Podcast - Finding Common Ground
Podcast - "Ready for Trial?"
The Future of Litigation: Adapting to the Era of Nuclear Verdicts
Podcast - Every Case Is a New World
Podcast - The 3 Core Themes of Trial Law: Do the Right Thing
The 3 Core Themes of Trial Law: Tell Your Story
The JustPod: Lawyer, Gentleman, and Counsel to the Stars: A Discussion with Brian McMonagle
Podcast - The 3 Core Themes of Trial Law: Know Your Court
Podcast - Real Justice for Real People
There Is No Right Path
Podcast - How Did We Get Here?
Podcast - Parting Thoughts: Be a "Peddler of Common Sense"
Against All Odds- Part Four
Against All Odds- Part Three
Against All Odds- Part Two
Against All Odds- Part One
The Presumption of Innocence Podcast: Episode 56 - A Strategic Gamble: The Risks, Costs and Rewards of Going to Trial
Podcast - Expert Witnesses, Special Issues
Courtroom Chemistry: How Trial Team Dynamics Shape Case Outcomes – Speaking of Litigation Video Podcast
Podcast - Direct Examination of Expert Witnesses
Law firms are increasingly using technology to assist and optimize their litigation and trial processes, and this trend will almost certainly continue into the future. In particular, the use of external graphics technologies...more
Here’s a scenario we often see when watching deliberations in a mock trial: The subject of the defendant’s alternate damages number comes up, and jurors see it as a weakness...more
When I received my jury summons a month or so ago, I was elated. But the feeling was brief, as I quickly concluded my service would likely end as quickly as it would begin. I’m a Litigation Consultant, I work for a law firm,...more
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small analyzes the similarities and differences between real-life trials and ones portrayed in television and movies. Mr. Small...more
Akin to a buddy-cop movie—there are some pairings that are stronger together. For trial attorneys, one such pairing is trial themes and mock trials. A trial theme, also known as a case theme, is critical to simplifying a...more
When a case proceeds to trial, a legal team may face a critical decision about whether to have it adjudicated by a jury of peers or a single judge. Both options can offer benefits depending on the merits and subject matter...more
Case preparation can take months of research, depositions, and strategic planning—all for that one high-pressure moment in court. Even learning how to write a good opening statement can take a considerable amount of time and...more
Law students spend years training to evaluate details and learn procedures that don’t always fall under the umbrella of common sense to laypersons. The most important issues that seem obvious to attorneys can be ignored by...more
Your typical mock trial might involve three juries, with a total of 30 or so mock jurors. The typical public opinion poll run by an organization like Gallup, however, can involve more like 1000 participants. So what is the...more
This week, hosts Tina and Jennie welcome Dr. Jo Ellen Livingston, co-founder of Livingston & Shepherd Trial Consulting, where she advises clients on all aspects of the trial process, including in the areas of labor and...more
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small is joined by intellectual property and litigation attorney Joshua Krumholz to discuss the ins and outs of trial law. With...more
One of the first questions potential clients want to know when they call us is: How much does a mock trial cost? Considering that costs and expenses are a significant factor to any attorney or client’s budget, this question...more
As most litigators know, jurors’ attitudes and opinions often influence how they filter the facts of a case. It is through these lenses that jurors develop their perceptions of the parties and their corresponding motives,...more
IMS Strategy Consultant Dr. Clint Townson discusses the benefits of early case theme development and the factors leading jurors to award massive damages....more
When you test a product to assess its performance and safety, of course you have very substantive reasons for doing that: You are aiming to check effectiveness, prevent harm, and protect the brand. When a trial occurs,...more
For those trained in the sciences, relying on illustrations or examples is not considered nearly as good as relying on data. If they call something “anecdotal,” then there is a good chance that the word “merely….” precedes...more
The instructions for jurors are clear: They are to take an issue that has no effect on them, listen dispassionately to the evidence and arguments, apply the facts to the law, and make a decision. That is the model, but in...more
Jurors are often put in the position of assessing the probability or risk of something at the time a decision was made, before the consequences can be known. “How likely is it that a given result will be the outcome from a...more
The core of most determinations of negligence is the question, “What would a reasonable person have done?” And, at least in theory, this “reasonable person” isn’t supposed to be an actual person whose deeds are recorded in...more
Recently, three of the most high-profile current defendants did what conventional wisdom says they shouldn’t do; They took the stand in their own defense. Kyle Rittenhouse, on trial for killings at a Kenosha, Wisconsin...more
A number of years ago, innovators searching for ways to take some of the pain, delay, and difficulty out of the jury trial hit upon the idea to boil it down, rein in the discovery, simplify the rules of evidence, and try it...more
From the time we were kids, most of us swiftly learned what was likely to get us punished: a spanking or — for more recent generations — a time out. Usually, that was brought out by something we did, or by the situation we...more
A ‘Golden Rule’ argument is one that encourages jurors to put themselves in a party’s shoes and think about what they would or wouldn’t have done. It leads to an objection because it encourages the juror to embrace a personal...more
In any challenging communication situation, it is best to combine the visual with the verbal. This is good practice because pictures tend to make things more “truthy,” in the sense that claims that are accompanied by relevant...more
Juneteenth is now a federal holiday, and even as many would prefer action on voting rights protection, equal access to education and healthcare, and police reform, the symbol is still important. It highlights both the...more