The Use of Automated Presentation Applications

In Your Law Practice

Certainly one of the roles of the law firm administrator is to seek out and provide support for the latest and best technology that the firm can use effectively in its practice.  One area of growth in recent years has been the use of automated presentation technology in the courtroom and mediation setting.  Tools such as Microsoft’s PowerPoint can allow the attorney to give a flexible, eye-catching presentation, and perhaps even get a leg-up on opposing counsel.

How has evidence been typically exhibited and why would you want to consider a tool such as PowerPoint?  Well, in the past, evidence has been exhibited using actual physical items (which can sometimes be very small), overhead projectors (which are cumbersome and amateurish), tiny photographs, or “blow up” poster boards.  These tools give the lawyer very little flexibility for last minute changes, poor visibility in some cases, and make it more difficult to direct the audience’s focus.  Not to mention the fact that the presentation of the material is sometimes visually boring.  Not a good thing when you have a jury to keep awake!  A tool such as PowerPoint, on the other hand, can provide flexibility, high visibility, and the ability to focus on very specific points in a manner that is visually interesting enough to keep your audience’s attention.  Imagine being able to change your points on a slide in a matter of seconds when things change in the courtroom or other facts become apparent.  Try doing that with your poster boards!  Keep in mind that a slideshow using presentation software should complement rather than replace all of your previous exhibit methods.  It’s an excellent tool for opening and closing arguments, for example.

So, what is this technology?  Well, it is simple to say that it is a computerized slideshow, using your laptop computer and a projector to shine the image on a large screen.  But, it is so much more than that.  The magic, like many things these days, is in the ability to do so much more with a computer than you could ever do with static displays.  You can present the same material you have always presented, but with better organization and visual appeal:  Case outlines, lists of points, photos, letters, scanned signatures and notations on records, deposition questions and answers, tables, charts and comparative illustrations, for example.  Not only that, but with the computer, you can animate your lists (bullets), keeping the audience focused on one point at a time.  You can “zoom” in on relevant facts, images, or parts of images.  You can even add sound, video and other animation (movement) effects to your slides.  All of these add up to a presentation that keeps the audience’s attention and keeps it (hopefully) specifically where you want it to be. And it is done in one, clean and coordinated presentation, without the need to switch from poster boards to overhead projectors, to a TV with VCR, etc.

Our firm, Butler, Vines and Babb, has used PowerPoint effectively in trial and mediation work, including the following components routinely in our presentations:

What equipment is needed?  To start with, you need a good to better notebook computer for portability.  Probably at least a Pentium II with a 350 MHZ processor.  Then, a digital projector – the most you can afford.  The capability to hook it up to a VCR or other multimedia device is a bonus, but not required.  The brighter the better, but you will pay for it.  Output is measured in Lumens, and I would suggest 1,300 lumens or more.  Expect to pay from $2,000 to $8,000 for a suitable unit, although for most purposes, you will get all you need for about $3,000.  An inexpensive scanner in the office will be necessary to scan photos and document images.  Also, a portable projection screen will come in handy, although most courtrooms these days will be able to provide screens.  Finally, it will come in handy, for reasons discussed below, to have a decent color printer or at least an arrangement with a local printer for hard copy duplication.

Here are some “rules of the road” when it comes to the use of automated presentations.  Many of these rules are the same as they have always been when it comes to presentations. 

For more information about the use of this technology, firms can readily obtain information from various publications and online resources.  Microsoft’s “PowerPoint At-A-Glance”, for example, is a good introduction.  “PowerPoint for Litigators”, published by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA), is also an excellent tool, specifically for lawyers, which can point out tips and techniques you can use in your presentations.  Finally, as with any software product, simply using such applications, and discovering how to do things on your own is one of the best methods for developing presentation skills.  Support staff should really make this technology part of their primary skill-set.  Support goes far beyond just knowing word processing these days.  The bottom line is that presentation software, if used properly, can be a most effective tool in the practice of law in the 21^st Century. 

© Copyright 2004 ALA-Knoxville Chapter. All Rights Reserved.
Questions or comments about this site should be directed to

 The Web Master

DISCLAIMER: The Knoxville Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators is a separate legal entity from the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA). ALA licenses the use of its name, mark, logos and other protected properties to chapters which are in good standing. ALA disclaims all liability or responsibility whatsoever for the actions, representations and liabilities of the Knoxville Chapter, specifically including those of any nature whatsoever arising from or out of the content of the other features related to the Knoxville Chapter Web site.  In no event shall the ALA be deemed the guarantor of the Knoxville Chapter.