On Saturday, February 25, Keystone’s team participated in an Improv for Trial Bootcamp. This pushed our attorneys beyond their comfort zones while they improved critical communication skills.
Hosted by accomplished attorney, Brian Breiter, and improv theater expert, Joseph Limbaugh, the Improv For Trial Bootcamp used improv comedy techniques and showed how they can build valuable skills we typically use in court.
Monica Yun, a partner at Keystone, spoke about what she liked most about the Improv for Trial Bootcamp. “Improv for Trial was a great opportunity to learn new skills, brush up on some old skills, and have a fun team building experience.”
Negin Rashidi, an associate at Keystone, emphasized how it was a fun and effective way to build rapport and cohesion as a team. “Overall, this was a great experience in that we grew closer by making mistakes together and fostering an incredibly supportive environment.”
Specific games that we engaged with at the event include:
- Word-at-a-time Stories: Played with two participants, each person adapted to their partner to tell a story. This game focused on building team cohesion and the ability to react in the moment.
- Status Games: We role played as various family members to gain a better understanding of those perspectives. This was especially useful because probate law often involves family conflicts.
- Beep Beep: This game was great practice for helping everyone become more comfortable speaking in public. It emphasized the importance of maintaining eye contact and connecting with the audience.
- Other games we participated in included Speaking in Gibberish and Gift Giving.
Some of the techniques that were tackled included:
- Public Speaking
- Overcoming Stage Fright
- Understanding Non-Verbal Communication
- Adapting to Unplanned Information and Failure
- Narrative Structure
This was a fascinating and productive training experience, and everyone left with a new set of skills in their toolbelt. Feel free to check out the Improv for Trial Bootcamp if you’re looking for a creative new team building event for legal professionals.
