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VIDEO · 01 MAY 2026

Podcast - Finding The Truth (Video)

In Uzbekistan, defense lawyers once had so little power they could barely advocate for their clients. When one attorney finally experienced cross-examination during a mock trial, the emotional impact was profound. This episode explores what happened when fundamental legal rights met a system that had never known them.

United StatesLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration

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Cross-examination is a key part of the U.S. adversarial system, giving defense counsel one of their most important tools to find the truth and challenge the government. But during litigation attorney Dan Small's pro bono work in Uzbekistan, he encountered lawyers with little to no experience with cross-examination at all.

In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook," Mr. Small explains that defense lawyers in Uzbekistan at the time had so little power that they could do little more than hold their clients' hands as they were sent to jail. Having the chance to cross-examine a government witness — even in a mock trial — brought one Uzbek lawyer to tears. Listen to the full episode for more on this powerful reminder not to take these rights for granted.

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