The Art and Science of Asking Investigative Questions

Asking the right question to a client, a witness and even a judge is one of the most important skills a lawyer must master. Lawyers are professional investigators. Lawyers investigate by asking questions of witnesses and sources. The question is a powerful tool in the investigator’s tool box. Asking the right investigative questions is key to obtaining information in critical situations — whether conducting an effective internal or external investigation, investigating a whistleblower complaint, developing an appropriate strategy to deal with an opportunity or crisis, or questioning a witness in a deposition or at trial. Good investigative questions are questions that yield meaningful answers.

Please join the PLI presenter as he offers specific and practical methods and techniques to improve investigative questioning skills that will help you with client and witness interviews, deposition, and any other situation in which you must efficiently and effectively gather facts or extract admissions through investigative questioning.

Topics to be addressed include:

• The difference among asking investigative, directive and declarative questions, and when and how to use each questioning method
• How the human brain responds to tough questions versus tough-sounding questions
• How to stay cool, calm and collected when questioning a tough or hostile witness
• Why tough-sounding questions do not yield good answers
• How to ask tough questions, rather than tough-sounding questions
• How to use the Five W’s and One H to frame your investigative questions
• How to frame good investigative questions posed to a hostile or well-prepared witness
• How to frame and ask Level One (preliminary/set-up) and Level Two (follow-up) questions

This program is accredited for CLE – Continuing Legal Education. For more information or to register, contact Robin Hallagan, +1 216 479 8115. There is a cost for attending this PLI program.