The Canadian Membership Caucus is for the Canadian membership of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) to share information respecting the rights of Canadians in the civil justice system and other national legal issues, to provide legal education relevant to Canadian members in conjunction with AAJ Conventions and to further the objectives of AAJ through the Canadian Membership Caucus.

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Self-Paced Online

The Opening Statement Advantage

Take control with a winning narrative

Published by Maryland Association for Justice, Inc.
and Canadian Caucus of AAJ
Learning Objectives
  • Establish a winning narrative from the outset so every piece of evidence fits your story
  • Turn facts into a compelling, human story that jurors understand and remember
  • Build credibility using records, testimony, and demonstratives
  • Introduce experts and complex concepts in a way jurors can follow
  • Frame damages early so jurors are prepared to return a substantial verdict
  • Use visuals and timelines strategically to reinforce your case



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$79 USD for Association Member
$99 USD for Non-member

Duration: 75 minutes

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Summary

The most important moment of your trial may come before a single witness is sworn. Jurors are not blank slates—they are already building a story in their minds. If you don’t give them a narrative to focus on, the defense will. Mary Koch will show you how to take control of the case from the very first words of your opening statement by establishing a winning narrative so that every piece of evidence fits your story. Drawing from decades of experience and real trial strategy, Mary will break down how elite trial attorneys frame the narrative, build credibility, and position the jury to reach your verdict before the defense even begins.

You’ll leave with practical techniques you can immediately apply in your next trial—whether you’re handling a straightforward case or complex litigation. In today’s courtroom, the attorneys who win are the ones who own the narrative first.

SWOD-27775

Presenters
Mary V. Koch
Partner - Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC

Mary McNamara Koch joined WVFK&N as a partner in January 2016. Shortly after her arrival, she obtained Plaintiffs’... Read More


Originally Published
May 14, 2026

Program Titles and Supporting Materials
This program contains the following components:

  • Media Files
  • The Opening Statement Advantage - Video

  • Downloadable Files
  • The Opening Statement Advantage - Slide Handout
  • Own the Narrative - Handout

How To Attend
Join the self-paced program from your office, home, or hotel room using a computer and high speed internet connection. You may start and stop the program at your convenience, continue where you left off, and review supporting materials as often as you like. Please note: Internet Explorer is no longer a supported browser. We recommend using Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Safari for best results.

Technical Requirements
You may access this course on a computer or mobile device with high speed internet (iPhones require iOS 10 or higher). Recommended browsers are Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.

Credit
If applicable, you may obtain credit in multiple jurisdictions simultaneously for this program (see pending/approved list below). If electing credit for this program, registrants in jurisdictions not listed below will receive a Certificate of Completion that may or may not meet credit requirements in other jurisdictions. Where applicable, credit will be only awarded to a paid registrant completing all the requirements of the program as determined by the selected accreditation authority.

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AL, AZ, CA, DE, FL, KY, MO, MS, MT, NC, NH, NM, NV, OK, OR, PA, SK, TX, UT, WI, WY


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SeminarWeb and Canadian Caucus of AAJ programs are non-refundable.

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