“The relationship between the expert and the lawyer is a lot like a horse and a rider. I don't want you to lead me in a dangerous situation, and I don't want to lead you in a dangerous situation.” On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, host Michael Cowen is joined by his partner Sonia Rodriguez, for a discussion on the dos and don’ts of working with retained expert witnesses. Sonia and Michael discuss the importance of consistent communication with your expert and remembering that while they may be the expert in their field, you’re the expert in the courtroom. Experts are equipped with technical knowledge, but when it comes to getting a jury to believe your story, it’s best to keep things simple. Just like a rider guides a horse, lawyers must guide their experts–the expert must know why they’ve been hired and how the lawyer sees them fitting in the case.Featured GuestName: Sonia Rodriguez About:  Sonia Rodriguez, a native of San Antonio, Texas, is a partner at Cowen Rodriguez Peacock. Sonia has represented only plaintiffs for nearly 20 years, and she practices in the areas of personal injury trial and appellate law. Beyond the practice of law, Sonia has provided unwavering support to a number of important civic and community causes, including the Young Women’s Leadership Academy and the SAISD Foundation. Company: Cowen | Rodriguez | Peacock Connect: LinkedInConnect with Trial Lawyer Nation☑️ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn. ☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom. Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.

134 - Sonia Rodriguez - Cracking the Expert Witness Code: Getting the Best from Your Retained Experts

Michael Cowen and his guests explore critical topics distinctive to the legal profession - specifically focusing on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.

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The road to success is paved with failure, but if a trial lawyer can learn from those failures, they will ultimately become a more effective advocate. In this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, host Michael Cowen sits down with trial lawyer Sach Oliver of Oliver Law Firm to discuss how lawyers can continually hone their skills by learning from their own failures, learning from other attorneys, and treating depositions as trial. Sach also discusses his forthcoming book, Depositions are Trial, which will be released June 24, 2024 (Pre-orders May 1, 2024) and includes philosophies, strategies, methods, and techniques for pursuing the truth and zealously advocating for clients. Don’t miss out! Big Rig Bootcamp takes place on July 12, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas. Register at bigrigbootcamp.com.  Featured GuestName: Sach Oliver About: Sach Oliver is an experienced trial attorney and CEO of Oliver Law Firm in Rogers, Arkansas. Sach was raised in Viola, Arkansas, and attended Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, where he was a roper on the school’s rodeo team. After graduating from college, Sach attended the University of Arkansas School of Law, where he won “Best Oral Advocate” at the American College of Trial Lawyers’ National Trial Competition. As a trial attorney, Sach has obtained numerous large verdicts for his clients in personal injury cases involving everything from 18-wheelers to environmental accidents. The Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association selected him as an Outstanding Trial Lawyer in 2015, and Sach was voted president of the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association for the 2022 - 2023 term. He currently sits on the board of regents for the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. He is one of only two board certified members of the ATAA in Arkansas. Sach Oliver’s book, Depositions are Trial, will be released June 24, 2024, and will accept pre-orders beginning May 1, 2024. For more information about his upcoming book, visit depositionsaretrial.com.  Company: Oliver Law Firm Connect: LinkedInConnect with Trial Lawyer Nation☑️ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn. ☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics...

153 - Sach Oliver–Depositions Are Trial

Once you start getting big results, then people give you more opportunities to do bigger cases. But as a new lawyer, how do you begin getting big results? In this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, host Michael Cowen welcomes Odalys Lopez, an up-and-coming lawyer at Cowen Rodriguez Peacock, who shares insights on being a new lawyer.  Tune in as Michael and Odalys discuss the firm’s strategies to develop lawyers, including doing “workdays” on cases, attorney development meetings, and 3pm trainings on Fridays. The conversation also covers how to alleviate clients’ nerves before defending depositions, why you should treat the truck driver on the other side of the case with respect (rather than hostility) to serve your case better, and why Michael started the tradition of having a celebratory dinner at trial the night before closing.    Don’t miss out! Big Rig Bootcamp takes place on July 12, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas. Register at bigrigbootcamp.com.  Featured GuestName: Odalys Lopez About: Odalys is an associate attorney at Cowen Rodriguez Peacock. She joined the firm in December of 2021. Odalys was born and raised in Mission, Texas. She first moved to San Antonio to obtain her undergraduate degree in Philosophy from St. Mary’s University in December of 2017. Odalys chose to stay at St. Mary’s to attend St. Mary’s School of Law, graduating Cum Laude in May of 2021. While in law school, Odalys interned at an insurance defense firm, giving her a unique and valuable perspective on Cowen Rodriguez Peacock cases. She also served as a student attorney for the Criminal Justice Clinic at the Center for Legal and Social Justice, where she provided pro bono representation to community members. Company: Cowen Rodriguez Peacock Connect: LinkedInConnect with Trial Lawyer Nation☑️ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn. ☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.

