Courtroom Stories & Tactics

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You're Only as Strong as the Human Team Behind You | Jesse Baez (Personal Injury Lawyer)

2026-11-0450:18

A $30,000 offer from Geico. A $400,000 jury verdict. All coming after a client who gave what Jesse Baez calls the, "worst deposition ever!" Trial lawyer Jesse Baez tells the story of the case that became not only a tremendous learning experience, but the genesis of his very firm. From their backs against the wall to a remarkably successful conclusion, there are inspiring lessons throughout. A key theme of our conversation today is the importance of having a strong team, each member drawing on...

Longevity Medicine Will Help You Be a Better Lawyer | Dr. Jonathan Schaaf (Longevity Doctor)

2026-10-2558:23

We’ve talked about it before on the podcast (and it will surely come up again): you have to look after your health and wellbeing if you want to succeed long term as a trial lawyer. We all know how easy it is to work the long hours, put in that extra push to midnight after the kids are in bed, neglect sleep and exercise, and let our work become all-consuming. And that’s not including the temptations of bad diet and alcohol that constantly surround us. Longevity medicine is the stud...

How Using Focus Groups Led to a $12 million Verdict | Michael Karp (Personal Injury Lawyer)

2026-10-1556:05

Michael Karp's law practice changed when they started leaning heavily into using focus groups. The reason was pretty obvious: focus group testing brought an otherwise iffy slip-and-fall case to a $12 million verdict. But it's the process of watching that unfold that for Mike became so fascinating. Witnessing the participants bring forth angles and perspectives that he and his firm hadn't thought of, or had seen from a completely different viewpoint, altered how they ended up presenting ...

How Using Big Data Turned a Potential $350K Settlement Into a $9 Million Verdict | Andrew Garza (Personal Injury Lawyer)

2026-10-0547:50

What if you were confident that a $350K settlement could become a $9 million verdict, because you could predict that number before the trial? Connecticut trial lawyer Andrew Garza reveals how big data turned a difficult premises liability case into the largest verdict ever seen in that courthouse - and why most plaintiff lawyers are still leaving money on the table. Andrew breaks down what “big data” actually is, how it differs from traditional focus groups, and why it gave his team the confi...

Trial Breakdown: $1,500,000 Verdict | Ben Rand + Sharif Gray

2026-09-2552:57

There are times when contributory negligence laws can become a gift to the plaintiff. You need to recognize the signs and, of course, have a strong case, but if the facts are there, the defense's own arguments can help shape your win. Ben Rand's firm recently took on a trip & fall case in Virginia that, on the surface, had strong facts, yet was a certainty to run headlong into Virginia's contributory negligence laws. In Virginia, this means that if it can be demonstrated that the plaintif...

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