Med Art Honored as GTLA Preferred Partner!

Med Art is honored to be invited as a"Preferred Partner" with the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association! We have been proud to serve the trial lawyers of Georgia for the past 5 years!

In July, 2004, Med Art opened a full service production office in the Atlanta area, providing case review and presentation stragedies, the creation of exhibits, animations and interactive presentations. Additionally we provide trial presentation services for medication or trial.

Contact Southeast Office: ShelleyWatts@med-art.com

Contact Northeast Office: PatMurphy@med-art.com

Farewell Mr. Kennedy

Sen. Kennedy was a friend of the same individuals our country’s trial attorneys are fighting for: the victims. He was committed to protecting our nation’s legal system and was dedicated to social justice. He fought for those injured in the workplace or by unsafe products. He staunchly supported health care reform for all Americans. Sen. Kennedy’s distinguished career in the U.S. Senate will stand forever as a model of compassionate leadership.

“For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.” – Sen. Edward M. Kennedy

Admitted Exhibit List ...Easy Stuff!

Compiling a list of exhibits over the course of a trial can be a pain. TrialDirector has a very easy way to compile a list of all exhibits that have been admitted, or marked for admission.

You must be in Presentation mode for this function to work While the exhibit is on the screen, type in -AD, then Once done, TrialDirector saves the exhibit in a Workbook called Admitted, subsequently saved by date admitted. Caution: If any markups have been applied to the exhibit while in presentation mode, they will not be saved when admitting it. You would also need to click on the camera button to take a screenshot with any markups applied.

Create INSTANT Presentations

One of the electronic tools attorneys seem to have no problem embracing in a trial setting are PowerPoint presentations. A tool like Trial Director seems to be so scary. But scary no more! A tool like Presentation Scripts allows for PowerPoint-like functionality in the court room, only with all Trial Director's bells and whistles! This function allows you to organize your exhibits in the order you wish to present them, save them, then display them one-by-one in the courtroom with a single-click of the space bar! Here's how you do it:

Create a workbook and populate it with the exhibits you wish to present, then organize them in the order you want to present them in. Right-click on the workbook and find Send Workbook Contents to Presentation Script. You only have two options: 1) Give it a name and/or 2) have each slide advance automatically every [x] amount of seconds. Click OK. Remember what you called it, as there is no indication anywhere that you just did this. Go to presentation mode. Type in the name of your presentation script (just like you would any exhibit) and hit enter. Voila! Your first exhibit is displayed, and advances every time you hit the space bar (except where you've entered a number of seconds for an automatic slide advance). Note: This functionality works in both 4.x and 5.x versions. In 4.x, you work with Folders rather than Workbooks, but the process is the same.

For more information on Indata's Trial Director or any other presentation software please visit our Services page.

If Teachers Talked Six Minutes Less Per Lesson...

Ruhl, K. L., Hughes, C. A., & Schloss, P. J. (1987, Winter). Using the pause procedure to enhance lecture recall. Teacher Education and Special Education, 14-18.

In this study an instructor paused for two minutes on three occasions during each of five lectures: the intervals ranged from 12 to 18 minutes. During the pauses, while students worked in pairs to discuss and rework their notes, no interaction occurred between instructor and students. At the end of each lecture, students were given three minutes to write down everything they could remember from the lecture (free recall); 12 days after the last lecture, the students were also given a 65 item multiple-choice test to measure long-term retention. A control group received the same lectures (using the same anecdotes and visual aids) and was similarly tested. In two separate courses repeated over two semesters, the results were striking and consistent: Students hearing the lectures while the instructor paused did significantly better on the free recall and the comprehensive test. In fact, the magnitude of the difference in mean scores between the two groups was large enough to make a difference of two letter grades depending upon cutoff points!

The implication of this research is staggering, for it essentially says that if we talk six minutes less, students learn more.Undoubtedly these counterintuitive results stem from two things: 1) the short lectures (12-18 minutes) are consistent with the research that suggests that students’ ability to retain information falls off substantially after 10-20 minutes; and 2) by engaging in an activity that reinforces the information presented, student learning should be increased. This study of Ruhl and others clearly suggests that we have an opportunity to include short, active-learning activities into our lectures with no loss to the content learned. Indeed, students seem to learn more from the process.

What Does This Mean to a TRIAL LAWYER?

The attention span of jury members is similar to that of the students in the study. Especially when dealing with complex or highly technical issues, breaking the material up into 6-10 minute segments will increase the audience’s ability to retain what you say. Simply recap at the end of each segment and pause to let the information sink in.

