I was deposed by opposing counsel in a legal action I was involved in. SPOILER ALERT: They settled with us for a nice chunk of change because we were right and they were wrong - we knew it, they knew it and the American people knew it.
Anyway, if you've never been deposed, I highly recommend it. Definitely an E ticket. First and foremost, it's a game of truth. But it's also a game of wits with opposing counsel. The adrenaline is flowing, and you have to be at the top of your game.
For starters, you shouldn't use the word game in each of the last three sentences.
Anyway, the court reporter who transcribed the deposition used this handy little machine: a stenograph. She had it connected to a laptop (Sony VAIO - apparently Apple hasn't cornered the court reporter market yet) running software that translated the shorthand she typed into real English on the transcript.
That means for each one of the fifty ways the opposing counsel asked me the same question, in the hope of tricking me into changing my answer, the court reporter had to type in my answer. I'm not under oath now, but I'd swear I saw her roll her eyes around the thirty-fifth time he asked. I know I did.
A lot of my friends and colleagues have told me I'd make a good lawyer. I'd like to think it's because they think I'm smart and have a keen legal mind. But it's probably more because they know I don't shy away from confrontation, and I've always enjoyed playing a big room.
It probably won't happen though. I mean, a Jewish lawyer? Whoever heard of such a thing.
