The Lawyer as a Human Lie Detector: Uncovering Hidden Truths and Understanding Client Psychology and Deception

Dr. Mark G. Frank
Dr. Mark G. Frank
University at Buffalo, State University of New York

Mark G. Frank is a professor in the Communication Department at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, where he served as chair from 2015-2021, and since then has been the Faculty Athletic Representative. He has presented briefings on deception and counter-terrorism to the US Congress as well as the US National Academies of Sciences. He has also given workshops to the US Federal Judiciary, various state Courts, and foreign judges and magistrates.

Doug Cash
Doug Cash
Eide Bailly LLP

Doug is a retired law enforcement officer who specializes in dealing with white collar crime. He investigates fraud and helps clients prevent future problems while finding justice for past issues. Doug provides forensic accounting services for clients and has specific knowledge of fraudulent and criminal activities.

Live Video-Broadcast: July 18, 2025

3.5 hour CLE

Tuition: $295.00
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Program Summary

Session I – The Psychology of Lying and Deception – Dr. Mark G. Frank

There are no shortages of the ‘latest techniques” for spotting deception. However, there is no human equivalent of a behavioral “Pinocchio effect” where any single clue or clue pattern guarantees that a person is lying. Despite this, determinations of deception are made in the courtroom every day. Today’s presentation is designed to better understand the psychology of deception through a focus on why people lie, the form lies take, and the verbal and nonverbal behaviors commonly associated with deception and their origins in human cognitive and emotional systems. It will also briefly examine how well people can detect lies simply from behavior. The presentation will end by putting all this information back into the legal context to better understand the process, which in turn will reveal a few factors that may facilitate lie catching.

Key topics to be discussed:

  • Psychology of lying
  • Verbal and nonverbal clues
  • Interpersonal context
  • Utility in the courtroom

Session II – Reading Between the Lies, Uncovering Hidden Truths – Doug Cash

How many times have you been involved in a discussion or formal interview with someone that gave you a bad feeling? You brushed it aside, but something just wasn’t right in their answers, their tone, or maybe even their smile. With so much vital information being conveyed from one person to another, in many different environments. It is imperative legal and business professionals recognize when a person’s answer might be deceptive and how to peel away that deception to get to the underlying information as well as the reason for the deception. Is it just something the individual doesn’t wish for you to know because it is embarrassing or are they keeping the truth from you. Remember, hindsight is 20/20, and can be very expensive, as well as having critical information not shared or at least identified.

With so much vital information being conveyed from one person to another in many different environments, it is imperative legal and business professionals recognize when a person answer might be deceptive and how to peel away that deception to get to the root cause of the stress being shown, and eventually to get to the truth.

In this presentation on “Reading between the Lies”, Doug will discuss interview strategies and Deception Recognition, how memory works, spotting red flags or probing points during an interview, discuss why people are deceptive, forms of communication, stress response states, the difference between deception and lies, as well as working to dispel some of the myths around identifying lies during an interview.

Key topics to be discussed:

  • Deception recognition and interview strategies
  • How memory impacts truthfulness and deception
  • Spotting red flags and stress indicators during conversations
  • Understanding different forms of communication
  • Why people are deceptive and what drives it
  • Distinguishing between deception and lies
  • Dispelling common myths around lie detection

Date / Time: July 18, 2025

  • 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Eastern
  • 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm Central
  • 11:00 am – 3:00 pm Mountain
  • 10:00 am – 2:00 pm Pacific

Closed-captioning available

Speakers

Dr. Mark G. Frank | University at Buffalo, State University of New York

Mark G. Frank is a professor in the Communication Department at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, where he served as chair from 2015-2021, and since then has been the Faculty Athletic Representative. He was born and raised in Buffalo and is a UB Alumnus (Psychology).

Dr. Frank received his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Cornell University in 1989, and afterward he received a National Research Service Award from the National Institute of Mental Health to do postdoctoral research in the Psychiatry Department at the University of California at San Francisco Medical School. In 1992 he joined the School of Psychology at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, where he worked for 4 years until he joined the Communication Department at Rutgers University in New Jersey. In 2005 he went full circle and accepted a position offered by the University of Buffalo Communication Department, where he created and directs the Communication Science Center.

He has published numerous research papers on facial expressions, emotion, interpersonal deception, and also violence in extremist groups, and in 2016 won the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities. He has had research funding from The National Science Foundation, US Department of Homeland Security, and the US Department of Defense to examine deception and hidden emotion behaviors in checkpoint, law enforcement, and counter-terrorism situations, as well as aggression in extremist groups.

He is also the co-developer of a patented automated computer system to read facial expressions, for which he won a Visionary Innovator Award from the University at Buffalo. He has used these findings to lecture, consult with and train virtually all US Federal Law Enforcement and Intelligence Agencies, as well as local/state and select foreign democratic countries. He is also one of the original members of the FBI Behavioral Science Unit’s Terrorism Research and Analysis Project. He has presented briefings on deception and counter-terrorism to the US Congress as well as the US National Academies of Sciences.

He has also given workshops to the US Federal Judiciary, various state Courts, and foreign judges and magistrates. He was selected to present 12 recorded lectures for the Great Courses series called Understanding Nonverbal Communication, and was recently a featured expert on the Curiosity Stream 6-part series called Inside the mind of a con artist. Finally, he has appeared in over 100 print, radio, and television appearances to talk about his work, including The New Yorker Magazine, Time Magazine, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Smithsonian, CBS Evening News, CNN, Fox News Channel, CNBC, National Public Radio, The Learning Channel, the Discovery Channel, the Oprah Show, the CBC, BBC, London Weekend Television, the Australian Today Show, the Sydney Morning Herald, and ABC Radio National, among others.

