Explore every episode of the podcast Elawvate
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What It Means to Have “It” with Steve Yerrid | 23 Sep 2024 | 00:59:38 | |
Tampa Florida trial lawyer Steve Yerrid has done it all. He was a boxer in his youth and a fighter for justice in his career as a trial lawyer. Steve was the youngest member of the Tobacco “Dream Team,” which secured a $17 billion settlement from Big Tobacco and numerous changes in their business practices which have saved thousands of lives. Steve has many record setting jury verdicts. He has served as personal counsel to NY Yankees’ owner George Steinbrenner. And he has given back to his community through his Yerrid Foundation. Steve has authored several books and has frequently spoken on the topic of what separates those would achieve greatness (i.e., those who have “it”) from everyone else. Join Rahul and Ben for their fascinating conversation with Steve as he shares aspects of his incredible career and things that have shaped his approach to trying cases and success in life.
About Steve Yerrid https://www.yerridlaw.com/attorneys/c-steven-yerrid/ In a city like Tampa, Florida, a coastal metropolis steeped in history, the list of well-known names and larger-than-life personalities is rich and lengthy, but few names resonate with the same renown as Steve Yerrid. Yerrid, a trail-blazing trial lawyer for more than 45 years, has built a legacy that continues to evolve, fueled by a relentless desire to help as many people as possible, whether seeking and securing justice on their behalf in the courtroom or selflessly devoting his time and donating a substantial portion of his accumulated wealth to bettering the world around him.
In an age where importance and social impact are measured by likes and subscribers, instead of hard work and good deeds, Steve remains a practitioner of the old ways, always leading by example and putting the needs of others first.
Whether meeting each client of his firm personally or taking time to deliver much needed food to the area’s most vulnerable and less fortunate, he is and has always been one-of-a-kind, a determined legal and social warrior the likes of which are a rarity in today’s world. Yerrid has experienced a career of noteworthy achievements, including over 300 verdicts and settlements of $1 million or more for individuals and the families of those injured or killed by the wrongdoing of others.
Among those was a jury verdict of $217 million, the largest medical malpractice award in Florida’s history, and the nation’s largest verdict in 2006. In 2009, he again obtained the country’s largest verdict rendered in a wrongful death case that year, with a jury award of $330 million.
When he was just 30 years old, Yerrid received international recognition in one of the world’s largest maritime tragedies. In utilizing a rare “Act of God” defense, he was able to secure the complete exoneration of Captain John Lerro, the accused pilot in command of a large 608-foot bulk freighter which, during an unpredicted storm packing hurricane force winds, was blown off course and struck the mammoth Sunshine Skyway Bridge, collapsing its center span and tragically claiming 35 innocent lives.
Not a decade has passed that Steve has not left an indelible mark.
In 2010, confronted by one of the largest environmental catastrophes in history, then-Governor Charlie Crist appointed him as Special Counsel regarding the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster and its aftermath. Yerrid gave his time, costs, and efforts for nearly a year to the people of Florida as a public service. As a result, The Florida Justice Association presented him with the Outstanding Pro Bono Award, a special recognition given only every several years.
Yerrid also was retained by the City of Tampa to hold BP responsible for the economic damages it sustained as a result of that disaster. He successfully obtained a $27.5 million settlement in July 2015. It was the largest recovery paid to any municipality by British Petroleum.
In the 1990’s, as the youngest lawyer appointed by the late Governor Lawton Chiles to an 11-member “Dream Team” of private lawyers, Steve undertook a leading role in Florida’s landmark lawsuit against the previously unbeaten cigarette industry. The case resulted in the biggest monetary settlement that had occurred in U.S. history, ultimately topping $17 billion. In addition, he and the Dream Team members succeeded in obtaining unprecedented advertising concessions that permanently prevented marketing aimed at children, eliminated cigarette billboards, vending machines, Joe Camel, the Marlboro Man, and established youth tobacco prevention programs across the United States.
As a result of his success, tenacity and integrity, Steve has long been sought out to take on important and precedent-setting cases.
He was honored to be appointed as Special Counsel to the Office of the Chief Judge (13th Judicial Circuit) and the Florida Conference of Circuit Judges. In representing Florida’s entire judiciary, he successfully argued before the Florida Supreme Court and protected state judges and staff from public disclosure of confidential records and internal communications within the court system.
Yerrid is a lifetime member of the prestigious Inner Circle of Advocates, an “invitation only” organization whose membership consists of the top 100 trial lawyers in the United States. He is a past recipient of the Perry Nichols Award, bestowed by the Florida Justice Association (FJA) as its highest honor in recognition of a lifelong pursuit of justice, and in 2013, he received the Excalibur Award for exemplifying leadership and commitment at the highest level of Florida’s civil justice system, an honor bestowed on only four Florida trial lawyers.
In 2016, he was voted into the National Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame. Steve also is the recipient of several FJA Eagle Awards (Gold, Silver and Crystal), including recognition as the first donor to achieve the $1 million-dollar-level of giving to the FJA’s educational efforts designed to protect and improve the American system of justice; currently serves as a Distinguished Fellow in the FJA; has been named Top Lawyer in the Nation by Lawyers USA; was selected by the National Law Journal as a top ten litigator; honored by the American Board of Trial Advocates a Diplomate as well as Trial Lawyer of the Year (Tampa Bay); and the recipient of numerous other honors and recognitions through his career too numerous to specifically reference. He has been continuously listed in Best Lawyer in America over the last five decades.
