Cognitive Interview Training

The course will enable lawyers to interview clients and witnesses using the cognitive approach to help them gain full and accurate information.

This is a practical skill development course to introduce the participants to the witness recall techniques of cognitive interviewing and to prepare them to apply the techniques in their work place.

Course length
We can run the course for you in a format to suit your lawyers, whatever their level. We recognise that it can be difficult for them to give up a whole day, and that there is usually a need to at least deal with emails and calls at the start and the end of the working day.

Suggested formats:

  1. Short full day: 9.30am to 3.30pm – or other start and finish times to suit (includes skills practice to ensure learning is transferred)
  2. Two half day sessions: each of 3 hours and spaced up to a fortnight apart (includes skills practice as above)
  3. One half-day session: 3 hours (aimed at partners or other team members that feel that they are unable to give up more time – skills practice on the day is minimal)

interview-training

A few months ago, some of us took part in a half-day training course on Cognitive Interviewing, a method of interviewing which aims to help a witness recall details, essentially by visually taking them back to the event in question.

Maria and I tried the method on our first guinea pig last week. The method helped our witness recall details of a meeting that took place 4 years ago, which he had not been able to recall by the usual method of specific questioning and taking him through documents.

Financial markets litigation lawyer, City of London

Learning objectives

During the course participants will:

  • observe a demonstration of the skills involved in cognitive interviewing

  • participate in interviews using cognitive techniques as both interviewer and interviewee

  • discuss the use of cognitive interviewing techniques in interviewing potential witnesses.

By the end of the course participants will be able to:

  • use to their advantage the link between memory and recalling information during interviews

  • explain how the cognitive approach works

  • apply the cognitive techniques in a structured way to –

    • enable them to prepare cases and take statements based on full facts from clients and witnesses
    • obtain up to 40% more relevant information about an event or incident
    • improve the amount of accurate and uncontaminated evidence from clients and witnesses
    • assist clients and witnesses to recall an event or incident correctly without leading or prompting
    • enable them to gather detailed factual information clearly and quickly, even if the event happened many months or years ago
  • better detect lies and deceit using the most valid and latest evidence available

  • relate the cognitive approach to practical work situations

  • recognise how effective cognitive interviewing is for lawyers, clients and witnesses.

Interested in Cognitive Interview Training?

Contact us: 07773 126479 or geoff@emphasisonskills.com