The Utah Legislature recently considered a tax on services that would have forced law firms to charge their clients essentially "sales tax" on every bill. Will this cause more people to represent themselves in court? Is this essentially a tax on asserting your rights under the law? Do the lessons of great films of the nineties have anything to teach us about this topic? Come find out.

Many people don't realize the importance of the right to trial by jury. However, in many ways, it is a more important protection of liberty than the right to vote. The movie "12 Angry Men" gives us a good example of this principle, and therefore we are reviewing it this week.

Have you ever spoken with a witness on the phone, only to hear a completely different statement come out of their mouths when they testify at depositions, or when they say something at mediation? Wouldn't you love to be able to have that first conversation on tape? Today we discuss the rules and regulations governing secret recording of telephone calls by attorneys.

Scott, Dan and I dissect the intricate points of the Rainmaker from the perspective of three lawyers who go to battle for or against big insurance companies every day.

Trial law has as much art to it as science. It is an exercise in competitive storytelling, and whichever side is able to tell their client's story in the most persuasive, engaging and understandable way will often win the day. In this episode, we talk about some ways to accomplish those goals.

This week we decided to have a little fun. We took the opportunity to review the classic legal drama "The Verdict", written by David Mamet and staring the late Paul Newman, two geniuses of the screen and stage. Strong opinions are expressed and explored, both about the movie, and the legal issues it raises.

Policy limits demands (when made based on credible evidence) can be a hot potato for defense counsel, defendants, adjusters and insurance companies. In this episode, we talk about why these demands are such a big deal.

Advanced issues facing trial lawyers engaged in presenting critical testimony to the jury, whether through direct or cross examination.

This podcast episode was recorded to compliment a CLE series that Patrick Burt and I do in Utah called "Litigation 101". This episode deals with specific problems in dealing with experts, both in dealing with your own experts and responding to experts designated by the opposition.

Today we have an in-depth discussion of how attorneys are exposed to stress, the consequences of that stress, and some methods for dealing with that stress.

Important Note: If you are feeling a lot of stress, and feel like you just can't take it any more, there are people that can help. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-273-8255, and all calls are handled by people who will listen and help you find solutions to make things better. If you need help, please give them a call.