Steve Yerrid, a Georgetown University Law Center graduate has long been one of the country’s top catastrophic injury and wrongful death trial attorneys, having secured over 300 verdicts and settlements of $1 million or more.
This year the jury awarded $15 million in damages to each parent for mental anguish, plus burial expenses of $7,502.00. The verdict total was $30,007,502.00.
In 2006 - A $217 million verdict was obtained for the client and his family. It is the largest medical malpractice verdict in Florida’s history, and the top national jury verdict of its kind in 2006.
1990s, Mr. Yerrid was selected by the late Gov. Lawton Chiles as the youngest member of the 11-member “Dream Team” of private trial lawyers. He took a leading role in Florida’s landmark lawsuit against the previously unbeaten cigarette industry. The case resulted in the biggest monetary settlement in the nation’s history at the time, ultimately topping $17 billion.
The mantra that everyone should have a shot at happiness, success and living the American dream led to the formation of The Yerrid Foundation almost four decades ago. The self-funded family foundation has made significant donations to more than 700 causes and charitable organizations locally, nationally, and even internationally, with an emphasis on children’s issues, pediatric cancer research, the welfare of veterans, and domestic abuse victims. | |||
| $495 million verdict against Abbott laboratories with Jake Plattenberger and Tor Hoerman | 09 Sep 2024 | 00:51:53 | |
Join Ben and Rahul for their discussion with Jake and Tor, breaking down the recent 495 million Dollar verdict in a product liability case against Abbott Laboratories for pre-term infant formula that increases the risks for developing necrotizing enterocolitis. Hear how Jake and Tor navigated this difficult case and won this epic battle.
About Jacob Plattenberger https://www.torhoermanlaw.com/team/jake-plattenberger/ Jacob Plattenberger has taken hundreds of depositions, argued in countless hearings, and tried over 35 cases to a jury. His experience in and out of the courtroom has made him a passionate advocate for those injured due to the negligence of others. Jake started his career trying cases at one of the busiest civil courthouses in the country – the Richard J. Daley Center in downtown Chicago. He started out doing insurance defense because he knew that afforded him the best opportunity to get courtroom experience. “When I was working on the defense side, I always knew that I was going to be a plaintiff’s lawyer. I knew that being able and willing to try a case to a jury was a skill that I needed to have if I was going to be able to offer my clients the best legal representation. Insurance companies and corporate defendants need to believe you when you say you will take them to trial – they need to fear that.” This type of real trial experience is exceedingly rare in complex civil litigation and having seen it from the defense side gives Jake an added advantage. At TorHoerman Law, Jake manages our Chicago office where he leads trial teams in nationwide, complex litigations such as: Representing dozens of workers across the United States who were exposed to Diacetyl at work and now suffer lung disease eg. The Juul/E-cigarette Litigation The Incretin Mimetics Products Liability Litigation, currently pending in the Southern District of California, where he was named to the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee Various Transvaginal Mesh multidistrict litigations that are currently pending Jake also maintains a personal injury practice in Chicago, representing people and their families who have been victims of catastrophic auto and truck accidents, products liability, maritime accidents, premises liability, and medical negligence. Jake believes that to successfully represent his clients, it is absolutely necessary to get personally involved. Jake’s quote below perfectly reflects that belief!
Notable Cases & Results Incretin Mimetics – Products Liability Litigation, MDL Case No. 13MD2452 AJB (MDD). Appointed to the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee by Judge Battaglia in the MDL. The case is pending. JUUL E-Cigarettes – Products Liability Litigation, JCCP No. 5052. Appointed to the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee by Judge Anne Jones in the JCCP. The case is pending. Diacetyl – Leads the Diacetyl litigation for TorHoerman Law. Previous settlements and verdicts have exceeded $5,000,000.00 to date. Litigation is currently ongoing. Actos Related Cases, MDL Case No. 11 L 10011, Et. Al. – Actively participated in managing the case for TorHoerman Law which resulted in a $2.4 billion settlement. Gadolinium-based Contrast Agents Litigation Case No. 279 and Products Liability Litigation MDL No. 1909 – Managed the cases for TorHoerman Law which resulted in a large, confidential settlement. Bus Accident – Handled a bus accident injury case in which an individual was thrown from a seat. Resulted in a $850,000.00 settlement. Auto Accident – Handled an auto accident injury case that resulted in a $650,000.00 settlement. Slip and Fall – Handled a slip and fall accident that occurred on a sightseeing boat in Chicago. Resulted in a $490,000.00 settlement.
Personal Life Jake was born and raised in Chicago. He now lives in the Chicago suburbs, where his two young sons keep him busy. When he isn’t working, Jake is a lifelong Bears and Cubs fan and loves participating in the (mostly) healthy rivalry between the Cubs and Cardinals fans at TorHoerman Law.
