Answers

In a litigation, the answer gives the defendant its turn to weigh in on the events in question. Through the answer, the defendant makes explicit which issues are in dispute—responding to every allegation from the complaint—and may expand the issues at stake by asserting affirmative defenses, counterclaims, and cross-claims. Junior associates who understand the answer's structure and strategy will be better equipped to assist their teams throughout the litigation lifecycle. This course provides a comprehensive overview of the answer: what it is, how it operates, how to draft it, and why it matters at every stage of a litigation.