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Author: Paul Luvera

Luvera practiced plaintiff law 55 years. He is past President of the Inner Circle of Advocates & Washington State Trial Lawyers Association. Member ABOTA, American College of Trial Lawyers, International Academy, International Society of Barristers and the American Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame. Book Luvera on Advocacy available at Trial Guides Publishing Email paul@luvera.org
THOUGHTS ABOUT EPIDEMIOLOGY IN OUR TRIALS “Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable” Mark Twain

THOUGHTS ABOUT EPIDEMIOLOGY IN OUR TRIALS “Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable” Mark Twain

“There are three types of lies — lies, damn lies, and statistics.” ― Benjamin Disraeli John Godfrey Saxe wrote this well known poem which illustrates the problem we often experience in our trials involving evidence of causation and scientific connection to events. Too often, it is a matter of interpretation. Blind Men and the Elephant  It was six men of Indostan, To learning much inclined, Who went to see the Elephant (Though all of them were blind), That each by…

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TEN TRUTHS ABOUT LEARNING HOW TO LEARN

TEN TRUTHS ABOUT LEARNING HOW TO LEARN

Over the 55 years I was involved in a plaintiffs trial practice I gave literally hundreds of talks around the country and even internationally. I learned that one can share unique and important ideas about successful plaintiffs trial practice and about 10%, at best, of the lawyers in attendance will effectively implement them. The overwhelming majority of them will listen, think that it is an interesting idea and then promptly forget about it returning to their usual practices. Those who…

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CROSS EXAMINATION IDEAS

CROSS EXAMINATION IDEAS

One of the most satisfying, but often challenging parts of a trial is the cross examination of witnesses, especially expert witnesses.  As John Henry Wigmore has famously said:  “Cross examination is beyond any doubt the greatest legal engine ever invented for the discovery of truth.” However, Louis Nizer, a great New York trial lawyer, also has observed it can be risky for the cross examiner: “In cross-examination, as in fishing, nothing is more ungainly than a fisherman pulled into the…

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