About Tor Hoerman https://www.torhoermanlaw.com/team/tor-hoerman/ Tor Hoerman is a nationally recognized attorney who has served in the field for more than 25 years. He is most well-known as the founder of the personal injury law firm TorHoerman Law, LLC (THL).
Early Life & Education Tor was born the youngest of four boys on July 16, 1969, in Bethesda, Maryland to Kirk and Greta Hoerman. With his father serving as a Captain in the Navy, Tor often moved towns during his childhood, eventually landing in the Chicago metropolitan area. In Chicago, Tor lived in the Great Lakes Naval Base and Lake Bluff before his family settled in Lake Forest, which is where he attended high school. Despite repeatedly switching homes, Tor made the most of his situation. In high school, he played football, basketball, and baseball, and he earned varsity letters in each of these sports. In addition to varsity recognition, he was recognized as an All-county athlete and awarded the Booster Club Athlete of the Year his senior year. Outside of sports, Tor coached little league baseball, served as a summer camp counselor, and worked as a summertime janitor at his former high school after graduating. Tor attended Depauw University and majored in Political Science. He played NCAA baseball and football at Depauw, and he was the captain of the baseball team. After graduating from Depauw in 1991, Tor enrolled in the Chicago-Kent College of Law. During law school, Tor bartended at a local bar and clerked for Kravolec, Jambois & Schwartz, LLC.
Legal Career After graduating from law school in 1995, Tor took on a job doing insurance defense at Bolero, Cart & Stone, LLC, where he worked reluctantly for a year and a half. One day at work, Tor received a phone call from Steve Jambois, his former employer throughout law school, asking if he wanted a job on the plaintiff’s side of insurance law. Tor immediately accepted the job, kickstarting decades to come of fighting corporations on behalf of harmed individuals. Tor’s Transition to Medical Malpractice Litigation Tor returned to Kravolec, Jambois & Schwartz to fight on behalf of medical malpractice victims, which mostly consisted of high-intensity trial work in the Chicago courthouse. After seven years at the Jambois firm, Hoeman was recruited by the Simmons law firm, based in an Illinois suburb of St. Louis, to start and lead a branch of the practice that focused on pharmaceutical litigation. Leading the Pharmaceutical Practice at Simmons Law Firm Tor became a partner of what is now Simmons, Hanly, and Conroy and led the pharmaceutical practice for seven years. One of Tor most notable achievements while leading the practice was his work against Purdue Pharma and its reckless distribution of OxyContin. Tor was the first to file a case alleging Purdue Pharma’s wrongdoing in distributing OxyContin and failing to adequately warn healthcare providers and the public of the risks of addiction. Achieving Justice Against Purdue Pharma He led the litigation process and got Purdue Pharma to agree to a large settlement, which was distributed to thousands of accidental addicts. Tor took a step further to achieve justice in this case, assisting the Department of Justice in obtaining guilty pleas by Purdue Pharma representatives who had a direct role in contributing to the opioid epidemic.
Founding TorHoerman Law Having garnered success leading the pharmaceutical branch at the Simmons firm, Tor amicably decided to split from Simmons in 2009 and start his own pharmaceutical and personal injury practice called TorHoerman Law, LLC (THL). After negotiating the terms of the split, Tor struck a deal that allowed him to bring his entire staff from Simmons to his new practice, which summed up to more than 25 lawyers and staff members. Expansion and Success of THL Tor opened offices in Edwardsville, IL; Clayton, MO; and Chicago, IL to kickstart operations; all three offices remain open today. In the time since opening THL, Tor and his team have litigated many pharmaceutical malpractice and personal injury cases. Notable Successes at THL Tor’s most notable successes while operating THL are perhaps co-leading the litigations against Boehringer Ingelheim’s Pradaxa and Takeda’s Actos. Through intense research and vetting, Tor was able to find substantial evidence indicating Actos causes bladder cancer and Pradaxa causes internal bleeding. He then presented the evidence to the companies, which decided to settle the cases. Tor played a significant role in negotiating these settlements, which ended up being $650 million for Pradaxa and $2.4 billion for Actos. Tor has also had major success in several other product liability lawsuits, such as Zelnorm, Gadolinium-based Contrast Agents, and Incretin Mimetics. We’ve outlined these cases, a few other notable cases, and their correlating results in the section below. Recognition & Awards His successes with these cases and beyond earned him the distinction as a Top 25 Notable Alumni from the Chicago-Kent School of Law, which was awarded to him and 24 other lawyers out of the tens of thousands who have graduated from the school since its founding in 1888. Tor is also recognized as a Top 100 National Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers Organization.