Top Ten PowerPoint Tips #10

10. KNOW WHEN TO GET HELP

If you have the time and resources to do all of this yourself, and if it will not risk the outcome of your case, go for it. Most of these tips are relatively basic, but like anything else, they can become time-consuming.

If you do not have the time to devote to this type of preparation, or if it is just something that would divert precious time away from more important responsibilities, you should consider assistance. Someone in your office, an outside graphics vendor, or trial consultant can tackle the production chores and can even be present during the trial, following along with a copy of your outline and advancing the slides for you. This assistance enables you to focus on connecting with the jury.

Cost is important, but should not impede the best possible representation of your client. A case worth trying is a case worth presenting properly, effectively, and efficiently. If that means bringing in some help, so be it.

If you do find that you need assistance, a trial is not the time for bargain-hunting. Make sure your entire team is trained and experienced, and not just learning the ropes on your (or your client's) dime.

For more assistance on PowerPoint presentations or other Presentation Inovations feel free to visit Med Art's Home page. http://www.med-art.com/Home.aspx

Top Ten PowerPoint Tips #9

9. TIMING IS EVERYTHING

Once you've completed your outline and have created all of the desired graphics to help your jury better understand your message, you should make a note where each slide should be displayed. Doing so will help you remember to change each slide at the proper time.

You should rehearse your opening or closing, and use the slides to make sure everything flows smoothly and makes sense. You might find that you need some extra visual support in one area, or that you don't really need it in another. Quickly reading and reviewing your outline is much different than actually presenting it. You should have an idea how long it will take, and adjust if necessary.

It is also helpful to do this in front of others, such as in a mock trial or in front of a jury consultant. If this is not feasible, you might at least present it to others in your office or family. Attorneys generally know all of the fine details of their case so well that when explaining it to a jury, they can easily forget that others do not have the same degree of understanding.

TWITTER bonus tip: Should you need to make adjustments such as skipping a section and your notes indicate which slide number is to be presented, you can type in that number and then hit the Enter key. It will go directly to that slide, preventing you from flashing through a series of slides that you no longer want to use.

For examples of PowerPoint presentations and many other Presentation Inovations feel free to visit Med Art's Product page. http://www.med-art.com/Products.aspx

Top Ten PowerPoint Tips #8

8. HIGHLIGHTING YOUR TEXT AND DOCUMENTS

Where's the highlighter tool? This is not Microsoft Word, so you will have to be a little more creative if you want to highlight your documents.

If you've ever seen TrialDirector, you know what it is supposed to look like. If you've ever seen a slide with pale yellow washed out text that is supposed to be highlighted, you know what it looks like when it's done wrong (or at least, not as nice as it could be). Many lawyers highlight by drawing a box around the desired text and then choosing a pale yellow semi-transparent fill -- it really doesn't look very nice.

For text, you have a couple choices. One is to place white text inside a black background or text frame, and then simply use a yellow font color on the portion you'd like to highlight. People refer to this method as "reverse text."

Another way is to create a rectangle with a white fill color and cover the text, then make that rectangle 50% transparent. With the bulk of the text screened back now create a text block with the highlighted text on top of the transparent screen. Making the highlighted text block bigger will also POP the information out.

For documents, you are better off doing the highlighting in TrialDirector and capturing a screenshot. It is a very helpful program for such tasks.

For examples of this idea and many other Presentation Inovations feel free to visit Med Art's Product page. http://www.med-art.com/Products.aspx

Top Ten PowerPoint Tips #7

7. ADD VIDEO OR AUDIO CLIPS

As with images, you can resize a video clip as well, using the same techniques described above. There is no reason to have a tiny video window playing on a big slide. It is generally a good idea to fill the entire slide with the video.

As for audio clips, you might have a blank slide, or you might even have the transcript or text showing as the audio plays. If your audio file displays an icon on the screen during the presentation, you can simply move it out of view on the slide layout. It will still play just fine.

One little caveat: Have you ever seen video on a PowerPoint slide that won't play, even though you can see a still picture of the video clip? The reason may be that someone has copied or moved the presentation from one location to another. The program searches for the file, and it's not there.

One way to make sure you include it in a copy is to use PowerPoint's "Pack and Go" or "Package for CD" feature. This feature will ensure that all embedded files are included with the presentation.

For examples of this idea and many other Presentation Inovations feel free to visit Med Art's Product page. http://www.med-art.com/Products.aspx

Top Ten PowerPoint Tips #6

6. RESIZE YOUR IMAGES TO FIT THE SLIDE

It is relatively simple to add photos or documents to your slides. You can copy and paste them from a file folder, from another program that has an image showing, or you can use the PowerPoint program menus to insert any number of different items.

