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Month: April 2010

Do you tell the jury how much you want at the start of the trial or wait for argument?

Do you tell the jury how much you want at the start of the trial or wait for argument?

Recently there was an email discussion among good plaintiff lawyer about whether you tell the jury how much you are asking in jury selection or wait until final argument. Some cited David Ball and said they tell the jury how much they are asking for and some said they are concerned about doing that. Here was my response. It’s an important question and there is no solid agreement in spite of Ball’s suggestion. My approach is this. In a lot of…

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Always be open to learning something beneficial

Always be open to learning something beneficial

I’ve been involved in the Wyoming Spence Trial College from the day it first began because I believe in Gerry’s concept about teaching lawyers how to be great trial lawyers. I read the publication Warrior each month looking for new ideas. This month the issue was devoted to criminal defense and capital defense work. I didn’t think there would be much in that issue that would benefit me in my civil damage work, but I was wrong. One example was…

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The 2010 american trial lawyer hall of fame

The 2010 american trial lawyer hall of fame

I ‘d like to be immodest and tell you that my wife Lita and I  just returned from Las Vegas where I was inducted into the 2010 American Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame. What made it such an honor for me personally were the other members.  Last year  Bobby Lee Cook, Morris Dees, Fred Levin, stanley Preiser and Gerry Spence were inducted. Non living members include Melvin Belli,Clarence Darrow, William Kunstler and Johnnie Cochran. This year Phillip Corboy, Richard "Racehorse" Haynes, Russ…

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