What has worked for me is to have some responses ready at the quick. In the beginning I wanted to protect my relationship with my elderly JW mother at any cost. I didn't want any judicial action that would cause her more grief than she already felt.
That is no longer an issue. When someone asks "are you still in XXX?" I say, I'm not attending meetings at the moment." They usually change the subject, or tell me about a relative that did the same thing.
I respond as positive and happy as I can at the moment and redirect the conversation to be about them, their work/family/car...anything. That always works.
When they tell me they just got back from RC/SAD whatever, I always say "that's GREAT! How's your wife/kids/car whatever."
And if a former friend dug a little deeper, I've said this:
"I have no issues with elders or anybody. I do have issues with the corporation. And it's between me and Jehovah and I have taken it to him in prayer." This stopped any further discussion. They are not stupid.