“And what is your date of birth?”
“July 3, 1991.”
“And where did you attend college?”
“Penn State.”
“Did you graduate?”
“Yes.”
“When did you graduate?”
Mary tuned out through the endless preliminaries, went online, and typed “Amanda Sussman.” A clean, modern website popped onto the page, with a posed picture that Mary recognized as the female reporter dogging her steps. In the web photo, Sussman looked more corporate than scruffy and was smiling in a stock-photo sort of way. She was probably in her early twenties, had short brown hair, and wore a light blue turtleneck that matched her eyes as well as the font color of her website.
“Mr. Chen, where were you first employed upon graduating from Penn State?”
“I worked at a startup called LockIn.”
“And what was your position there?”
“I was an assistant in the marketing department.”
Mary read the bio on Sussman’s “About Amanda” page.
Amanda Sussman is a freelance writer who specializes in blogging, web content, and print content. She has a legal background and worked as a paralegal for two years. She also has a backgroundin graphic design and has crafted webpages for companies in a variety of industries and she also blogs for B2C and B2B businesses. She can write anything, from features to brochureware, and she can help your company create promotional materials to help expand your customer base.
“Mr. Chen, now that we’ve been through your academic and employment history, we come to London Technologies. How long have you been marketing director at London Technologies?”
“Four years.”
“And who held that position before you?”
“No one.”
Benedict blinked behind his bifocals. “So is it fair to say you were the first marketing director?”
“Yes.”
“And why is that?”
“I don’t understand the question,” Alex answered, and Mary glanced over, proud of him. She had prepared him for his deposition over sandwiches in her office, and he was sophisticated enough to know the basic drill, which wasanswer only the question asked,don’t volunteer, andif you don’t understand the question, say so.
“Mr. Chen, why was there no marketing director before you?”
“If you know,” Mary interjected, which was her favorite interruption. It always served as a reminder to the witness to stick to the facts, and not be helpful or even show off, because the person on the other side of the table was an enemy.
“I don’t know,” Chen answered.
Mary returned her attention to the website, since she knew the deposition wouldn’t be important until later. The website read:
Amanda’s articles and pieces concern a variety of topics, including fast-breaking news stories, business and CEO profiles, and developments in law, real estate, personal finance, and retail in the Philadelphia area. Her specialty is helping people and businesses become major influencers in the Delaware Valley and beyond. Click here if you want to see her portfolio of articles.
Benedict consulted his notes. “What are your duties as marketing director for London Technologies?”
“To help market the company.”
“Mr. Chen, can you elaborate?”