Notable Cases & Results Pradaxa (Dabigatran Etexilate) – Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2385 – Appointed by Judge Herndon as national lead counsel in the MDL. After protracted litigation successfully negotiated a $650 million settlement. Actos Related Cases, MDL Case No. 11 L 10011, Et. Al. – Appointed by Judge Dooling as lead counsel in Cook County consolidated docket (over 4400 cases). After protracted litigation, he was one of four lead negotiators (along with Pete Flowers, Mark Lanier, and Andy Birchfield) on a $2.4 billion settlement. Incretin Mimetics Products Liability Litigation, MDL Case No. 13MD2452 AJB (MDD) – Appointed as lead counsel by Judge Battaglia in the MDL. The case is pending. OxyContin – Represented thousands of “accidental addicts”. After protracted litigation, he negotiated a large settlement and assisted the DOJ in obtaining guilty pleas by corporate representatives. Zelnorm Litigation., Case No. 280 – Appointed lead counsel in NJ state court consolidation, took the major depositions and negotiated a confidential settlement. Gadolinium-based Contrast Agents Litigation Case No. 279 and Products Liability Litigation MDL No. 1909 – Appointed by Judge Polster as both the state and federal liaison and lead counsel in the Cook County consolidated docket. He negotiated large, confidential, individual settlements.
Involvement in the Legal Community In addition to his litigation work, Tor is on the Board of Managers of the Illinois Trial Lawyer Association and an Executive Board Member of the Mass Torts Trial Lawyer Association. He also attends national legal conferences on a yearly basis.
Personal Life Personally, Tor is the proud father of Casey, Kirsten and Quinn, and husband of Jessica. He tries to stay active, including still playing baseball. | |||
| Verdict Alert: Gideon Asen $2.4 Million Verdict in Med Mal CRPS Case with Taylor Asen and Trevor Savage | 06 May 2024 | 00:45:25 | |
Join Ben for his discussion with attorneys Taylor Asen and Trevor Savage about their recent $2.4 million verdict in Bangor, Maine in a case involving a surgical mal positioning that caused an arm injury and CRPS. Taylor and Trevor explain how they worked closely with the client to get her to the right specialist who could diagnose her medical condition. They talk about the challenges of presenting a CRPS injury at trial. They discuss how they resisted the defense effort to stipulate to liability and were able to present compelling evidence of corporate indifference and system failure in the lack of safeguards or systems to make sure that the surgery was done safely, and the lack of follow through, investigation, or changes that came out of this incident. They discuss how they responded to the defense’s 11th hour surprise surveillance video, which the judge allowed into evidence over objection. They used the surveillance to further polarize the case and show the lie in the hospital’s claim to be taking responsibility for its actions. They discuss the use of data analysis to recognize the true value of the case and to formulate the amount asked for in closing.
About Taylor Asen
Taylor specializes in medical malpractice cases, trucking accident cases, and other complex personal injury cases. He has recovered tens of millions of dollars for his clients.
Taylor possesses a unique combination of intellect, competitive drive, and human empathy that makes him a powerful advocate for his clients. Taylor has dedicated his career to championing the interests of individuals who have suffered harm or injury from corporate misconduct, individual negligence, and bad medical care. Taylor’s efforts on behalf of injured Mainers have resulted in several of the largest case settlements in Maine history. Recently, Taylor and his colleague Meryl obtained one of the largest jury verdicts in a child sex abuse case in Maine’s history.
Taylor has been recognized as one of Maine’s leading plaintiff’s attorneys. He is only one of two lawyer from Northern New England listed in Lawdragon’s list of the top 500 plaintiff’s attorneys in the nation—the other lawyer from Northern New England is his partner, Ben Gideon. Taylor is also included in Best Lawyers – Ones to Watch and Super Lawyers Rising Stars; these designations are given to attorneys that distinguish themselves during their first decade of practice.
“Nobody is more committed to his clients than Taylor,” said Ben Gideon. “His mind is always working. It’s not unusual for me to receive a call after midnight from Taylor, wanting to brainstorm about a thorny problem or about case strategy. Taylor is also a gifted legal writer, enabling our clients to gain the upper hand in motions and briefs submitted to the courts. When it comes to the full range of personal qualities and skills needed to achieve extraordinary client results, there are few lawyers I’ve met who can match Taylor.”
Taylor is on the Board of Governors of the Maine Trial Lawyers Association and has served as Co-Chair of the MTLA’s Legislative Committee for the past three years. Taylor has testified in the Maine Legislature on numerous occasions, and played a critical role in the fight to raise Maine’s cap on wrongful death damages in 2019.
Taylor also has experience litigating class action cases on behalf of employees, consumers, and victims of civil rights abuses. From 2019 to 2020, he co-counseled a class action on behalf of Maine prisoners who were denied treatment for Hepatitis C. That lawsuit resulted in a historic settlement with the Maine Department of Corrections, under which the DOC agreed to treat all incarcerated individuals who have chronic Hepatitis C.
Taylor is an Adjunct Professor at Maine Law School, where he co-teaches Trial Advocacy.
A native of Maine, Taylor is a graduate of Yale Law School. At Yale, Taylor worked in the Veterans Legal Services Clinic, representing veterans who were improperly denied disability benefits. After graduating from law school, Taylor clerked for federal judges in New York City and Newark, New Jersey. Taylor began his career at a law firm in New York, before returning to Maine to represent individual plaintiffs in personal injury lawsuits.
Taylor’s wife, Becca, is the Director of Recruiting and Professional Development at Bernstein Shur. Taylor and Becca live in Cumberland County with their three children, Davida, Vivienne, and Leon.
