The line between zealous representation and being an obstinate ass is often said to be a fine-line to walk as attorneys.

After all, if the OTHER side is playing hardball, the temptation to fight fire with MORE fire can almost seem like a responsibility.

But as my guest today so eloquently puts it, “lawyers that fight over every issue do it because they don’t know the issues that actually matter.”

This week I was lucky to be joined by veteran trial attorney and founding partner of The Champion Firm, Darl Champion.

Consistently recognized in the National Trial Lawyers ‘Top 100’ in the State of Georgia, he has represented clients in every federal district court in Georgia, the Georgia Court of Appeals, Georgia Supreme Court, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and numerous state and superior courts throughout Georgia.

In our conversation we discuss the slow erosion of civility on both sides of the docket, how lawyers of impact, be they defense or plaintiff, have more in common than not, and why more of us need to approach our cases with the mindset of problem solving, not winning.

As always, enjoy the show.
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SHOWNOTES:

Mindset - Carol Dweck
The Slight Edge - Jeff Olson

There are few things more stressful as a trial attorney than the jury selection process.

Even if you’re confident in your case, your arguments have been tested and refined, and every piece of evidence is on your side, picking jurors is a stark reminder that so much is out of your control.

And because the ways in which all of us receive and retain information is changing, it’s up to attorneys to adapt the ways in which they approach jurors.

From the effects of polarization,the expectations around evidence, and generally shorter attention spans, there is so much to unpack about the way juries continue to evolve.

Thankfully, I’m joined by Jury Consultant and Strategic Advisor, Dr. Christina Marinakis to help me do just that.

With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Marinakis is the CEO and Founder of Immersion Legal which specialize in jury research, jury study, and applied practice in law and psychology.

Dr. Marinakis has assisted trial counsel with jury selection and daily trial monitoring across the country on some of the most substantial cases of our time, including her assistance to the prosecution with jury selection in State of Minnesota v. Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd.

This is definitely a conversation for the trial attorneys out there, but anyone with a passing curiosity in jury-trials will enjoy this peek behind the curtain.

Enjoy the show.

For as ever present as it is, the Billable-Hour is still one of those topics on the Defense side of the Bar that is deemed somewhat taboo.

Some of this, I believe, comes from a natural - though not at all helpful - competitive mentality. After all, the number of hours we bill is frequently worn as a ‘Badge of Honor’, and so why would we want to “share our secrets”?

But as my conversation today hopefully highlights, there is often a deeper set of reasons many Attorneys, myself included, come to loathe the billable-hour; the most treacherous of which is tying our INNER worth to our OUTER performance.

This week I’m joined by Emily Logan Stedman, commercial-litigation Partner at Husch Blackwell.

Most recently she is the creator and host of The Grace Period Podcast which aims to have honest conversations about striking a better balance, developing coping strategies, and destigmatizing mental health for stakeholders across the Legal Profession.

Emily writes frequently and openly about her struggles and strategies when it comes to all-consuming billable-hour.

Our conversation this week aims to leave listeners with new tools to tackle the worst part of being a Defense attorney, while also reminding them that they’re not alone.

Enjoy the show.