Explaining Complex Commercial and Business Concepts to a Jury Without Peers

Law firms of every size continue to focus increasingly on representing clients in business disputes. While trial lawyers routinely distill complex engineering and science to that which can be reasonably understood by members of the jury, commercial cases present trial lawyers with qualitatively different issues from those presented in trials involving injuries to the person. Jurors often lack direct first-hand experience with complex commercial and business concepts lying at the heart of business litigation. This program will suggest ways to draw on everyday experience, metaphors, and simple demonstrative exhibits to explain critical concepts central to commercial, trade secret, and shareholder disputes. From voir dire to summation to jury instructions, this session will translate from boardroom to courtroom.