Instructional, Tutorial

Designing a Legal Presentation in PowerPoint:

Posted on by Jeff Kirksey
15
Mar

Attorneys frequently use PowerPoint to create compelling trial exhibits, client presentations, and training materials. Microsoft PowerPoint in Office 365 offers advanced design, annotation, and animation tools that can enhance legal presentations and improve courtroom advocacy.

This tutorial will walk through creating a structured legal presentation, integrating case exhibits, and using PowerPoint’s tools for effective trial advocacy.

  1. Open Microsoft PowerPoint and click New Presentation.
  2. Click Design > Slide Size > Custom Slide Size and choose:
    • Standard (4:3) for court monitors.
    • Widescreen (16:9) for conference room presentations.
  3. Click Design > Themes to select a professional layout.
  4. Click Slide Master to apply a law firm-branded design across all slides.

📂 Best Practice: Maintain consistent fonts and colors to ensure professionalism.

  1. Click Insert > Pictures to upload court exhibits, scanned documents, or deposition transcripts.
  2. Use Insert > Text Box to highlight key legal arguments.
  3. Click Insert > Shapes to annotate documents with arrows and highlights.

⚖️ Courtroom Tip: Keep text concise and focus on key evidence to maintain clarity.

Step 3: Use Animations to Highlight Key Evidence

  1. Select a case exhibit or document section.
  2. Click Animations > Appear or Zoom to emphasize text or images.
  3. Use Motion Paths to direct attention to specific legal points.
  4. Click Slide Show > Rehearse Timings to ensure smooth delivery.

🎯 Advocacy Tip: Minimal animations keep jurors and judges focused on the content.

Step 4: Embed Video Depositions & Courtroom Graphics

  1. Click Insert > Video > This Device to add recorded depositions.
  2. Use Trim Video to highlight relevant testimony.
  3. Click Insert > SmartArt to create visual timelines of case events.

📊 Persuasion Tip: Timelines and charts help judges and juries understand case facts quickly.

  1. Click File > Save As > OneDrive or SharePoint for secure cloud access.
  2. Click File > Export > Create a Video for a narrated presentation.
  3. Use Share > Specific People to restrict access to attorneys and paralegals.

🔐 Security Tip: Enable password protection for confidential presentations.