ACCOUNT_FIRST_NAME ACCOUNT_LAST_NAME

ACCOUNT_ADDRESS_SINGLE_LINE

ACCOUNT_PHONE_NO ACCOUNT_EMAIL

24 November 2024

To:PARTY_1_NAME

PARTY_1_ADDRESS_MULTI_LINE

Preparation for your witness statement

Dear PARTY_1_NAME,

Thank you for agreeing to witness the upcoming trial in the tribunal claim being brought by the [REPRESENTATION. I understand you can give evidence for matters regarding MEETINGTIME.

In connection to the trial, I thought it would be useful to provide you with a guideline at this stage to understand the upcoming steps and expectations. In this guide below, I have included some general advice on preparing to give your witness statement and how to deal with cross-examination.

Before the hearing: your witness statement

In preparing for your witness statement, you should ensure that:

  1. you record your recollection on paper as soon as possible, while these matters are still fresh in your mind and before they are subject to challenge;
  2. you have the opportunity to think about the matters or events that you are dealing with and that your evidence is presented clearly and logically;
  3. where you have referred to any documents in your statement, you should have the opportunity to consider these documents thoroughly
  4. you are perfectly comfortable with the words used in your statement, and you are not obligated to state anything that you do not mean; and
  5. identify areas that may be complex or difficult, or be a matter of concern so we can deal with them before the hearing.

Your first draft of a witness statement is unlikely to be the final version. We are likely to prepare several draft versions of witness statements as part of producing one final version.

The tribunal will likely order both parties to exchange witness statements in advance of the hearing. Hence, you should have the opportunity to read what is being said by other witnesses who will be appearing for the counterparty.

Preparing for the hearing

The trial: Giving evidence at the hearing

How to give evidence effectively.

Dearling with possibilities

You do not have to be perfect.

Answer the question and avoid repetition

Dealing with the cross-examiner

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