(Podcast) The Briefing: The Wrong Argument – Why Authors Lost Against Meta and What Comes Next
Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast Episode 319: Spotlight on Torts (Part 3 – Strict and Vicarious Liability)
Law School Toolbox Podcast Episode 513: Grappling with AI as a Law Student and Lawyer (1L Summer Series)
Podcast - Part II: The Do’s and Don’ts of Demonstratives
Wire Fraud Litigants Beware: Fourth Circuit Ruling Protects the Banks — The Consumer Finance Podcast
Balch’s Consumer Finance Compass: How Standing Can Make or Break Certification for Class Action Lawsuits in Debt Collection
Podcast - Persistence and Determination
Podcast - Part I - The Do’s and Don’ts of Demonstratives
Podcast - Walking Tall
Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast Episode 317: Spotlight on Torts (Part 2 – Intentional Torts)
Key Discovery Points: A Judicial Approach to Handling AI-Generated Evidence
Master the First Moves in Litigation for Courtroom Advantage – Speaking of Litigation Video Podcast
Podcast - The Seeds of Corruption
Key Discovery Points: Don’t Get Caught with Your Hand in the Production Cookie Jar
Key Discovery Points: BYOD Case Law Covering Subpoenas and Employee Handbooks
Feeling Disillusioned with AI? You’re Not Alone
Current Regulatory, Legislative, and Litigation Developments on ADA Website Accessibility for Consumer Finance Digital Platforms — The Consumer Finance Podcast
Key Discovery Points: Petty Finger Pointing Over Search Terms Results in Wasted Time
The Trend of Threatening Physicians for Personal Gain
Podcast - Seek Out Feedback
Testifying, whether in a deposition or in trial, can feel pretty threatening. Particularly if you’re a named defendant in a lawsuit, you know you’re going to be the target. But even when you’re on the other side, or you’re an...more
We know that successful trial outcomes are rarely the result of a single, game-changing moment. Instead, they are built on preparation, precision, and the cumulative impact of small, strategic decisions. In a recent IMS...more
When I first decided I wanted to become an attorney, I did not think about being in trial. Even in law school, I gave little thought about what it would mean to be in trial. Like a lot of people, my experience with being in...more
Litigation attorney Dan Small unexpectedly took the lead in prosecuting the high-profile case of the Farmers Export grain elevator explosion, a major incident in Galveston, Texas, that resulted in the deaths of 18 people in...more
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
Remote depositions took hold during COVID and continue to be common; one study conducted in 2021 found that while 87 percent of lawyers rarely or never participated in remote depositions before COVID, 83 percent expected to...more
In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small emphasizes the vital role of storytelling in trials. Drawing from his experiences in the Hyattsville, Maryland, Magistrate's...more
Cross-examination is the stuff of drama in fictional courtroom depictions. The savvy lawyer taking on a hostile witness on the stand—these are the moments TV and movie audiences live for. However, the truth is real-life...more
Given how critical depositions are to the legal process, it stands to reason that fair deposition practices are paramount to a legal team’s success. However, several forms of unethical and unfair conduct can emerge during...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
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
Effective management of discovery disputes is critical in litigation, particularly as courts enforce stricter adherence to discovery deadlines. A recent decision in Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH v. NVIDIA Corp. highlights...more
The blog post Turning Deposition No-Shows to the Client’s Advantage proved popular with our readers when written (2021!) and for years afterward. The sustained readership of that article is gratifying but also disappointing...more
In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small talks about the importance of one's appearance while in the courtroom. He especially emphasizes that the wrong clothing can be...more
The receipt of a notice for a client’s deposition usually sets off a chain reaction of familiar events in most law offices across the country. The deposition is calendared. Materials requested in the notice or accompanying...more
In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small discusses the best practices for organizing a trial and questioning witnesses. He highlights that no one approach is the same and...more
Under CPLR §§ 3111 and 3122(d), “[t]he reasonable production expenses of a non-party witness shall be defrayed by the party seeking discovery.” The Commercial Division Rules at Appendix A (“Guidelines for the Discovery of...more
Legal discovery often comprises the longest stage of casework—identifying evidence, developing timelines, and vetting witnesses. The facts, strengths, and weaknesses of a case provide puzzle pieces that attorneys identify and...more
Thorough preparation of the deposition witness is critical to successful deposition practice. Prior to the deposition, the witness should be advised how and when to respond to questioning, the roles of counsel and the court...more
Is there anything you would like to say to my client right now?” asked the attorney roleplaying plaintiff’s counsel in a recent witness preparation session. The witness, a corporate representative for a trucking company whose...more
Akin to a buddy-cop movie—there are some pairings that are stronger together. For trial attorneys, one such pairing is trial themes and mock trials. A trial theme, also known as a case theme, is critical to simplifying a...more
In civil litigation, depositions are a key pretrial discovery tool used to uncover facts, obtain admissions, gather evidence for motions, and assess witnesses. They prevent “trial by ambush” by revealing crucial information...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
Trial graphics are instrumental in conveying your story to today’s jurors. Presenting an understandable argument to a jury usually involves technology-driven visual communication in the form of demonstrative exhibits and...more
When it comes to the delicate task of preparing a witness for deposition or trial, everyone has their own style. It is also true that every witness will have their own needs. Some know the drill already and just need to...more