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Article - You've passed your Bar exams, now speak to the juryYou must sparkle. Actors have to persuade their audience that what they're saying is the truth and lawyers have to persuade the jury. Obviously, lawyers need to be heard in court so projection is important. Sounding the first and last consonant sound in a word will help with this. Don't use too much legal jargon - talk to the jury as though they were your friends (non legal) or neighbours. After years of study for your Bar exams it seems a bit strange to now talk in non legal terms but rememeber you are not trying to impress them - you are trying to communicate with them. Lawyers need to create word pictures that the jury can understand and visualise themselves. To create these word pictures you need to know which are the important words - as a trained lawyer this should be easy for you do do. Make sure that these important words stand out and address these words to the jury and have eye contact with the jury on these important words. When you're talking to the jury don't stand to attention like a soldier, be relaxed and don't lock your knees. This relaxed posture will make gesturing more natural and effective. The jury will follow your lead, if you have eye contact with a witness while you are questioning him, the jury will also look at the witness. If you decide to have eye contact with the jury while you're questioning the witness, the jury will look at you and will be watching your gestures and facial expressions. Juries, whether they should be or not, are influenced by how you sound.
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