Championing Justice: A Personal Injury Podcast

What happens when a personal injury client learns that his case has been settled, but he never gave his lawyer permission to settle it?

In this episode of Championing Justice, host and attorney Darl Champion sits down with Robert Wyrosdick and attorneys Michael Flint and Mary Ellen Lighthiser to discuss the case that resulted in an arbitration award of more than $4.3 million against Morgan & Morgan.

Robert, Michael, and Mary Ellen take Darl inside that investigation, including the significance of a 28-second phone call in which Morgan & Morgan claimed Robert had authorized the settlement.

The conversation explores what they learned about the firm's case-management structure, the economics and practical realities of pursuing a claim through mandatory arbitration, and the duties lawyers owe their clients when making decisions that can permanently affect their rights.

Learn more about Robert’s attorneys, Michael and Mary Ellen, here:

→ Michael’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-flint-7955941a/ 

→ Mary Ellen’s LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-ellen-lighthiser-7a45189/

→ McClure & Kornheiser - https://www.mcclurelegal.com/litigation-attorneys 

Watch this and other Championing Justice episodes on YouTube: Championing Justice video episodes

Additional Resources:

Learn more about The Champion Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.C. here.

Learn more about Georgia tort law cases and topics here.

Follow Darl and The Champion Firm on social media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
TikTok
Darl’s LinkedIn

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show!

Alice Lovchik (Al-ee-see Love-chick) never planned to become an American trial lawyer.

She grew up in Brazil, expected to become a judge like her father, and even insisted she'd never live in the United States. Then life changed everything.

In this episode of Championing Justice, Alice shares her journey from Brazilian law student to Texas trial lawyer, including the challenges of learning English, earning multiple law licenses, trying dozens of jury cases… and spending years as the impressive lead vocalist of several heavy metal bands.

Along the way, Darl and Alice discuss what music taught her about performing before juries, why human connection matters more than courtroom theatrics, lessons from difficult verdicts, and why client-centered firms will continue to outperform in the future.

Whether you're a trial lawyer, law student, or simply enjoy hearing unconventional career stories, this episode is packed with practical insights and interesting conversations.

→ Learn more about Alice here: https://www.abogadojaviermarcos.com/alice-lima

→ Connect with Alice on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-lovchik-717ba626/

Watch this and other Championing Justice episodes on YouTube: Championing Justice video episodes

Additional Resources:

Learn more about The Champion Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.C. here.

Learn more about Georgia tort law cases and topics here.

Follow Darl and The Champion Firm on social media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
TikTok
Darl’s LinkedIn

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show!

Private equity has transformed industries like healthcare, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and nursing homes. Could law firms be next?

In this episode of Championing Justice, host and attorney Darl Champion sits down with former federal prosecutor and Plunder author Brendan Ballou to discuss why private equity firms are increasingly targeting legal practices, how Managed Service Organizations (MSOs) are changing firm ownership, and what these trends could mean for attorneys, clients, and the future of access to justice.

Whether you own a law firm, manage one, or simply care about the future of plaintiff advocacy, this episode offers an important look at one of the biggest issues facing the legal industry.

→ Learn more about Brendan and his work at the Public Integrity Project here: https://publicintegrityproject.org/who-we-are

→ Connect with Brendan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendan-ballou-2546801b7/

Watch this and other Championing Justice episodes on YouTube: Championing Justice video episodes

Additional Resources:

Learn more about The Champion Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.C. here.

Learn more about Georgia tort law cases and topics here.

Follow Darl and The Champion Firm on social media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
TikTok
Darl’s LinkedIn

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show!

What happens after someone finds your law firm is what actually determines whether or not you get the case.

In Part 2 of this conversation, Darl Champion and Gyi Tsakalakis shift from marketing strategy to execution, breaking down intake systems, AI tools, attribution, and the real drivers of law firm growth.

From fake reviews and flawed attribution models to budget realities and the future of personal injury law, this episode offers a practical, honest look at where firms should actually be investing their time and money.

→ Learn more about AttorneySync here: https://www.attorneysync.com
→ Connect with Gyi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gyitsakalakis 

Watch this and other Championing Justice episodes on YouTube: Championing Justice video episodes

Additional Resources:

Learn more about The Champion Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.C. here.

Learn more about Georgia tort law cases and topics here.

Follow Darl and The Champion Firm on social media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
TikTok
Darl’s LinkedIn

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show!

What actually works in legal marketing today, and what’s just noise?

In the first segment of this two-part episode, attorney Darl Champion talks to Gyi Tsakalakis of AttorneySync to break down the reality of modern-day SEO; law firm growth; and why the firms that win aren’t just the ones that rank, but the ones that get chosen.

