Pozner on Cross: The Chapter Method
Learn step-by-step techniques to recognize, write and deliver powerful cross-examinations.
Saturday, April 5, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., IN-PERSON AND LIVE VIRTUAL OPTIONS
Conference location: In-person: 20 Toronto Street, 2nd Floor, Toronto ON M5C 2B8
CPD: 6 hours substantive
When registering, you will be provided the option to choose in-person or virtual participation.
Pozner on Cross: The Chapter Method, is a unique and entertaining program that teaches the most efficient methods to recognize, write, and deliver powerful cross-examinations. Building on principles of neuroscience and behavioral psychology, Pozner will explain how to make cross into storytelling, and how those stories will control witnesses while causing jurors to focus on the facts of out choosing. These modern techniques allow us to use the prosecution witness to prove much of our case, and potentially eliminate our need to call the defendant or other defense witnesses.
Pozner on Cross: The Chapter Method, is an outgrowth of Pozner’s book Cross Examination: Science and Techniques (Lexis 3rd edition 2018, Pozner and Dodd). His book and seminar revolutionized our profession’s view of the purposes and methods of modern cross. Here, in one day, is the speedily learned and easily applied method to control the witness while teaching our best facts.
DRAFT AGENDA:
Continental breakfast - 8 to 8:45 a.m.
Live presentation 8:45 to 10:45
The science behind Chapter Method cross-examinations.
- Behavioral economics: how people take shortcuts to decisions
- Cognitive neuroscience: how the brain processes information and can tire
- Cognitive psychology: how the brain prefers to acquire information
How storytelling wins cases
- Construction of a cross-examination story
- How jurors harmonize with the emotion of a story
- Chunking facts to aid understanding.
The Chapter Method of cross examination
- How to build chapters of cross with examples
- The mental economics of chapter method preparation and presentation
- Building chapters to achieve factual goals.
Morning break - 10:45 to 11 a.m.
Live presentation 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Constructing Chapter Bundles
- The advantages of telling big stories through linked smaller stories
- Viewing an event as a series of smaller events
- Examples of chapter bundles
Constructive cross examination
- Methods and advantages of cross-centered preparation
- How constructive cross-examination wins cases.
- Asking safe questions when we do not have the fact in discovery.
Sequences of cross-examination
- Placing chapters in a persuasive order
- How to begin and end the cross
- Staying on track when witnesses evade
Buffet lunch from 1 to 2 p.m.
Live presentation from 2 to 4 p.m.
Page preparation of chapters of cross-examination
- The architecture of a page of Chapter Method cross
- Page format samples
- Preparing for instant impeachments
The only 3 Rules of cross: Forming questions that control the witness
- Delivering questions that deprive the witness of time to deceive
- Forming questions that shrink the field of evasion.
- Group facts to use opponent’s witnesses to tell our stories.
Controlling anxiety
- How prepared chapters make cross more predictable
- Using Chapter Method cross to ease juror anxiety
- Inducing anxiety in the deceptive witness
SPEAKER
Larry Pozner is a solo practitioner lecturer, author, and trial consultant. He is the lead author of America’s all-time bestselling book on cross-examination, Cross-Examination: Science and Techniques (Lexis, 3 rd Ed. 2018, Pozner and Dodd).His resulting lecture: Pozner on Cross: The Chapter Method, has taken him to 49 states and several foreign countries. Larry began his career as a Colorado Public Defender. He is a Past President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He has long been recognized in Best Lawyers in America in criminal defense—both white collar and non-white collar, and in civil “Bet the Company” litigation. While always a full-time practitioner, he also taught at the University of Denver College of Law, where he was voted Best Professor. Pozner was trial counsel for many years for the Denver Broncos franchise and was part of the trial team that preserved Pat Bowlen’s ownership of the Broncos. He and a team of lawyers recently used these techniques to win and collect a $111 million judgment against PNC Bank.
REGISTRATION
The price for in-person and virtual is the same enabling registrants to switch preference up to 48 hours in advance with no penalty (space pending for in-person). There are no refunds. Recordings, pending quality, will be made available for viewing to registrants only up to August 9, 2025. We will not be selling access to the recordings separately. There are no refunds.
- $200 plus HST: CLA Members
- $800 plus HST: Non-members – open to all legal professionals*
* Not a member? Join online by going to https://members.criminallawyers.ca/joinus