Plaintiff Trial Lawyer Tips

WHAT THEY DON’T TEACH YOU IN LAW SCHOOL YOU NEED TO KNOW

November 27, 2023 Paul Luvera Comments 0 Comment

. . . One September morning in 1959 Skagit County’s only two superior court judges, Charles Stafford and Arthur Ward, administered my taking the oath to become a brand new lawyer. Also taking the oath was David Welts. There weren’t more than thirty-five lawyers in the county and less than 3,000 in the whole state. The practice of law wasn’t very complicated at that time. The state statutes fit in two binders compared with the volumes of law today….

THE POWER OF ANCHORING IN TRIAL

November 9, 2023 Paul Luvera Comments 0 Comment

Most attorneys who work in civil litigation are familiar with the “anchoring effect,” and know that suggesting a number has an influence on damages. Numerous studies have shown that the amount of a juror’s damages decision is strongly affected by the number suggested by the plaintiffs’ attorney, independent of the strength of the actual evidence. Research has repeatedly demonstrated that, independent of the evidence, asking for more in trial raises the chance of getting more on the verdict form. And the…

ARGUING DAMAGES

October 19, 2023 Paul Luvera Comments 0 Comment

. . “Money makes the world go around, the world go around, the world go around, Money makes the world go around, it makes the world go around” From the musical Cabaret . “The best things in life are free, but you can keep them for the birds and bees Now give me the money, that’s what I want…” Sung by the Beatles in 1963 . “It’s a very personal, very important thing. Hell, it’s a family motto. Now are…