If you’re thinking about marketing as a long-term investment, this conversation will change how you approach it.

→ Learn more about AttorneySync here: https://www.attorneysync.com 

→ Connect with Gyi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gyitsakalakis 

Watch this and other Championing Justice episodes on YouTube: Championing Justice video episodes

Additional Resources:

Learn more about The Champion Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.C. here.

Learn more about Georgia tort law cases and topics here.

Follow Darl and The Champion Firm on social media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
TikTok
Darl’s LinkedIn

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show!

What if you could test your case with hundreds of real jurors before ever stepping into a courtroom?

In this episode of Championing Justice, trial attorney and host Darl Champion sits down with John Campbell, a former trial lawyer and law professor who now specializes in big data jury research. 

Join us as John explains how modern jury science is reshaping case valuation, trial strategy, and risk analysis… and why traditional focus groups may no longer be enough on their own.

From leveraging real juror data to avoiding costly decision-making mistakes, this episode offers a practical look at how plaintiff lawyers can bring more precision and confidence into high-stakes cases.

→ Learn more and contact John here: https://www.campbelllawllc.com/

→ Focus with Fred: https://www.focuswithfred.com/

→ JuryBall: https://www.juryball.com/

Watch this and other Championing Justice episodes on YouTube: Championing Justice video episodes

Additional Resources:

Learn more about The Champion Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.C. here.

Learn more about Georgia tort law cases and topics here.

Follow Darl and The Champion Firm on social media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
TikTok
Darl’s LinkedIn

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show!

Billboard advertising has often carried a stigma in the personal injury world, especially among trial lawyers. In this episode of Championing Justice, attorney Darl Champion sits down with fellow trial lawyer Joel Williams to explore why and how he made the decision to advertise on billboards, and how he avoided turning his firm into a settlement mill.

Join us for a candid conversation about the pressures facing modern PI firms: rising digital ad costs, illegal solicitation, brand saturation, and the challenge of staying top-of-mind without sacrificing service or trial readiness.

→ Learn more and contact Joel here: https://gatrialattorney.com/joel-williams/ 

→ WEHE’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@WILLIAMSELLEBY 

Watch this and other Championing Justice episodes on YouTube: Championing Justice video episodes

Additional Resources:

Learn more about The Champion Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.C. here.

Learn more about Georgia tort law cases and topics here.

Follow Darl and The Champion Firm on social media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
TikTok
Darl’s LinkedIn

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show!

Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept; it’s already reshaping how personal injury law firms operate. 

In this episode of Championing Justice, host Darl Champion sits down with plaintiff trial lawyer, author, and Best Era co-founder Ryan McKeen to unpack what AI really means for personal injury practices today and what’s coming next.

→ Learn more about Ryan at McKeen Law LLC and Best Era

→ Contact Ryan on Instagram or LinkedIn

→ Listen to The Way with Best Era podcast

Watch this and other Championing Justice episodes on YouTube: Championing Justice video episodes

Additional Resources:

Learn more about The Champion Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.C. here.

Learn more about Georgia tort law cases and topics here.

Follow Darl and The Champion Firm on social media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
TikTok
Darl’s LinkedIn

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show!

In this episode of Championing Justice, personal injury attorney Darl Champion is joined by trial lawyer Jason Sheffield and actor-turned-communication coach Judson Vaughn, the team behind the JurisPerfect Performance Lab. 

Together, they share how trial lawyers can enhance their litigation presence by learning the art of performance, trust-building, and storytelling in the courtroom.

→ Learn more about JurisPerfect here.

→ Learn more about JudsonSquared here.

Watch this and other Championing Justice episodes on YouTube: Championing Justice video episodes

Additional Resources:

Learn more about The Champion Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.C. here.

Learn more about Georgia tort law cases and topics here.

Follow Darl and The Champion Firm on social media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
TikTok
Darl’s LinkedIn

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show!

In the second half of our conversation with fellow Atlanta personal injury attorney Steve Litner, Darl and Steve continue their discussion of staffing a sustainable, people-first law firm.

Steve explains how Litner + Deganian balances profitability with reasonable caseloads, emphasizing relationship-driven business development, meaningful bonus structures, and long-term growth over short-term volume. 

Don't forget to catch Part 1 of this two-part episode if you missed it last week!

→  Learn more about Litner + Deganian here: https://www.litnerlaw.com

→  Connect with Steve on LinkedIn

Watch this and other Championing Justice episodes on YouTube: Championing Justice video episodes

Additional Resources:

Learn more about The Champion Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.C. here.

Learn more about Georgia tort law cases and topics here.

Follow Darl and The Champion Firm on social media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
TikTok
Darl’s LinkedIn

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show!