What Clients Say About Taylor “The most fantastic Lawyer I have ever met. Caring considerate and great results.” – Hilarie B.
“Taylor went above and beyond during the entire case. I felt valued, respected and as if I was the #1 and only client he had.” – Adam D.
“Taylor was there, step by step, fighting for what is right and just, making sure we understood each process. He helped my family get the best outcome to move forward with our lives without regret.” – Cheri H.
“Taylor Asen was everything we needed in a lawyer: professional, communicative, straight forward and determined. He also was everything we didn’t expect: personable, always available, kind and thoughtful. We highly recommend his services.” – Arianna S.
“Taylor Asen is the ultimate professional. He navigated us through the toughest time in our lives and handled our medical malpractice case with mastery. . . Most of all, he was human. His confidence and his friendly demeanor put us at ease and his empathy towards our situation made us feel like we wanted to win this case not just for us, but for him.” – Lisa H.
EDUCATION
RECOGNITIONS
MEMBERSHIPS
ADMISSIONS
CLERKSHIPS
About Trevor Savage
Trevor is a skilled trial attorney who represents clients in claims involving medical malpractice, wrongful deaths and other complex personal injury cases.
After completing a clerkship with the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, Trevor began his career at a large firm in Portland, representing medical providers, businesses, and insurance companies.
Trevor’s experience as a defense attorney gives him a unique perspective that he uses to give Gideon Asen’s clients an advantage during litigation with insurance companies.
A native of Maine, Trevor is a graduate of Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, and then the University of Maine School of Law. At Maine Law, he served as Managing Editor of the Maine Law Review and as a legal writing teaching assistant for first-year students.
During law school—alongside his then-classmate and current colleague, Meryl Poulin—he distinguished himself as one of two “Prize Arguers” of their class and argued before the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. He and Meryl Poulin—another Gideon Asen attorney—later competed nationally as teammates on the Maine Law Moot Court Team, finishing in the top three of a competition of more than forty teams.
While at law school, Trevor interned with the Appellate Division of the United States Attorney’s Office and then with Judge Kermit V. Lipez of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. He also worked as a Student Attorney at the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office (winning his first two jury trials as a second-year law student).
Trevor lives in North Berwick, Maine, with his wife, Amy, and two children, Jacob and Will.
EDUCATION
RECOGNITIONS
MEMBERSHIPS
ADMISSIONS
CLERKSHIPS
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| Justice for Victims of Havana Syndrome with Paul Miller | 22 Apr 2024 | 00:31:35 | |
Join Rahul and Ben for their conversation with Canadian trial lawyer, Paul Miller, who shares the fascinating account of his effort to find justice for Canadian diplomats impacted by Havana Syndrome. Paul explains the mounting evidence showing that Canadian and American diplomats posted in Cuba, England, Russia, Vietnam, and China have been targeted by weapons that use microwave or similar technology that is invisible but can cause brain damage, leading to a variety of life-long injuries and symptoms. The story is somewhere between science fiction and spy novel, but much more troubling because the human victims are real people, including diplomats and their families.
About Paul Miller
“I became a personal injury lawyer because I wanted to ensure that people, when devastated by injuries had access to not only benefits and compensation, but access to the courts in order to seek out justice for injuries they have suffered.”
A dedicated advocate for people who have suffered personal injuries, Paul has 20 years of experience involving cases of defective products and medical devices and fighting for those denied justice.
Paul has proven experience with high profile cases including serving as co-counsel for Canadian Diplomats in Cuba affected by Havana Syndrome, co-counsel representing Canadian Veterans affected by Mefloquine, co-counsel representing B.C. in its class action lawsuit against opioid drug companies, co-lead counsel for the victims of the 2005 Air France crash at Toronto’s Pearson airport, and as representative for 23 Canadians involved in litigation surrounding the events of September 11, 2001.
His passion for helping those wronged by negligence led to his dedicated work on the MK Airlines Halifax Plane Crash, TVM Litigation, and presently, the Ethiopian Airline Crash, Hernia Mesh Litigation and Essure.
A Certified Specialist in Civil Litigation, Paul has been nominated twice for Canadian Lawyer’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers and recognized in Best Lawyers for his work in Product Liability Litigation. He’s a past board member of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association (2004–2006) and a current board director with the US-based organization Public Justice.
Paul is an avid golfer. When not tirelessly working on cases or spending quality time with his wife and four children, you’ll likely see him out on the green.
Professional Success Settlements and Verdicts Past results are not predictive of future results and each situation is unique and requires individual and independent legal advice. $5.55 Million*
Thought Leadership Articles
Media Mentions
Speaking and Teaching Engagements
Education
Professional Associations and Memberships
Honours and Awards
Community Involvement
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| Take That Elon! $60M Verdict Against Tesla with Lee Christie and Karen Zahka | 08 Apr 2024 | 01:00:22 | |
Join Rahul and Ben for their discussion with Indiana trial lawyer Lee Christie and Trial Lawyers for Justice Attorney, Karen Zahka, as they break down their recent trial against Tesla. Although the case started out as a simple pickup truck vs. motorcycle accident involving a left turn, the personal involvement of Elon Musk led to an unusual investment of resources on the defense side and high drama in the courtroom. To get to verdict, the plaintiff had to navigate a series of landmines and obstacles, including numerous law firms entering and exiting the case, a sea of motions, dozens of requests for mistrial and a hold-out juror that almost led to a mistrial during jury deliberations.