Once you have placed the image on the slide, don't just leave it where and how it lands by default. If you click on the image, you can then resize it, move it exactly where you'd like. Depending on the type of image, you may also be able to lighten or darken it, crop it, and/or otherwise modify it.

A resizing trick: hold down the Shift key while grabbing the corner of the image, and it will maintain its original shape. In other words, it won't distort the image into a tall and skinny version of the original.

If the image is too large for the slide, you can drag it or scroll until you can see a corner, then resize. When dragging an image, if you get near the corner of the slide, it will tend to "stick" there, helping you align it.

For examples of this idea and many other Presentation Inovations feel free to visit Med Art's Product page. http://www.med-art.com/Products.aspx

Should You Use Technology In The Courtroom? Pro & Con

Pro.

Dart Jackson, Director of Business Development and Chief Counsel, Litigation Presentation Inc.

Recent research proves that when a visual presentation strategy is employed to amplify oral arguments and presentations, it increases the likelihood of winning at trial. Why? Because it makes the facts presented clearer. Emerging courtroom presentation technologies include applying color theory and psychology in the design of demonstratives that increase retention for the trier of fact (i.e., judges or juries). Jurors are well accustomed to entertaining commercials, Web sites and even newscasts. New technologies utilizing visual strategy mimic these experiences.

Increasingly, progressive lawyers are successfully implementing new technologies and the competitive landscape requires all lawyers to learn about --- and utilize --- them. When effective communication and presentation theories are applied, along with proper trial preparation and presentation skills, it naturally strengthens the litigator's argument. Further, it builds credibility and increases both the jury and judge's understanding of facts.

Con.

Dax E. Lopez, Attorney Foltz Martin LLC

There is no doubt that when used appropriately, and in the right amount, technology can be a powerful tool to effectively communicate with a jury. However, technology should not be relied upon as a substitute for an attorney's presentation and oratory skills. Attorneys known for winning at trial have learned the ability to draw in even the most challenging juries by developing a strong theme, choosing the most material facts, and conveying those ideas using the right synchronization of well articulated phrases, tone, body movement, and properly placed pauses. These techniques, if honed and mastered, can be just as effective in entertaining and enlightening a jury as any technology-based presentation.

Indeed, an attorney's ability to paint a vivid picture using good old fashioned story telling techniques can render flashy or dramatic visuals unnecessary. Moreover, these skills are invaluable to salvaging a case if there is a technology failure in court, or if some courtroom visuals are objected to and precluded from being presented to the jury. In the end, technology in the courtroom should serve as a complement to, but not a substitute for an attorney's well crafted presentation skills.

Edited by Tom Sabulis, tsabulis@ajc.com

Tom Sabulis
AJC External Content
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
72 Marietta St. NW
Atlanta, GA 30303

404-526-5453
tsabulis@ajc.com

Top Ten PowerPoint Tips #5

5. Avoid the TOO MUCH INFORMATION (TMI) Situation

While it may be tempting to fit the entire text of a key paragraph on a single slide, it might result in the text being too small to be legible. Remember, when designing your slides, you are right in front of your monitor. Try stepping back 10 or more feet and see how it looks then.

Another problem with too much information (TMI) on one slide is that it tempts a juror to read ahead, possibly resulting in loss of concentration.

Bullet points are also known as speaking points -- not reading points. In other words, if you choose to show a bullet-point outline to your jury, do not include the entire text -- only the outline topic point. Don't display and then just read to the jurors the content of the slide showing on the big screen in front of them. Doing so is boring.

Top Ten PowerPoint Tips #4

4. USE PROPER FONTS

An often ignored secret in graphic design is the proper choice of a font. A sans-serif font, such as Arial or Verdana, is best used in non-printed media, including trial presentation slides. Sans-serif fonts do not have the little tips (serif) on the letters.

Times New Roman is often used in typed and printed documents, but it is more difficult to read when projected onto a screen so don't use it in your slides. Save Times New Roman and other serifs for your motions and pleadings.

For more Trial Presentation ideas please feel free to visit Med Art's Galleries

Top Ten PowerPoint Tips #3

#3 - COLOR!!!!

When designing graphics, you can easily forget the medium you intend to use to display the end product. In other words, what you see on your computer monitor is not necessarily what the jury will see when projected onto a big screen or on a printed posterboard blow-up in court.

