Trucking defense attorney Mike Bassett joins the podcast to discuss the steps that he takes before he begins working with a witness: establishing trust, understanding their backstory, addressing their concerns and questions and establishing their state of mind. Without the proper pre-preparation, any training or witness prep you have planned will not stick. Mike and Dr. Bill Kanasky discuss the importance of understanding what is going on in people's lives; for example, their thoughts and feelings about Covid-19, about current political and social issues, etc., to identify potential mental stressors they may be dealing with before you start on witness prep for the deposition. Lastly, Mike and Bill talk about the challenges for attorneys and their staff with Covid-19, the importance of relationships, and what defense firms and insurance companies should do differently in 2021 to manage their cases.