Link to animation video mentioned in episode: https://hypelegal.wistia.com/medias/z8rn4p0v6u
About Lee Christie
Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers | Christie Farrell Lee & Bell (cflblaw.com)
Lee Christie is a partner with Christie Farrell Lee & Bell and is a lifelong Indiana resident. He is passionate in representation, and takes pride in the relationships he develops with his clients. He has extensive trial experience in both federal and state court and is a frequent lecturer on trial, mediation, personal injury, medical malpractice, trucking accidents, and settlement issues. Lee has represented thousands of clients who have been personally injured and has obtained settlements and verdicts as high as $30.5M. Lee is highly civically engaged with several Indiana organizations, including the Walker Foundation (founding board member and officer) and Indianapolis Bar Foundation (board member and officer), and is a patron of the YMCA. He is past president of the Lawrence Township Girls Basketball League and continues to work with youth in the inner city of Indianapolis.
Achievements Lee has been selected by Super Lawyers as a Top 10 Super Lawyer in Indiana and was named the Best Lawyer, Indianapolis Lawyer of the Year for Mediation (2014) and Arbitration (2012). He is a member of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, the American Association for Justice, the Interstate Trucking Litigation Group, and Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. Lee has verdicts and settlements ranging from tens of thousands of dollars to over $30 million.
Honors
Named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers® for:
Memberships
Court Admissions
Bar Admissions
Recognitions
About Karen Zahka
Home - Trial Lawyers For Justice (tl4j.com)
Karen is a Partner at Trial Lawyers for Justice. She is an experienced and passionate trial lawyer. While she was born and raised in Massachusetts, Karen litigates and tries cases nationwide. She is currently admitted to practice in Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma. She practices in other jurisdictions via pro hac vice.
Throughout Karen’s career, she has contributed to many multi-million verdicts and settlements, including but not limited to:
Andrea Larkin, et al. v. Dedham Medical Associates, et al.: Karen was integral in successfully recovering over $40 million (with interest) for a 28-year-old woman who suffered a catastrophic stroke hours after labor and delivery of her daughter. Following this victory, Karen fought to defend and succeeded in defending the verdict from the insurance company’s attempt to overturn it on appeal.
Edward Xu v. Tufts Medical Center, et al.: Karen contributed to a $24.4 million verdict on behalf of a family whose newborn suffered from severe short bowel syndrome, which requires that he be tube fed for the rest of his life.
Estate of Joshua Messier v. Bridgewater State Hospital: Karen helped to obtain a $3 million settlement for a family whose 23-year-old disabled son was improperly restrained and killed by correction officers at a Massachusetts prison. This success resulted in sweeping systemic changes to improve the care and treatment of disabled individuals in state prison systems.
Estate of Zoe Rosenthal v. Charles J. Davignon, et al.: In April 2021, during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Karen contributed to the $9.5 million verdict obtained on behalf of two daughters whose mother was negligently killed while walking her dog in a crosswalk near her home. According to the court clerk, this result set a record for a non-economic damages verdict for wrongful death with adult heirs in Western Massachusetts.
While Karen is a zealous advocate for her clients, what she takes most pride in is that she cares about each of her clients on a personal level. She is a kind human first and a dedicated lawyer second. Karen recognizes that by the time you ask for her help, you have likely already experienced a catastrophic loss or injury. Compassion is a must, and she understands how overwhelming the legal system can be. It is for that reason that she always takes the time to explain each and every step of the legal process and she will be candid with you every step of the way.
Karen received her undergraduate degree from Boston University, where she double majored in Political Science and Psychology. She then graduated from Suffolk University Law School, where she served as the Continuity Editing Assistant for The Journal of Health and Biomedical Law. She graduated from law school with Pro Bono Honors and was recognized for her time and commitment to volunteer legal services programs. Throughout law school, she not only worked full time, but also volunteered her nights and weekends with several non-profit programs dedicated to empowering survivors of domestic violence and assisting them in navigating the legal system to protect themselves and their loved ones.
Since 2016, Karen has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star. This designation is awarded only to a select number of accomplished attorneys under the age of 40 in each state. The Rising Stars selection process takes into account peer recognition, professional achievement in legal practice, and a review by an independent blue-ribbon panel.
In 2022, Karen received the “Excellence in the Law: Up & Coming Lawyer” award from Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. This award is given to those select lawyers who have already distinguished themselves in the field in less than ten (10) years of practice.
In 2019, Karen was selected to the National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40, a professional organization that recognizes the top trial lawyers in each state.
In her spare time, you can find Karen soaking up as much live music as possible or exploring the outdoors.
BAR ADMISSIONS
PREVIOUSLY ADMITTED PRO-HAC VICE
EDUCATION
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| Big Picture Take Aways with Rahul and Ben | 25 Mar 2024 | 00:56:43 | |
In this episode, Rahul and Ben discuss major trends in trial practice and big picture take aways from the last 3 ½ years of the podcast. The conversation begins with a discussion of nuclear verdicts in the golden age of trial, moves on to case analysis and key issues, then to strategies or courtroom success, and ends with discussion of the impact of the MAGA juror.
