Legal Definitions - second chair

A second chair refers to a lawyer who provides direct support and assistance to the lead attorney during a trial or other court proceeding. While the lead attorney typically manages the overall strategy and presents the primary arguments, the second chair takes responsibility for specific, important tasks. These tasks can include examining certain witnesses, arguing particular legal points, assisting with jury selection (known as voir dire), or delivering portions of the opening or closing statements.

Here are some examples to illustrate the role of a second chair:

• In a complex corporate litigation case involving a breach of contract, the lead attorney might focus on cross-examining the opposing company's CEO and delivering the main closing argument. Meanwhile, the second chair could be responsible for conducting the direct examination of the client's financial expert witness, presenting arguments for specific evidentiary motions, and handling the initial phase of jury selection. This division allows the legal team to efficiently cover all necessary aspects of the trial.

• During a high-profile criminal defense trial, the lead attorney might concentrate on the defendant's testimony and challenging the prosecution's key witnesses. The second chair could then take on the task of directly examining character witnesses for the defense, arguing specific objections to evidence presented by the prosecution, and delivering a segment of the closing argument that focuses on a particular legal defense, such as mistaken identity. This collaborative approach ensures all facets of the defense are robustly presented to the court.