About the presenter

R. Rex Parris is recognized as one of the most successful and innovative trial lawyers alive today. Rex handles a wide variety of cases ranging from severe personal injury to class actions, products liability and business torts. When he is not in trial, Rex tours the country speaking to trial lawyer organizations about the intersection of cognitive science and the persuasion of jurors. Rex has been profiled in numerous national media outlets, including 20/20, Nightline, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and a myriad of legal journals.

Rex has achieved outstanding results in the courtroom over the span of his career. He obtained the first million-dollar verdict in California’s Kern County as a young lawyer and, years later, obtained an historic, record-breaking defamation jury verdict in Los Angeles for $370,000,000. In between, Rex has obtained dozens of seven-, eight-, and nine-figure verdicts and settlements. His success is hardly happenstance – Rex prepares every case for trial using the latest science in persuasion skills. Everything from metaphoric choices, word selection, and visuals are tested and re-tested before each trial.

In addition to managing his trial calendar and the firm's diversified practice, Rex also manages one of California's fastest-growing cities. As the mayor of Lancaster since 2008, Rex has gained nationwide media attention for his efforts to improve the wellbeing of the city's residents. For example, gang violence dropped 82%, the city's downtown area was completely redeveloped during the worst economic downturn in over 75 years, and all of the city's municipal buildings were converted to solar power.

8:30 a.m. : Cognitive Science in Action: Why You Should Take a Scientific Approach in Your Next Trial

• Start with the "why"
• When we wait until the end, it’s too late.
• Begin every task with asking why you are doing it.
• Reversals--using your opponent’s best stuff against them.
• Harness the creative talent of Hollywood screenwriters to take the wind out of your opponent's sails.

10:00 a.m. : Break

10:15 a.m. : Framing (and Re-Framing) the Narrative: Behavioral Economics in Action

• What is behavioral economics?
• How you frame things and what you name things always matters. Whoever has the best framing of the case wins. How Nobel Prize winners in economics discovered the powerful effects of decision frames, and what it means for us.

11:45 a.m. : Lunch

1:00 p.m. : The Science of Timing and Structure: Using Anchoring to Your Advantage

• The brain loves the first number, and the first story. How to drop the right anchors in the right places.
• In the line of fire: how great politicians handle the toughest questions on the hot seat, and how we can model them in court.

2:30 p.m. : Break

2:45 p.m. : Neuro-Linguistic Programming for Lawyers

• What is neuro-linguistic programming?
• How to use neuro-linguistic programming’s "verbal softeners" to broach difficult subjects with less resistance from judges and juries.

4:15 p.m. : Program Concludes

Following program start times, webcast replay schedule may vary slightly from above listed times.

• Use the best of psychology and linguistics to start persuading before your argument begins
• Time and structure the delivery of your evidence to be just as effective as the evidence itself
• Employ techniques from behavioral economics and marketing to help jurors understand and identify with your client
• Develop an argument that meets less resistance from fact finders by using neuro-linguistic programming

• Civil litigators
• Tort lawyers
• Personal injury lawyers
• Business litigators
• Product liability litigators
• Employment lawyers
• Criminal litigators

Event Brochure

Book Sale – Save 20%

Wisconsin Trial Practice

Save 20% on Wisconsin Trial Practice.* Plus, all seminar attendees receive a free two-week trial of the Books UnBound^® version. It’s a must-have resource for the practicing litigator designed with the trial process in mind.

Use discount code CA3307 when you order online or by calling (800) 728-7788.

*Discount applies to both print and digital Books UnBound editions of this title and cannot be applied to previous purchases. Offer valid as long as CLE credit is available for this program. For Books UnBound users, discount may be applied to purchase of individual Books UnBound title only and may not be used on purchase of full library.

In an effort to keep members and staff as safe as possible, we ask that you be vaccinated or have a current negative COVID test taken no more than 48 hours prior to attending any in-person, official State Bar meeting or event, regardless of its location. Until further notice, masking in group meetings is required by staff and asked of members, regardless of vaccination status. In addition, all event attendees will be required to sign into any in-person events that they attend.