First, you need to begin by creating a theme that embodies the notion that the jury should rule in your favor. If you or your attorney delivered an opening statement, then you should use and build off of that same theme in order to maintain a cohesive story that comes full circle from beginning to end. You want to show the jury during your closing argument that you proved everything that you said you would in your opening statement.

If you brought the lawsuit as the plaintiff, then an example of a theme would be the idea that the defendant needs to take responsibility for his or her actions. If the defendant caused you pain and suffering in some way (e.g. a car accident), you could say something to the effect of "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, this is a case about taking responsibility for your actions," and then build off of that theme. If you do this in an enthusiastic way, you are showing the jury that you are confident about your position and you believe in your case. Additionally, if you do this at the very beginning of your closing argument, you can do it in a way that makes it seem like a cliffhanger. I mean, we all love cliffhangers, don’t we? Cliffhangers, when cleverly placed at the end of a movie or television show, keep us coming back for more. They are the reason we tune in for the sequel or the next episode. For example, you could say the following: "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, this is a case about revenge. But as you’ve seen today, revenge isn’t always so sweet." If you pause for a moment after you say this, the jurors will likely be leaning forward to hear more, and you will have successfully completed your first task.

Next, let’s go over how to argue persuasively.