152 - Odalys Lopez – How to Develop Attorney Skills and Mindset in Your Law Firm

Build “top mind awareness” for your law firm to get the PI cases you actually want. Then focus on what’s-in-it-for-the-jury to win them.  In this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, host Michael Cowen welcomes Alex Begum, the founding shareholder of Begum Law Group Injury Lawyers. Alex shares his journey towards mastering the business side of law, emphasizing the importance of financial acumen and creating a strong brand presence for law firm success.  He also recounts the challenges behind a personal injury case he tried and the strategies he used to win a $2.17M judgment, highlighting the use of "judo law" to turn weaknesses into strengths, and the critical role of visual aids in demonstrating injuries to the jury in a low property damage case.  Additionally, Alex shares how he motivates the jury to do justice, tapping into what really matters to them.  Don’t miss out! Big Rig Bootcamp takes place on July 12, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas. Register at bigrigbootcamp.com.  Featured GuestName:  Alex Begum About:  Alex Begum is the founding shareholder of Begum Law Group Injury Lawyers, which has offices in San Antonio, Brownsville, Dallas, McAllen, Laredo, and Albuquerque. A licensed attorney in Texas and New Mexico, his career in law began in 2003 – born from a desire to help others. This desire has not abated. The art of giving is something that Alex practices so routinely that it has become an integral part of his professional and personal life. His special interest in pro bono cases has been put to good use. His willingness to serve others, along with his knowledge and experience, saved an entire Texas community when they faced the probable loss of their homes. Company: Begum Law Group Injury Lawyers | LinkedIn Connect: LinkedIn | EmailConnect with Trial Lawyer Nation☑️ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn. ☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law...

151 - Alex Begum - $2.1 Million Verdict in a Tough Case

Just focus on your biggest PI cases. Afterall, that’s where you make the most money and the biggest difference, so it should be easy. Right? Wrong. Before you know it, you’ve spent the majority of your time working on cases where you’re just trying to get your expenses back, and not working enough on your big cases. So how do you make sure you actually focus your attention on where it is needed the most? In this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, Michael Cowen and Malorie Peacock discuss strategies they’ve used to keep their focus on their biggest cases. They share why you need to intentionally identify your top cases to avoid “the whirlwind”, how to create a culture where you can have “accountability meetings” with fellow lawyers in your firm that are useful (and don’t run people off), and how to figure out the places where you can and should delegate.  Don’t miss out! Big Rig Bootcamp takes place on July 12, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas. Register at bigrigbootcamp.com.Featured Guest  Name: Malorie J Peacock About: Malorie J Peacock is a Partner at Cowen Rodriguez Peacock. She was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas and received her J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center. During her time with Cowen Rodriguez Peacock, Malorie has worked on numerous commercial vehicle, trucking, and wrongful death cases. Malorie brings close attention to detail, commitment to finding safety issues and areas of neglect, continued utilization of technology and cutting-edge visuals in cases, along with a sincere passion to help those who have been hurt, to each and every case. Company: Cowen Rodriguez Peacock Connect: LinkedInConnect with Trial Lawyer Nation☑️ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn. ☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.

150 - Malorie Peacock - How to Move the Ball Forward and Not Just Do Busy Work

Can lawyers really get cases from their podcasts? Robert Ingalls built a business banking on just that. In this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, host Michael Cowen welcomes LawPods CEO and Founder (and recovering lawyer) Robert Ingalls to discuss how lawyers are using podcasts to fuel their businesses and personal brands. Podcasts have the ability to create an immediate connection between the hosts and their audiences. Informal conversations on a podcast give lawyers a unique opportunity to convey emotion and build rapport with their listeners, an area where corporate videos and other promotional materials often fall short. Tune in to learn how to use your podcast to establish yourself as an authority, nurture leads, boost the size of your network, and turn your podcast into a content marketing machine.
Featured GuestName: Robert Ingalls | LinkedIn About: Robert is a recovering attorney, speaker, and the Founder and CEO of LawPods, one of the first podcast production agencies for law firms. At LawPods, Robert and his team help busy lawyers produce and promote branded podcast content that builds relationships and drives revenue. He’s also a dedicated husband, #GirlDad, and avid longboard skateboarder. Company: LawPods Connect: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter/X Connect with Trial Lawyer Nation☑️ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn. ☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.

134 - Sonia Rodriguez - Cracking the Expert Witness Code: Getting the Best from Your Retained Experts

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