General to specific. For instance, you may want to begin your opening something like this. “I’d like to take you back to January 3, 2018. Wednesday. 3 that afternoon. Here in New York. E Harlem. Metropolitan Hospital Center. Labor and delivery Dept. A patient . . .” General to Specific. Or this, “Today I’m going to tell you the story of a 13-year-old girl . . .” “. . . Do you know who she is?” General to specific.

Setting out on a journey without knowing where you’re going creates fear, uncertainty, and increased risk. As a trial lawyer when you take a case, you must begin with your end in mind. You must decide at the outset what you want to see happen - how you want your case to end. To begin with your end in mind. Once you do that, the path you’ll take to get there will come into focus. Your steps along that path will be well defined. You’ll be calm, relaxed and in complete control of yourself and your case.