Picking Justice – Détails, épisodes et analyse

The injured plaintiff can’t have children. One potential juror says, “No big deal. Adopt.” Another says, “That’s not what I signed up for when I got married.” If she were trying the case, Ibiere Seck would approach jury selection with curiosity and a non-judgmental conversation like this: “Okay, where do you fall? Let's talk about that...” 

“That's it. It's that simple,” Ibiere explains to hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer. The founder of Seck Law, Ibiere tries cases with other firms. When it comes to jury selection, she acknowledges that she leans more on art than science. Tune in for more on her strategies – including how she applies the Hawaiian practice of Ho’oponopono to her craft.

☑️ Ibiere Seck | LinkedIn | Instagram | X | Facebook

☑️ Seck Law | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X

☑️ Harry Plotkin | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

☑️ Dan Kramer | LinkedIn 

☑️ Kramer Trial Lawyers on LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram

☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Produced and Powered by LawPods

Episode sponsored by KW Court Reporting, Tory Owens Structured Settlements, and Verdict Videos.

In the first episode of "Picking Justice,” jury consultant Harry Plotkin and trial lawyer Dan Kramer invite lawyers on a journey to heightened jury selection skills. Using real-life lessons learned, they discuss the importance of considering different types of jurors and crafting questions that will yield better answers. They also set the stage for future episodes, where guests including Arash Homampour, Gary Dordick, David deRubertis, and Natalie Weatherford will share unique strategies for jury selection “that may blow your mind and change your approach,” Harry says.

Their mission is to help lawyers be ready for any scenario. “We've all fumbled on our words,” Dan says. “We've all asked bad questions, and it's just about how you deal with it and how you recover and to get you to pick your best jury possible.”

☑️ Harry Plotkin | LinkedIn | Instagram

☑️ Dan Kramer  | LinkedIn 

☑️ Kramer Trial Lawyers on LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram

☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Episode sponsored by KW Court Reporting, Tory Owens Structured Settlements, and Verdict Videos

Ready to take your verdicts and jury selection to the next level?

 Jury consultant Harry Plotkin and trial lawyer Dan Kramer are your ticket to tipping the scales before trial begins.

You’re not just picking a jury; you’re picking justice.

Have a jury selection story to share? Email us at Podcast@PickingJustice.com, and we may address it in a future episode.

Produced and powered by LawPods

“Folks, I know you're here because you have to be, and we appreciate that. And I want to tell you right up front that you don't owe me anything…”

So begins Ricardo Echeverria’s typical introduction to prospective jurors. In this conversation with “Picking Justice” hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer, Ricardo guides plaintiffs’ lawyers on jury selection from start to verdict. Tune in for this winning trial lawyer’s insights on identifying bias, establishing credibility, and getting rid of the “really bad haters.” And for young lawyers who are listening, Ricardo explains why the art of picking juries is exactly that: “It’s art because, shit, there's 60 people in the room, and there's a lot going on, and you're trying to keep track of the names and all that. But at the end of the day, I always tell younger lawyers especially, there's a reason we call this ‘practicing’ law. You're never perfect at it.”

☑️ Ricardo Echeverria

☑️ Shernoff Bidart Echeverria LLP I LinkedIn I Facebook I X

☑️ Harry Plotkin | LinkedIn

☑️ Dan Kramer | LinkedIn

☑️ Kramer Trial Lawyers on LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram

☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Produced and Powered by LawPods

Episode sponsored by KW Court Reporting, Tory Owens Structured Settlements, and Verdict Videos.

To keep jury selection simple, Steve Vartazarian turns to simple tools: paper and pen. In this visit with hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer, he explains why.

“It occurred to me, ‘Oh, my God!’ I was, like, one day: ‘Jury selection is the only time where we're only relegated to words, and we can't show the jury anything,’” says the founder of The Vartazarian Law Firm. “Why is that?’ I'm like, ‘Let me try to break that mold.’”

Tune in to watch Steve demonstrate his simple methods for revealing potential bias and asking about non-economic damages. “You’re never lost,” he vows. “You have a roadmap.” He also shows his list of dumb things the plaintiff’s lawyer should not do in jury selection.

☑️ Steve Vartazarian | LinkedIn

☑️ The Vartazarian Law Firm | LinkedIn | Facebook

☑️ Harry Plotkin | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

☑️ Dan Kramer  | LinkedIn 

☑️ Kramer Trial Lawyers on LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram

☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Produced and Powered by LawPods

Episode sponsored by KW Court Reporting, Tory Owens Structured Settlements, and Verdict Videos.

