Attorneys defending a personal injury case must strike a delicate balance between vigorously representing their client without coming across as cold and unsympathetic to a plaintiff’s condition. And in the latest episode of CVN’s Trial Technique Spotlight, Shane Read, one of the country’s preeminent trial presentation experts, analyzes how Allison Brown masterfully struck that balance in her opening statement at a talc trial against Johnson & Johnson, laying the groundwork for a defense verdict in the case.

Some studies show jurors often make up their minds about a case by the conclusion of opening statements. It’s one reason why distilling your case to a brief, powerful statement during openings is so crucial. And in a new CVN video series, renowned trial presentation expert Shane Read analyzes how Mark Lanier used such a statement to set the stage for a blockbuster talc trial verdict.