Host of The Jury is Out
For more than thirty years, Erich Vieth has worked as a trial and appellate attorney in St. Louis. His experience includes numerous first chair trials before federal and state judges and juries. He has been lead author of many appellate briefs and presented oral arguments to both federal and state appellate courts.
Marketing is more than billboards and blogs. Your own genuine interest in the people you interact with every day can be your most effective marketing tool. John and Erich discuss simple, low-cost...
Even though you are on opposite sides of the case, having an adversarial relationship with opposing counsel is probably not the best approach for you or your client. Defense attorney Tim Gearin...
You’ve probably made lists of how to win your case, but Alvin Wolff suggests it may be more beneficial to consider 20 ways to lose. Hear the rest of Alvin’s tried and...
“A client who has been through several lawyers is probably a client you wish you didn’t have.” St. Louis plaintiff Attorney Alvin Wolff has been practicing for over four decades and his...
The corporate rep depo is a powerful tool to expand discovery and solidify facts in your case. Today’s discussion covers what information you should seek in a corporate rep depo, effective ways...
Your product liability case isn’t just about a single product. Design changes, comparable models, previous incidents and marketing materials should be carefully examined to find the potential flaw or “profit over people”...
The scope of your pleadings dictates the scope of your discovery, and it’s important to make sure your pleadings are broad enough to allow discovery into all the product issues you need...
Our discussion on building a product liability case continues, with a focus on pre-suit discovery, regulations, industry standards and potential defendants that are often overlooked.
Are you missing a product liability claim ? Product liability cases can be complex, challenging, and sometimes hard to recognize. John, Tim and Erich discuss how to recognize and evaluate a product...
Let’s talk technology, eDiscovery, Chat GPT and how to make use of our time in a productive way. All of these tools are coming at us lightning fast – listen to our...
Artificial Intelligence has significant impact on all industries and especially in the legal industry. Joy Holley discusses the exponential growth of AI and the use in legal and in which the courts...
Handling a high profile case? Attorney Robert Haar has a few helpful tips on how to deal with the press, convincing reluctant witnesses to cooperate, and the power of taking pride in...
Bombings. Organized crime. And witness protection programs. Gain insight into these interesting areas of the law with renowned St. Louis Attorney Robert Haar. Part One of our discussion covers these issues plus...
There’s a good chance your expert is going to be asked about facts that aren’t in evidence, prior relationships with your firm and their own compensation in the case. Should you be...
You’ve been working on this case for 2 years and it’s looking good. Then your own expert destroys it with a devastating response in their deposition. Is it their fault or yours?...
In Part Two of our enlightening discussion with immigration attorney Javad Khazaeli, you’ll learn more about roadblocks in the immigration system, including the antiquated process attorneys must attempt to follow to process...
Cut through the clutter of misinformation about immigration and find out the facts from our guest attorney, Javad Khazaeli. Javad worked for Homeland Security and the Department of Labor before starting his...
Part Two of our conversation on creativity in the courtroom with Debbie Champion focuses on innovative approaches to voir dire and fresh ideas on how to “play nice” during cross. We’ll also...
Have you ever considered bringing 49 massive jars of Skittles to the courtroom, dumping a 3-foot stack of medical records into the trash or placing something that looks like a bloody severed...
Part Two of our discussion with Tom Stewart focuses on avoiding common pitfalls in opening statements, how to direct on direct examination, and what it means to the jury when you start...
Attorney and St. Louis University Law Professor Tom Stewart recalls hearing judges say many attorneys have forgotten the basics of advocacy. So he developed one-page trial guides for the “apprentice lawyers” in...
This podcast was founded upon the idea that the best trial attorneys never stop learning. John Simon, Erich Veith, and St. Louis attorney Tom Stewart teach at St. Louis University School of...
Think you know your case so well you don’t need to write down your game plan? Think again. Part Two of our discussion on pretrial prep covers tips on preparing an order...
Preparing for trial can be a nerve-wracking experience for a young attorney. Today’s episode offers tried and true tips on when to request a pretrial conference and what matters to discuss, how...
Your trial team determines you need an expert to explain a vehicle’s structural defects. Do you need a metallurgist, a mechanical engineer, or both? How do you know and where do you...
Don’t assume that an impressive CV from a prestigious university means you’ve found the perfect expert for your case. We think someone with down-to-earth communication skills and real-life experience may be a...
Getting the documents your client requests is the primary reward of Sunshine Law litigation, but can you also be reimbursed for your time? In our final episode on Sunshine Laws, we discuss...
You’ve made a timely request for public governmental records but all you get are excuses. Under the law, you have to prove the delay is knowing and purposeful. How do you prove it...
Do you know when and why a public governmental meeting can close its doors to you? What recourse do you have to find out what they are discussing out of the public...
It’s one thing both sides can agree upon…government transparency is a good thing. But getting access to government information isn’t easy. In Part One of our in-depth discussion on Sunshine Laws, Attorneys...
You know depos and trial testimony will be different experiences, but does your client? Are they expecting something straight out of a legal drama TV series when they take the stand? Today’s...
The best way to increase your odds of winning is to turn down cases you will probably lose. What information should signal whether to lean in or walk away? And if you...
At a crossroads in your career, or just starting out, and wondering if you should choose plaintiff or defense work? Your level of risk aversion and emotional sensitivity may be key indicators...
Did you know nursing homes and nuclear power plants are the two most regulated industries in America? Defense attorney Steve Strum is well versed in this complex practice area, having handled nearly...
District Attorney of Manhattan Cyrus Vance Jr. views every case through the lens of two basic principles; does it make us safer and is it fair? We’d like to share Simon Law...
Significant physical injuries may be visible to the jury, but emotional harms are not. Are you doing everything you can to help the jury understand and compensate your client’s emotional damages? This...
Tune in and turn your next close into a persuasive legal education that helps jurors better understand their role when deciding your case.
Are you creating self-defeating typography by using underlines, caps, and fonts that make your argument less inviting to your reader? Author and attorney Matthew Butterick shares key points from his book Typography for...
If you’re looking for wise words from a respected mentor, this episode is for you. Through 33 years of trial experience and years as a mediator, George Fitzsimmons has distilled his cases...
Have you ever been forced to wear a tuxedo to court? Have a client kidnapped and tortured on a roof in China? Or watch your co-counsel perform life-saving treatment on a juror?...
How Persuasion Science can lead to Successful Jury Verdicts. Ever wonder why the facts and conclusions of your case seem so obvious to you, but the jury rules the other way? Perhaps...
Brad Winters started writing down insights, tips, and life tricks when he was a young man and continued making “notes to self” for decades. Now, as a respected attorney and mediator with...
As a mediator for more than 600 civil cases, Brad Winters is an expert on the skill and science of mediation. Surprisingly, his goal is not to settle the case but to...
Authenticity matters in the legal profession
Honesty and authenticity. Competence and trust. Cognitive science provides a research-based road map on how to project these positive points of connection toward judge and jury. Part Two of our conversation with...
Do you structure your case strategy based on the idea that our brains are designed for truth? You might be very wrong. In his book, Lawyers, Judges and Semi-Rational Beasts, Dan Holloway shares...
Strategies for Effective Settlement Negotiations
Are you settling your good cases and trying your bad ones? Is sending a demand letter early in the case effective? And should you work up a case differently if you plan...
Uses of Focus Groups in Litigation Research - A Valuable Tool in Trial Law
Opening Statements are one of the most important components of any trial
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