Verdict Academy

Most trial lawyers are taught what to say in the courtroom. Charla Aldous built a 40-year career on something harder: being completely herself — and she believes it's the only path to real credibility. Charla, founder...

“Mini openings are a gift,” says Michael A. Kelly . “They’re guaranteed by statute.” A shareholder at Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger in San Francisco, Mike joins host Kevin Morrison to deliver his top three trial...

Currently in trial on a landmark social media case, Rahul Ravipudi takes time out to share his battle-tested philosophies in this episode of “Verdict Academy.” A partner at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi in Los Angeles, Rahul...

“Liar, cheat, ambulance-chaser.” If you ask people what they think of lawyers, those pejoratives are often high on the list. When you ask people what they’d like lawyers to be, the answer is almost always “a teacher.”...

When his dad was diagnosed with cancer at age 53, Rich Schoenberger was unsure about his future. He and his dad had a heart-to-heart. He might want to be a lawyer, he said. “What’s the best place to learn how to be a...

The traditional way to study juror behavior is with a focus group of 10 or 12 mock jurors. Multiply that by 25 or 30, and you have big data: a technique that studies how 300 or 400 people would evaluate a case. The idea...

Host Kevin Morrison once tried a case against Jerry Popovich . “I can tell you he is top-notch, among the best I've ever gone against,” Kevin says. But don’t take it only from Kevin. Jerry is also a member of three...

Karen Burgess once sang to a jury in closing argument. And she’s not even an accomplished singer. But it reflects her strategy for closing argument, and she reveals why to host Kevin Morrison . A member of the “big...

“There's no single solution or single approach for every case,” says Walter "Wally" Yoka , who should know – after a remarkable career spanning 40 years. A nationally recognized defense attorney and member of...

In four decades of med-mal practice, Jim Bostwick knows that he can’t fix clients who have been failed by the medical system. “But you can really make a difference in their lives.” In this conversation with host Kevin...

Today, Gene Brown Jr . is a member of the “Big Four” invitation-only organizations of elite trial lawyers: the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, American College of Trial Lawyers, American Board of Trial...

“Being a defendant,” says leading defense lawyer Chris Beeman , “one of the benefits of getting to trial is that the plaintiffs do go first, so it gives the defense time to continue getting organized.” And being...

Fifty years: same firm, same building, same parking space. “There is something about stability in my background,” Dan Kelly says as he reflects on his legendary career. There is also wisdom to be shared, which Dan does...

What separates trial lawyers who consistently win from those who do not? The answer is not in casebooks—it is in the conversations that happen spontaneously in the office, in quiet moments after a tough trial, and in...