Gary Dordick wanted to know why the sole juror voted against him, so he asked her after trial. Turns out, he reminded her of her ex-husband, so she didn’t believe a word he said.

“Okay, but, Ma’am, why didn't you tell me that when we were picking the jury?” Gary wondered.  “Oh,” she responded, “you never asked.”

Gary tells this cautionary tale to hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer in an episode devoted to jury selection tips and lessons gained through his winning career. The founder of Dordick Law Corporation, Gary shares stories from the courtroom, such as his early tendency to entertain prospective jurors at the expense of learning about them. Tune in for his insights about using questionnaires and leveraging nuanced questions to reveal bias.

☑️ Gary Dordick | LinkedIn | Instagram

☑️ Dordick Law Corporation | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok | X | YouTube |

☑️ Harry Plotkin | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

☑️ Dan Kramer | LinkedIn 

☑️ Kramer Trial Lawyers on LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram

☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Produced and Powered by LawPods

Episode sponsored by Baldwin Settlements and Verdict Videos.

"I do not reject good cases," says Arash Homampour, responding to a joke from hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer that he seeks only the toughest liability situations. Known for winning eight-figure verdicts in cases other attorneys might avoid, Arash breaks down his authentic approach to jury selection. He explains why he addresses bad facts head-on, avoids over-selling his case during voir dire, and believes in creating an environment where jurors feel comfortable sharing their honest opinions. "You want people to spew the poison now, not later," Arash advises, reminding attorneys that identifying biased jurors early is crucial to successful outcomes.

☑️ Arash Homampour | LinkedIn

☑️ The Homampour Law Firm | LinkedIn | Facebook |  Instagram

☑️ Harry Plotkin | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

☑️ Dan Kramer  | LinkedIn 

☑️ Kramer Trial Lawyers on LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram

☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Produced and Powered by LawPods

Episode sponsored by Baldwin Settlements and Verdict Videos.

In jury selection, many attorneys focus solely on getting cause challenges. But jury consultant Claire Plotkin brings a fresh perspective on framing "bias" to the conversation with hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer. She explains that telling jurors they're "biased" can backfire – especially in cases where potential jurors' strong feelings might actually benefit plaintiffs. "In today's society, jurors are so ready to be inflamed that they're actually better for plaintiffs," Claire notes. Tune in to learn why sympathy isn't bias, how to protect your good jurors from defense challenges, and why Claire believes voir dire is about learning, not just eliminating jurors through cause challenges.

☑️ Claire Plotkin | LinkedIn | X

☑️ Justice One Trial at a Time

☑️ Harry Plotkin | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

☑️ Dan Kramer  | LinkedIn 

☑️ Kramer Trial Lawyers on LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram

☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Produced and Powered by LawPods

Episode sponsored by Baldwin Settlements and Verdict Videos.

Everyone loves doctors. Pat Salvi’s firm sues them. When you know how to pick a good jury, he says, you can overcome the inherent likability factor. In this conversation with hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer, Pat reveals his strategies, starting with how he makes a connection with potential jurors. Tune in for his tips on exposing juror bias and focusing jurors on a doctor’s behavior, not personality. “It’s not about whether he's a good doctor or a nice guy,” he tells them. “It's whether or not he was reasonably careful under these circumstances.”

☑️ Pat Salvi | LinkedIn | Instagram

☑️ Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube | TikTok

☑️ Harry Plotkin | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

☑️ Dan Kramer  | LinkedIn 

☑️ Kramer Trial Lawyers on LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram

☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Produced and Powered by LawPods

Episode sponsored by Baldwin Settlements and Verdict Videos.

In Colorado, Kurt Zaner typically has 15 to 30 minutes for voir dire, so he makes every minute count. In this conversation with hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer, he explains how. “Even though you’ve got 15 minutes, the big points for me: I want to build a little rapport. I want them to trust me. I want them to feel empowered,” he says. From memorizing juror names to building credibility before discussing damages, Kurt describes strategies that he’s leveraged to secure victories like his $16 million premises liability verdict in Colorado, the state’s largest. 

☑️ Kurt Zaner | LinkedIn

☑️ Zaner Law | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok

☑️ Harry Plotkin | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

☑️ Dan Kramer  | LinkedIn 

☑️ Kramer Trial Lawyers on LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram

☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Produced and Powered by LawPods

Episode sponsored by Baldwin Settlements and Verdict Videos.