Mid-America Deposition Program
The Mid-America Deposition Program was presented on September 10 and 11, 2004 by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) and the Center for Excellence in Advocacy at Washburn University School of Law. This two-day program helped practicing attorneys improve their deposition skills.
Program participants took depositions drawn from course materials that included a NITA simulated case file, Polisi v. Clark et al. In this civil case a lawyer claimed she was discriminated against when she lost her job at a large law firm. She also accused the defendants of sexual harassment. Actors and practicing lawyers played the roles of plaintiff and defendant. When participants were not taking depositions and being critiqued on their performances, faculty were giving them lectures and demonstrations on the skills and ethical responsibilities involved in the fact-finding deposition process. Topics covered during the program included:
- the purposes of depositions
- how depositions fit into an overall plan for case theory and development
- the rules governing the conduct of depositions
- the goals and methods of preparing a client for a deposition
- the ethical issues in representing an employee of a corporate client at a deposition.
Participants felt the intense program, lasting each day from 8:30 to 5:00, provided the "hands-on" skills-based approach that helped them learn better how to take a deposition. Participants also enjoyed the contact they had with highly experienced litigators.
Professor Michael Kaye, Center Director, oversaw the program. Also assisting were Washburn Law trial advocacy teachers Bill Ossmann (Class of 1977), Ron Pope (Class of 1984) and Michael Francis (Class of 1975). Other faculty included Lynn McCreary (Class of 1994), Richmond Enochs (Class of 1963), John Johnson (Class of 1973), Amy Lemley, Donald Prophete and Michael Williams.
Representing NITA as faculty team leaders were Bill Elward of the Illinois Attorney General's Office and Doug Harper a sole practitioner from Chicago. The 27 attorney students came from Kansas and elsewhere around the United States.
Among the Washburn alumni who played the role of witness in the case was Susana L. Valdovinos (Class of 1988). Associate Dean for Student Affairs Carol Vizzier also performed as a witness.
