Re: Show me the way to the next whiskey bar.
 

I don't often get to say that my job is in any way more challenging than y'all's, but I would like to point out that there is no creature on earth more inclined to be Helpful, despite the utter lack of any deservingness of help, than a public school employee. I've actually been given pushback to the "He is not your friend" depo prep speech -- "Oh, I've found I can get along with pretty much anyone if I set my mind to it." "You catch more flies with sugar, I always say." Good for people who have to teach kids, particularly the ones who teach kids everyone else has given up on, but BAD for cases.

Re: Show me the way to the next whiskey bar.
 

Older blue collar workers who left school in the 8th grade.

Re: Show me the way to the next whiskey bar.
 

Why not just decline the representation? Don't forget the disengagement letter!

Re: Show me the way to the next whiskey bar.
 

The worst person to represent in a deposition is a doctor (in a non med-mal case). After that it's the CEO, and especially one who is also the owner of the company. Those guys are never not in complete control of a room they are in. Sure the company might be losing sales, but thats the sales guy's fault. The CEO is always able to get whatever he wants from everyone in the rooms he is typically in. Then he is under oath and blabbing away.

Re: Show me the way to the next whiskey bar.
 

I think you mean "teachers" as opposed to "public school employees". Because the administrators have a tendancy more toward the lying syncophantic approach rather than the honest and helpful approach.

My experience around here has been that schools all too often need to get sued to behave (and this is as true of fancy private colleges that cover up rapes as local public schools that find teaching gets in the way of making their budget numbers). I think a lot of the teachers know that and are all too happy to watch the administrators choke on the truth. Your clients may not always be hoping you win.

Re: Show me the way to the next whiskey bar.
 

True. My clients are frequently complacent liberals who are consumed by pat narratives in which they believe that the world is a better place when someone is sticking it to The Man, and they haven't looked deeply enough in the mirror to realize that they, and everyone they know who matters to them, are The Man.

Nothing quite as funny as an authority figure who likes to buy credibility by telling people about how he's got a Problem With Authority Figures.

Re: Show me the way to the next whiskey bar.
 

This, or an engineer. Engineers are the worst witnesses. Engineers can't understand that legal causation isn't the same as scientific fact and are apt to talk themselves out of causation in their own cases. They can't say that the faulty timing mechanism on a traffic light caused a car to hit them and caused their clavicle to break. Just can't say it. They are so bad that often, I decline to represent them.

Re: Show me the way to the next whiskey bar.
 

I hate being deposed.

I love reading the transcripts after though. I'm funny when I'm mean.

Is there anybody going to listen to my story?
 

Indeed.

Confession -- I would actually play footsie with you, irregardless (ha!) of your answers.

Re: Show me the way to the next whiskey bar.
 

Be glad you have the complacent ones. Most of the one's I know aren't so complacent.

Still, probably a higher proportion of teachers worth playing footsie with than technie engineers. Be thankful for what you've got.

Re: Show me the way to the next whiskey bar.
 

Spoken like a man who has never represented a college professor.

Re: Show me the way to the next whiskey bar.
 

I like engineers. Some of them can be excellent witnesses, and they are generally good people. It's the architects that drive me crazy.

Re: Show me the way to the next whiskey bar.
 

CEOS are easy to trap because of their egos. I never want them as my 30(b)(6), and try to discourage them when they want to do it.

Re: Show me the way to the next whiskey bar.
 

Public school employee going all the way up to the university level, fyi.

And I get these too!

For the win!!

Re: Show me the way to the next whiskey bar.
 

What is this "court" of which y'all seem to be speaking? Bouncy yellow balls? Rackets?