Cross-examination perhaps is the most difficult skill for trial lawyers to master. In his seminal work, “The Art of Cross-Examination,” Francis L. Wellman noted more than 100 years ago that great lawyers had “failed lamentably” in cross-examination, while lawyers “who might otherwise have been regarded as of a mediocre grade in the profession” had achieved “marvellous success” through their skills in cross-examination.
Many lawyers seem to believe that effective cross-examination skills are the exclusive province of the lucky few born with the necessary innate talents. But any trial lawyer can develop a minimum level of skill in cross-examination through practice and a thorough study of the relevant principles.