About Rahul
https://www.panish.law/ravipudi.html
Rahul Ravipudi is a partner at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP and has spent his legal career handling catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases involving commercial vehicles, pedestrians, industrial or construction accidents, utility negligence, dangerous conditions of public and private property as well as cases of sexual abuse and sexual assault. Mr. Ravipudi also represents consumers in class actions against businesses who engage in unfair/illegal business practices and public entities in cases where corporations have endangered the safety, health, property or comfort of the public. Mr. Ravipudi currently serves as Plaintiffs’ Co-Lead Counsel in the Social Media Cases litigation which involves cases of children and young adults harmed or driven to suicide by social media algorithms as well as Public Entity Plaintiffs’ Co-Lead Counsel in the JUUL Labs Product Cases, representing school districts and other public entities in California involved in litigation against the electronic cigarette manufacturer. He also serves as Plaintiffs Co-Lead Counsel in the Southern California Fire Cases litigation arising out of the 2017 Thomas Fire and subsequent debris flows in Montecito, California as well as on the Plaintiffs Executive Committee in the California North Bay Fires litigation. Mr. Ravipudi previously served on the Steering Committee in the Blythe bus crash litigation. Named 2017 Trial Lawyer of the Year by Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, Mr. Ravipudi has obtained numerous landmark verdicts and settlements including a $160.5 million jury verdict for a man who suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of a vicious beating by security personnel for a nightclub, a $46,475,112.33 jury verdict for a beginning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu student who suffered a catastrophic spinal cord injury while sparring with a Del Mar Jiu-Jitsu Club instructor who performed a technique which rendered the student an incomplete quadriplegic, a $28,500,000+ settlement for a special needs student who was catastrophically injured after being struck by a vehicle while under the care and supervision of Victor Elementary School District (VESD) personnel, as well as a $23,500,000 settlement on behalf of the family of Paul Lee, a 19-year-old non-verbal autistic student who tragically died aboard a Whittier school bus after the driver left him behind to engage in a sexual tryst with a coworker. The Lee case was a catalyst for significant change in school transportation with Governor Jerry Brown signing the “Paul Lee School Bus Safety Law” in September 2016, requiring all school buses in the state of California to be equipped with a child safety alarm system that must be deactivated by the bus driver before departing the bus. The new law will go into effect at the start of the 2018-19 school year and requires bus drivers to receive training in child-safety check procedures. Committed to serving as an advocate for his clients, Mr. Ravipudi has obtained numerous eight-figure awards including a $20,500,000 jury verdict for the mother of a high school student who was killed while walking to a bus stop, a $19,786,818 jury verdict for a man who suffered severe burn and traumatic brain injuries when his rental home exploded as a result of Southern California Gas Company negligence, a $13,935,550 jury verdict for 19-year-old pedestrian who suffered extensive injuries as a result of being struck on the sidewalk by a vehicle driven by a Los Angeles County employee, a $13,000,000 settlement for the children and parents of a woman who was killed when her car was hit by a Hawthorne, California police officer, a $11,000,000 settlement for the family of a middle school student who drowned during a school-sponsored swim party, a$10 million for the family of an independent truck driver killed by an intoxicated heavy lift operator at a stevedoring terminal in Long Beach, and an$8,000,000 jury verdict in Clark County District Court for a Nevada man who suffered significant internal injuries after he was served and ingested what he believed was a Honey Blonde Ale but was actually a chemical cleaning compound left in the tap lines. Mr. Ravipudi shared his insight into successfully litigating cases against the stevedoring companies in an article entitled, “Danger on the Docks – Where there is an injury or death on the waterfront, drugs or alcohol are too often involved” published in the February 2011 edition of Advocate, journal of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles. Additional recoveries obtained by Mr. Ravipudi include a $15,950,000 settlement for a teen who suffered a brain injury on an HOA playground, $8,000,000 settlement for an 81-year-old woman who suffered severe spinal cord injuries after falling at a hotel, a $7,000,000+ settlement during trial for the family of a man killed at SpeedVegas when the vehicle he was driving slammed into a track wall and burst into flames, $6,500,000 settlement for the two minor children and friend of a Southern California man who was killed after being struck on the highway by a freight truck whose driver had fallen asleep behind the wheel, a $6,000,000 settlement for a woman who suffered severe burn injuries when a faucet in the bathtub of her apartment detached and sprayed scalding hot water onto her body, a $5 million for an HVAC worker who suffered serious injuries when he fell through a skylight while working on a customer’s roof, a $3.3 million gross jury verdict arising out of the death of a pest control person crushed and killed when a semi-truck reversed into him at a warehousing facility, and $9 million from the State of California (Caltrans) when a 16-year-old girl on a restricted license lost control of her vehicle and collided into a guardrail damaged two days earlier resulting in a bilateral traumatic below knee amputations. This case involved significant appellate issues which led to Mr. Ravipudi’s article, “Dealing with the state of California’s first line of defense – stonewalling any meaningful discovery” published in Advocate, Journal of Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles in February 2009.
