Sari Swears

You're spending your voir dire on the wrong thing.

And it's not subtle.

You're trying to get ahead of the defense's argument—funneling defense points, repeating their story, mapping out everything wrong with what they might bring up.

Meanwhile, your jury is soaking up defense point after defense point.

That's the problem.

Because what you give airtime to, they give weight to.

In this week's podcast, I break down the 4 topics you should avoid in voir dire, because they quietly hand power to the other side (even when you think you're doing it right).

Love, Sari

P.S. If you want to go deeper on this, join me LIVE on May 28th for my Beyond the Book Webinar. I'll walk you through the H2H Method™ and how it actually works in real cases and you can even bring your own case for live feedback. Register NOW → sariswears.com/webinar

You might be asking the wrong questions.

Not bad ones.

Just ones that never get past small talk.

And if that's happening in your voir dire… you're missing the moment where jurors actually connect.

Because connection doesn't come from:

"Where are you from?"

"What do you do?"

"Have you ever…?"

It comes from something deeper.

From getting jurors to talk about what they value and actually staying there long enough for it to mean something.

Most attorneys don't do this.

Not because they don't care… but because they've never been shown how.

And that gap? It shows up later in your damages.

Coach K and I break all of this down in this week's podcast:

• What a resonant conversation actually is

• Why it changes the way jurors see your case

• And how to start shifting your questions (without it feeling forced or awkward)

If your jury feels a little disconnected… this is likely why.

Love, Sari

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Quote:

"What we're really wanting from our jurors is to invest in the process. And the best time to do that is in voir dire — when they can talk about themselves and what they value… because at its core, what our plaintiff attorneys are fighting for are human values, things that we all care about. And that's what was taken in every single case."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

I'm seeing this a lot lately, so let me say it straight: If your case feels too simple, you're probably FINALLY getting it right.

You keep trying to add more: more detail, more explanation, more persuasion.

But jurors don't need more.

They need clarity.

When you hit the point where someone hears your case and thinks, "Well… duh," that's the sweet spot.

Because "duh" means:

• It's common sense
• It's easy to understand
• It's hard to argue with

And most importantly, it triggers the question you want: "If it's so obvious… why didn't they do it?"

That's where your power is.

Not in being clever.

Not in making it complex.

In making it undeniable.

So if part of you is thinking, "This feels too basic…"

Good. Lean in.

Love, Sari

Quote:

"If your case makes someone think, 'Well, duh,' that's when you know you've got it right. It means it's clear, it's common sense, and it's something no one can argue with. That's where your power is — not in being clever, but in being undeniable."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

Have you ever caught yourself thinking:

"Why does everything feel so overwhelming lately?"

It might not be your caseload.

It might not be your schedule.

It might be this: You're making thousands of decisions every single day.

Big ones. Small ones. Constant ones.

And it's draining you.

In this week's episode, I break down the exact tools I use to cut through decision fatigue, so you can STOP spinning and START moving.

Here's a quick look:

• Why "just thinking about it" keeps you stuck (and what actually works instead)

• How to create a personal litmus test so decisions become automatic

• The simple shift that instantly reduces overwhelm (hint: zoom out)

Because the goal isn't to make more decisions.

It's to make fewer and better ones.

If you've been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or mentally tapped out… this one's for you.

Love, Sari

P.S. If you're stuck between options right now, don't overthink it, grab the free decision-making download and work through it step-by-step: https://sariswears.com/decisions

Quote:

"The average person makes like 35,000 decisions a day… and for trial attorneys, you're making more high-stakes decisions than most people. All of these decisions lead to overwhelm."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

Have YOU ever thought:

"I don't think I want to do this anymore."

Not forever.

Not dramatically.

Just… quietly, in the back of your mind.

In this week's episode, I sat down with Coach K to talk about why so many trial attorneys hit this exact point.

And no, you're not alone. 😉

What we've seen time and time again is this:

It's not that you actually want to quit… It's that you can't keep doing it the way you've been doing it.

Doing everything yourself.

Carrying too much.

Feeling stuck in a system that's draining you.

And here's the shift…

That moment where you start questioning everything?

That's not the end.

It's the turning point.

Inside the episode, Coach K and I break down:

• Why this feeling is so common for trial attorneys (even my Masterminds)
• The problem in tackling everything alone
• And how to shift out of this mindset

If you've been on the edge of quitting, this one is for you.

Love, Sari

Quote:

"I don't think I want to be a trial attorney anymore… or it's, 'I don't know, I might be crazy for saying this, but I've been wondering if I even want to do this anymore.' We hear that all the time. And out of all the hundreds of trial attorneys we've worked with… almost none of them actually quit."

Coach K

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

I'm bringing this episode back because this question keeps coming up:

"How do I explain my number for non-economic damages?"

