Podcast - The 3 Core Themes of Trial Law: Do the Right Thing
Podcast - How Did We Get Here?
Podcast - Parting Thoughts: Be a "Peddler of Common Sense"
Against All Odds- Part Four
Podcast - Expert Witnesses, Special Issues
Podcast - Direct Examination of Expert Witnesses
Podcast - Drowning in Complexity
Podcast: Part I - Reading the Jury
Podcast - How to Use Humor and Anger Effectively in the Courtroom
Preparing for Deposition Success
Podcast - Connecting Separate Pieces of Evidence Clearly, Persuasively
Podcast - Getting Dressed for Court
How Do Litigators Build the Perfect Jury in a Polarized World? – Speaking of Litigation Video Podcast
Podcast - Presentation is Paramount
Podcast - Voice and Delivery
Podcast - Think Outside the Script
Podcast - The Witness Outline
Podcast - Crafting Winning Strategies: Theories and Themes in Trials
Targeting Safetyism in Defense Voir Dire | Episode 71
The Presumption of Innocence Podcast: Episode 49 - Perspectives From the Bench: Anatomy of a Criminal Trial With Retired Judge Margaret Foti
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
Going to court can be a stressful and emotionally charged experience. Your divorce lawyer will play an important role in preparing you for court, ensuring that you understand the legal proceedings, and helping you present...more
A couple of weeks ago, I was in court to help pick a jury in a high-value case. During that early phase of jury selection, the gallery was full to capacity with potential jurors, the counsel and parties were present, the...more
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small reflects on essential principles for trial lawyers, emphasizing the importance of clarity and organization in presenting...more
Foley Hoag LLP publishes this quarterly Update primarily concerning developments in product liability and related law from federal and state courts applicable to Massachusetts, but also featuring selected developments for New...more
Regular visitors to this blog no doubt are aware that the rules of practice for the Commercial Division are centered on innovation, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and predictability. This includes the rules governing trial...more
I remember listening to Justice Frank Cleckley of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, my professor for Evidence, open his first lecture with a discussion of Federal Rule of Evidence 103. As a young law student, I was...more
It is common advice for witnesses in the courtroom or representatives at counsel table: keep a poker face. That advice — avoid scowls, grimaces, and other head-shaking reactions while you’re being observed by a jury — has...more
Jury testing is a powerful tool in litigation, and attorneys would be well served to think about their cases as studies worthy of experimentation. Cases are not mysteries to be solved; they are a series of testable questions...more
Conflicting expert testimony constituted substantial evidence supporting the jury’s rejection of a reverse doctrine of equivalents argument....more
The Washington Court of Appeals recently affirmed a jury verdict and $30 million judgment for general contractor Skanska. The case involves the construction of the 41-story Nexus condominium tower in downtown Seattle. As is...more
Three years of law school can teach us many things. But what they do not do very well—as we typically discover soon after graduating—is prepare us for the actual practice of law. For those of us who always planned to be...more
Government regulators can often play a role in civil litigation. In some cases, they’re involved as parties. More often, however, their role is as a proxy. In those situations, jurors might look at whether the defendant...more
In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook," litigation attorney Dan Small explores the importance of rhetoric in courtroom communication. Although rhetoric has been less studied in recent times, it has enabled speakers...more
There is a case currently playing out in the Southern District of New York, Major League Baseball Players Inc.,v. Underdog Sports, Inc. There is a common dynamic called out right there in the caption: One side is the “Major...more
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene's damage to western North Carolina, a new conspiracy theory gained traction. This conspiracy held that the federal government manipulated the weather as Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina...more
What's the difference? There are three main ways for a defendant to bring a lawsuit to an end. Each involves a different level of proof – and of expense and hassle. It's better to get a lawsuit “disposed of” as early as...more
Early on in the jury selection process, the judge will often ask the panel, “We all know that jury duty can be inconvenient, but who believes they would experience an unreasonable hardship by serving in this case?” Hands will...more
An old adage states, “The worst settlement is often better than the best trial, particularly for the losing party.” This was true in a recent upstate New York case where a jury awarded damages twenty times the realistic...more
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals has once again revived Sarah Palin’s longstanding defamation suit against The New York Times. The Second Circuit’s opinion highlights important procedural and substantive issues in...more
Here is a case from the opposite coast of the United States. This case may be looked at as persuasive authority in cases filed in the 9th circuit...more
U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals - N Am Sugar v. Xinjiang Goldwind - personal jurisdiction - Stalley v. Lake CI Warden - § 1983, deliberate indifference...more
In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small outlines essential rules for lawyers during closing arguments. He speaks about the importance of not misstating evidence or...more
As a trial attorney, you’ll often enlist expert witnesses to evaluate claims, clarify complex evidence, write an expert witness report, and offer authoritative opinions. Because time and money can be tight during trial prep,...more
First impressions are crucial—especially when you’re delivering an opening statement to a court of law, establishing and framing the crux of a case for judges and jurors when a trial begins. Clarity, conciseness, resonance,...more