Facilitator Guide

Opposition Briefs

Facilitator Guide

Opposition Briefs

Topic: Motion Practice
Duration: 1 hr
Format: Remote or in person

What’s covered

What to look for in the opening brief
Identifying the other side’s flaws
Developing your arguments
Choosing your theme
Drafting strategies and tips

Before the session

Prepare the Attendees

Send the attendees an invitation for the session. Include this link, which has the videos and exercise they’ll need to prepare.

https://www.hotshotlegal.com/trainings/opposition-briefs/attendee

Prepare Yourself

Watch the videos and read the exercise so you’re familiar with the Hotshot material.

Course

Opposition Briefs

How to approach writing an opposition brief, including things to look for in the opening brief, planning your arguments, structuring the brief, and strategies for drafting effectively.
Exercise
PDF

During the session

Part 1: Knowledge Check

Ask attendees these questions to ensure they understand the topic:

What’s a good place to start your review of the opening brief and why?
What are some ways that the opening brief might mischaracterize the law?
How can you use omissions from the opening brief to your advantage?
What’s a strategy you could use to identify the arguments you’ll make in your opposition brief?
What’s a good tone to use when correcting flaws from the opening brief?
Why should you address every argument made in the opening brief?

Part 2: Group Exercise

Lead a group discussion based on the exercise. To encourage collaboration, divide the attendees into groups to discuss the exercise, then have a representative from each group summarize their views to the larger group. Call on people to share their thoughts and ask others to respond.

Tip for remote sessions: use your web conferencing system’s breakout room feature to divide people into groups.

Part 3: War Stories and Firm Specifics

Share your own experiences and guidance, including:

Anecdotes and war stories (e.g., about a near-disaster or a tough negotiation)
General practice tips (dos and don’ts)
Firm-specific guidance and practices

After the session

To continue their learning, attendees can check out related courses in Hotshot’s Motion Practice topic.

About Hotshot

Hotshot helps lawyers develop their legal, business, and technology skills through short videos, quizzes, and summaries, and we help law firms and law schools plan and deliver engaging training programs. Our customers include Am Law 200 firms, top law schools, and regional and international firms.