As the case is presented, anything visually distracting, too bright, too dark, or too difficult to read will have a cumulative effect, eventually resulting in loss of focus, concentration, and of course retention. While the color white is the default for most document and graphics programs, it is not the best color when viewing different types of images. It is much easier on the eyes to use a darker color, such as gray or blue. You may certainly use other colors, but the idea is to soften the background so as not to make it more difficult to view the important part of the slide, be it a document, photo, or text.

For more information on color please feel free to refer to the "What Do Colors Really Mean" blog post done on Monday, August 3rd.

Top Ten PowerPoint Tips #2

2. KEEP IT BASIC

PowerPoint is a wonderful tool -- perhaps too wonderful at times. Never forget who the audience is, and the why they are there. Just because the program has a bunch of bells and whistles (read: fly-ins and fancy background options) doesn't mean you have to use them. The courtroom is no place for twirling text sailing into place for the next bullet point, nor do you need to utilize the vast assortment of design themes included in the program.

Unless you'd like your jury to think you're trying to amuse, entertain, or otherwise present your evidence in an obviously condescending manner, I advise making it look like every other professionally-created graphic used in court. There is a reason they all appear similar in design -- simple, clean, and often with a soft blue background.

Top Ten PowerPoint Tips #1

1. BEGIN BY CREATING AN OUTLINE

Do not get distracted by trying to develop your story with pictures. The slides you will use do not tell the story -- rather they help to clarify the points you are making. You should initially prepare your outline as though you had no visual support. The story should stand on its own, and should be convincing.

Then, you can review the outline, noting any place that might warrant adding a visual, such as mention of a certain document, a description where a photo or drawing might help illustrate the point, or even videotaped testimony of a witness. All of these elements can and should be considered.

Deposition Tip: Use Exhibits Regularly During Video Depositions

You can create a more interesting and visually-compelling videotaped deposition by showing the witness an exhibit every so often. When you are preparing for trial, you can set up the video playback to display the exhibit on the screen as the witness is being questioned about it. Or have the videographer zoom into portions of the exhibits while the expert is referring to them. Be sure and warn the videographer you want to do this ahead of time, so they can set up the shot.

This will break up the monotonous continuing screen-shot of the witness which becomes tedious after ten or fifteen minutes.

What Do Colors Really Mean!

Below is an article by Susan Gunelius on color branding, it applies to the use of color on exhibits. Think about what the color you use in exhibits, because color can Help and Hinder.

Color Branding: The Meanings Behind Colors

August 14, 2007 by Susan Gunelius

Blue: Cool blue is perceived as trustworthy, dependable, fiscally responsible and secure. Strongly associated with the sky and sea, blue is serene and universally well-liked. Blue is an especially popular color with financial institutions, as its message of stability inspires trust.

Red: Red activates your pituitary gland, increasing your heart rate and causing you to breathe more rapidly. This visceral response makes red aggressive, energetic, provocative and attention-grabbing. Count on red to evoke a passionate response, albeit not always a favorable one. For example, red can represent danger or indebtedness.

Green: In general, green connotes health, freshness and serenity. However, green’s meaning varies with its many shades. Deeper greens are associated with wealth or prestige, while light greens are calming.

Yellow: In every society, yellow is associated with the sun. Thus, it communicates optimism, positivism, light and warmth. Certain shades seem to motivate and stimulate creative thought and energy. The eye sees bright yellows before any other color, making them great for point-of-purchase displays.

Purple: Purple is a color favored by creative types. With its blend of passionate red and tranquil blue, it evokes mystery, sophistication, spirituality and royalty. Lavender evokes nostalgia and sentimentality.

Pink: Pink’s message varies by intensity. Hot pinks convey energy, youthfulness, fun and excitement and are recommended for less expensive or trendy products for women or girls. Dusty pinks appear sentimental. Lighter pinks are more romantic.

Orange: Cheerful orange evokes exuberance, fun and vitality. With the drama of red plus the cheer of yellow, orange is viewed as gregarious and often childlike. Research indicates its lighter shades appeal to an upscale market. Peach tones work well with healthcare, restaurants and beauty salons.

Brown: This earthy color conveys simplicity, durability and stability. It can also elicit a negative response from consumers who relate to it as dirty. Certain shades of brown, like terracotta, can convey an upscale look. From a functional perspective, brown tends to hide dirt, making it a logical choice for some trucking and industrial companies.

Black: Black is serious, bold, powerful and classic. It creates drama and connotes sophistication. Black works well for expensive products, but can also make a product look heavy.

White: White connotes simplicity, cleanliness and purity. The human eye views white as a brilliant color, so it immediately catches the eye in signage. White is often used with infant and health-related products.

http://www.bizzia.com/brandcurve/color-branding-the-meanings-behind-colors/