Loyal Heels in the Courtroom listeners know Amy Gunn also hosts a podcast for the American College of Trial Lawyers. On her Trial Tested podcast, Amy spoke with Joan Lukey, one of the top female litigators in the country and the first female President of the ACTL. This extraordinary episode is a great opportunity to take notes on Joan’s philosophy for success and her ongoing commitment to compassion in every aspect of her life.

You clearly gave your focus group jurors all the facts in your case. Most understood your message, but a few folks went completely off the deep end and jumped to a conclusion you can’t even comprehend. We often forget that jurors don’t share our legal knowledge and that the responsibility of decision-making in a legal setting can be overwhelming. Tune in to hear some of the crazy comments we’ve heard in focus groups and what they can teach us.

Wouldn’t you love to know what jurors are thinking about your case? Focus groups provide valuable insights into case strategy and potential damages issues. They can also reveal issues you never considered or indicate where clarification or visuals might be needed to help the jury understand complex information. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of online and in-person focus groups, how to prep and present the case, and what you can learn from your results in Part One of our intro to focus groups for trial attorneys.

Say you go on vacation and your condo reservation gets canceled just before you arrive, but you are promised a full refund. But after a gazillion texts, emails, and phone calls, you still don’t have your money. Now what? It happened to one of us and it turned out to be a great lesson in the basics of small claims court. You won’t want to miss this one….cuz when you try to cheat Amy Gunn, you get 4 highly-motivated attorneys coming after you. This means you, Randy. 

The Texas Two-Step isn’t just a country music line dance. It’s a controversial legal maneuver a company can use to avoid exposure to potential legal claims, and it could derail your case. We’ll examine the potential impact of bankruptcy on litigation and explain why you should always discuss bankruptcy with your client, how to seek relief if an insurance company claims financial insolvency, and offer clarification on judicial estoppel. 

Mediators are supposed to be unbiased but that’s not always the case. What should you do if your mediator appears to be favoring the other side or acts inappropriately? We’ve got some great stories about what happened to us, so listen in and learn what to do if/when you find yourself in a messy mediation, including when to walk and how to prep your client for that possibility.

We just heard that if you want to rise to the top, you need to exhibit “quiet masculinity”. What the hell is that? Is it a weird way of saying “don’t be loudly feminine?” And are the traits many perceive as feminine really out of place in the C-suite? Join our spirited discussion as we unpack this loaded phrase and the stereotypes and implications that go with it.

Filed any frivolous lawsuits lately? Of course you haven’t, but sadly, many people think lawyers are just greedy manipulators who lie for a living. Not only does that hurt us personally, but it also undermines the foundation of our judicial system. Join today’s discussion about why there are so many lawyer misconceptions (and bad jokes) and what we can do to restore some of the dignity and appreciation of our practice. 

After years of litigation, the check is literally sitting on your desk. All you have to do is sign that boilerplate settlement agreement and you’re done, right? Wrong. Pour a cup of coffee and take the time to read every word because the terms of confidentiality, liens, and indemnification could make a critical difference for your client or for you in a future case. We dodged a couple of bullets on this topic, tune in so you can too.

We’re not talking about eating more veggies or actually using that old gym membership. Our thoughts about New Year’s resolutions for 2023 involve personal challenges to build and defend our boundaries, be brave and try something new. Take a moment for some sincere introspection and join us in our renewed resolve to give ourselves permission to get what we want this year and to support others who are pushing their comfort zones for positive change.