And here's the truth…

You don't.

At least not the way most attorneys try to.

There is no real formula for non-economic damages.

And when you try to force one… jurors can feel that it's not real.

What they're actually looking for is much simpler: Do YOU believe the number you're asking for?

In this episode, I walk through:

• The difference between price vs. value

• Why jurors don't need a calculation

• And how to present your number in a way they'll trust

If you want to actually practice this, my Damages Masterclass is happening THIS June, and this is exactly what we work on.

It's small group, hands-on, and designed to change how you show up in court.

Give the episode a listen, and if this is something you've struggled with, come work through it with me in June.

Tune in NOW! 🎧

Love, Sari

Quote:

"You're all looking for formulas, tricks, and techniques—but that's not what's going to win the day. What wins is when you stand in front of a jury, fully own your number, and they believe you—not because of your calculation, but because you've made believers out of them."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

This is my most listened-to podcast episode… ever. 🤯

So I'm bringing it back.

If you've ever thought:

"I don't have enough time in voir dire"

"This judge limits us"

"I can't get through everything I want"

This episode is for you.

Because the truth is, you don't need more time.

You need to focus on the right things.

In this episode, I walk you through the three principles you MUST get from jurors:

👉🏽 People should take responsibility when they hurt someone 👉🏽 Money holds people responsible 👉🏽 Money can help

That's it.

If jurors say these out loud, they begin to align.

And when they align, your job gets a whole lot easier.

This is the foundation.

Whether you have 20 minutes or two hours, THIS is what matters.

Tune in NOW! 🎧

Love, Sari

Quote:

"We are not trying to convince the jury to believe anything. These are things they already believe. Our job is to bring those beliefs into the room so jurors can rally around them and when they do, they solve the case for us."

• Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

What if the issue isn't your case… but HOW you're thinking about the jury?

Most lawyers won't say this out loud, but it's happening.

You're asking the jury to do MORE than their job.

Not just decide the case, but decide if you're good enough.

If they rule in your favor → you feel validated.

If they don't → you question everything.

That's the trap.

Because the jury's job is simple: hold bad actors accountable.

That's it.

They are NOT there to:

🚫 Like you 🚫 Validate you 🚫 Prove you're a good lawyer

And the moment you start needing that from them…

YOU stop serving them and start trying to get something from them.

They can feel that.

🙅🏽‍♀️Stop asking, "What do they think of me?"

✅Start asking, "How can I help them do their job?"

That's where everything changes.

Tune in NOW! 🎧

Love, Sari

Quote:

"You are giving them the job of making you feel good about yourself. That is not their job. So much of your self-worth is tied up in whether these six or eight or twelve people like you… and that is dangerous."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

One of our H2H™ crew members, Chrissy Hagen, recently tried a medical malpractice case that resulted in a defense verdict.

After trial, she reached out with a great question:

Should we be spending MORE time addressing defense points during trial?

In this episode, we talk through:

👉🏽 The med mal case involving a delayed prostate cancer diagnosis 👉🏽 What Chrissy heard from jurors after the verdict 👉🏽 Why some jurors admitted they "flipped" during deliberations 👉🏽 The concept of defensive attribution and how it shows up in trials 👉🏽 And the bigger lesson: WHY framing matters more than time spent on defense points

As we dug into the case, something important emerged.

The real issue in this case wasn't just the delayed diagnosis.

It was agency.

A doctor making a decision for a patient instead of giving that patient the information needed to make the decision themselves.

And when you find the real piss-off point for jurors, everything about how you frame the case can change.

If you've ever walked out of a courtroom wondering what happened in that verdict room, this episode is for you.

Tune in NOW! 🎧

What's actually motivating you in trial? 🤔

Is it love for your client?

Love for justice?

Love for the craft?

Or is it fear?

Fear of screwing up.

Fear of missing something.

Fear of not being good enough.

In this week's episode, I'm back with Coach K talking about why so many trial attorneys are fueled by self-criticism and WHY that strategy quietly burns you out.

We break down:

👉🏽 Why being hard on yourself doesn't create excellence 👉🏽 Why replaying mistakes reinforces them 👉🏽 How fear-based motivation keeps you stuck 👉🏽 And what happens when you shift to love instead

Because fear constricts.

Love expands.

And what you focus on, you create.

Tune in NOW! 🎧

Love, Sari

Quote:

"Whatever's motivating you is what's going to move you forward. If it's fulfilling, resonant, exciting — that's the energy you want behind your work. But if it's beating yourself up, focusing on failure, working long hours until you can't think anymore — that's the wrong motivation. It's going to drag you down. You won't be fulfilled. You won't feel joy. And it's not sustainable."

Coach K

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/