 

Doug Cash | Eide Bailly LLP

Doug is a retired law enforcement officer who specializes in dealing with white collar crime. He investigates fraud and helps clients prevent future problems while finding justice for past issues. When you work with Doug, you can expect a uniquely qualified partner who can help you crack down on white collar crime and find solutions to fraud while preventing more problems in the future. His professional experience and previous role as a law enforcement officer means he’s ready to work with you, whatever the issue. When he’s not helping clients, you’ll probably find Doug spending time with his family, traveling or trying to catch a fish as often as possible. Who can resist all the wonderful scenery and fishing opportunities in Colorado? Doug can’t!

Doug provides forensic accounting services for clients and has specific knowledge of fraudulent and criminal activities. Served as lead investigator in various types of fraud-related investigations, including embezzlement, money laundering, identity theft, financial exploitation of vulnerable adults, Ponzi and Pyramid schemes as well as theft by misrepresentation. Documented and qualified fraud losses and assisted with civil and criminal proceedings for clients.

Assisted clients with insurance claims involving fraud losses. Retired detective with decades of law enforcement experience and an emphasis in white collar crime. Former special agent with Arizona’s Department of Insurance Fraud Unit, as well as a financial investigator for JP Morgan Chase bank.

Agenda

Session I – The Psychology of Lying and Deception | 1:00pm  – 2:40pm

  • Psychology of lying
  • Verbal and nonverbal clues
  • Interpersonal context

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

  • Utility in the courtroom

Session II – Reading Between the Lies, Uncovering Hidden Truths | 2:40pm – 5:00pm

  • Deception recognition and interview strategies
  • How memory impacts truthfulness and deception

Break | 3:10pm – 3:20pm

  • Spotting red flags and stress indicators during conversations
  • Understanding different forms of communication
  • Why people are deceptive and what drives it

Break | 4:20pm – 4:30pm

  • Distinguishing between deception and lies
  • Dispelling common myths around lie detection

Credits

Alaska

Approved for CLE Credits
3.5 General

Our programs are CLE-eligible through Alaska’s recognition of multi-jurisdictional reciprocity.
Alabama

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

Arkansas

Approved for CLE Credits
3.5 General

Arizona

Approved for CLE Credits
3.5 General

California

Approved for CLE Credits
3.5 General

Colorado

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

Connecticut

Approved for CLE Credits
3.5 Ethics / Professionalism

District of Columbia

No MCLE Required
3.5 CLE Hour(s)

Delaware

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

Florida

Approved via Attorney Submission
4 General Hours

Receive CLE credit in Florida via attorney submission.
Georgia

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

Hawaii

Approved for CLE Credits
4.2 General

Iowa

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

Idaho

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

Illinois

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

Indiana

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 NLS Credit

Kansas

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 Law Practice Management

Kentucky

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

Louisiana

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 Law Office Management

Massachusetts

No MCLE Required
3.5 CLE Hour(s)

Maryland

No MCLE Required
3.5 CLE Hour(s)

Maine

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

Michigan

No MCLE Required
3.5 CLE Hour(s)

Minnesota

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

Missouri

Approved for CLE Credits
4.2 General

Mississippi

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

Montana

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

North Carolina

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

North Dakota

Approved for CLE Credits
3.5 General

Our programs are CLE-eligible through North Dakota’s recognition of multi-jurisdictional reciprocity. Section 1, Policy 1.14
Nebraska

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

myLawCLE reports attendance to Nebraska on each attorney’s behalf for all programs. Please do not self-report.
New Hampshire

Approved for CLE Credits
210 Ethics / Professionalism minutes

As of July 1, 2014, the NHMCLE Board no longer provides pre- or post-approval of courses. Attendees must self-determine whether a program is eligible for credit, and self-report their attendance online at www.nhbar.org, based on qualification provisions of Rule 53.
New Jersey

Approved for CLE Credits
4.2 General

Our programs are CLE-eligible through New Jersey’s recognition of multi-jurisdictional reciprocity, except for the courses required under BCLE Reg. 201:2
New Mexico

Approved for CLE Credits
3.5 General

Nevada

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

New York

Approved for CLE Credits
4.2 General

Our programs are CLE-eligible through New York’s Approved Jurisdiction Group “B”.
Ohio

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

Oklahoma

Pending CLE Approval
4 General

Oregon

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

Pennsylvania

Approved for CLE Credits
3.5 General

Rhode Island

Pending CLE Approval
4 General

South Carolina

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

South Dakota

No MCLE Required
3.5 CLE Hour(s)

Tennessee

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

Texas

Approved for CLE Credits
3.5 General

Utah

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

Virginia

Not Eligible
3.5 General Hours

Vermont

Approved for CLE Credits
3.5 Law Practice Programming

Washington

Approved via Attorney Submission
3.5 Other (Office Management) Hours

Receive CLE credit in Washington via attorney submission.
Wisconsin

Pending CLE Approval
4.2 Law Practice Management

West Virginia

Pending CLE Approval
4.2 General

Wyoming

Pending CLE Approval
3.5 General

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