of witnesses?
What’s a corporate representative witness?
What is a deposition prep binder?
What’s the process for selecting documents for a deposition prep binder?
What are some goals of witness prep?

Part 2: Group Exercise

Lead a group discussion based on the exercise above. 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 Civil Litigation Basics and Depositions topics.

About Hotshot

Hotshot helps lawyers develop their legal, business, and technology skills through short videos, quizzes, and summaries, and we help law firms and law schools plan and deliver engaging training programs. Our customers include Am Law 200 firms, top law schools, and regional and international firms.