What Makes a Great Minnesota Criminal Defense Lawyer? - Court TV Video
Watch Jack’s Interview on Court TV
What are some of the important skills of a great criminal trial lawyer? Well, there is a long list but here are a couple: First, no notes. Get rid of the yellow pad or your laptop. When I teach trial advocacy to criminal defense attorneys and prosecutors, my first suggestion is no notes. If it looks staged, planned, and you are reading, you are not connecting with your jury and they may also feel like they are being manipulated, even if that is exactly what you are trying to do. Second, stay organized. Know where you are going and take the jury through the evidence step by step, piece by piece. And last but not least, and maybe first too, is primacy and recency. A jury will remember the first thing you say and the last thing and likely will forget much of the middle. Make those times count.
“If it looks staged, planned, and you are reading, you are not connecting with your jury.”
Jack Rice is a St. Paul based and nationally known criminal defense attorney. He appears on Court TV on 1/26/22 to discuss the necessary qualities of being a great trial lawyer.
If you are facing serious criminal charges in the Twin Cities or anywhere in Minnesota, contact Jack Rice Defense for a free confidential consultation or call 651-447-7650 or 612-227-1339.