About Ben
https://gideonasen.com/our-team/benjamin-gideon/
When clients come to us, they are looking for financial compensation. They are often struggling just to stay above water, and they need money to provide safety and security to meet basic life needs and to build a new and better life for themselves and their family in the future. But for many of our clients, their case is also about something more—something larger—than money. It’s about accountability. It’s about wanting to create a society where individuals, corporations, medical providers and insurance companies don’t get away with selfish, neglectful or greedy choices that put people at risk. It’s about obtaining the catharsis and closure the only comes when justice is done to make up for the precious things that another’s harmful conduct took away from them. In short, I have come to realize that my clients don’t just want a lawyer. They want a Champion—that is, someone who will fight for them individually, but also be willing to fight for the larger cause for which they stand. Let Us Be Your Champion. – Ben Gideon, 2021
Early Years Ben grew up in Portland, Maine, attended public schools and graduated from Deering High School in 1989. Ben’s father, Martin Rogoff, was a prominent member of the Maine Law School faculty, so Ben grew up immersed in discussions of the law. Ben began to develop his legal skills early in life through nightly arguments with his father at the dinner table. In high school, Ben played varsity soccer and was the captain of the hockey team. Following high school, Ben attended Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Ben attempted to walk on to the Cornell hockey team, but was eventually cut from the team, ending his hockey career. Depressed and disappointed at this failure, Ben became a poor student, failed several classes, and was told he was being suspended from college on academic probation. After rehabilitating himself through some community college courses, Ben was able to gain re-admission to Cornell and to complete his degree. Ben applied to law school and was admitted to Boston University School of Law. There, Ben was a standout student. His grades were so exceptional after his first year that he was accepted as a transfer student to Yale Law School where he earned his law degree. Ben began his career in private practice at a large, multi-national law firm, Latham & Watkins, in New York City. He practiced there for several years before deciding to return to Maine to join Berman & Simmons, PA, Maine’s largest plaintiff’s law firm. A Leader at Berman & SimmonsDuring his years at Berman & Simmons, Ben rose from an associate to become an owner and practice leader at the firm. Ben was instrumental in helping the firm re-invent its approach to litigating and trying cases; expanded its areas of practice expertise; and recruited and trained many talented lawyers. During his 17 years at Berman & Simmons, Ben enjoyed many great successes and some disappointing failures, but overall managed to build the most successful plaintiff’s personal injury and medical malpractice practice in the State of Maine. Ben achieved success in a broad range of different types of plaintiff’s cases—police civil rights, product liability, medical malpractice, nursing home, maritime and industrial accidents. Early in his career, Ben achieved a landmark civil rights verdict against a police officer for violating his client’s civil rights with a Taser shooting. The verdict was affirmed on appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. In 2014, after 4 ½ year of litigation, Ben achieved a record-setting $22.5 million jury verdict in Burlington, Vermont, on behalf of a utility lineman who lost both of his legs during a high-voltage powerline switching operation. Ben followed his Vermont verdict with a verdict of $1.75 million jury verdict in a medical malpractice trial in Bangor, Maine. More recently, Ben recovered $2.5 million in a medical malpractice case tried to a jury in New Hampshire. Founding Gideon Asen LLCAfter 17 years at Berman & Simmons, in November 2020, Ben decided to leave one firm he loved and had helped to build, to form a new law firm, Gideon Asen LLC. “I was very proud of everything we accomplished at Berman & Simmons,” Ben said, “but I was excited by the challenge of building a new firm that could be even better.” Ben’s first step was to recruit Taylor Asen to join him. “Taylor and I have a common mission,” Ben said. “Although we’re separated by 12 years, Taylor also attended Yale Law School and completed prestigious Federal clerkships. He’s insanely smart.” “But perhaps more important, Taylor and I share a common vision of a plaintiff’s law firm where clients have access to exceptional lawyers and service. We are both supremely competitive and don’t tolerate mediocrity. We believe we owe it to our clients to give them the very best, and that is what Gideon Asen will provide.” | |||
| Discovering Dr. Death with Catherine “Katie” Bertram | 11 Mar 2024 | 00:47:06 | |
We’ve all heard the stories of doctors who cause harm to patients by systematically performing medically unnecessary procedures, just to line their own pockets. These circumstances rise to a level beyond ordinary medical negligence to fraud or criminal acts. However, when we litigate individual medical malpractice cases, the rules of discovery and evidence can pose barriers that make it difficult to determine whether a client’s experience reflects a larger pattern and practice by the doctor and the medical business. Join us for our discussion with Washington, DC trial lawyer, Katie Bertram, as she tells the story of a case in which she was able to show this larger pattern of a doctor performing medically unnecessary medical procedures in an out-patient surgery center setting that provides very few checks and balances on this type of rogue behavior.
About Catherine "Katie" Bertram
Website: https://www.blg-dc.com/
Catherine D. “Katie” Bertram started the Bertram & Murphy, building on decades of experience as both a medical malpractice attorney and director of risk management at Georgetown University Hospital.
In those environments, she learned how doctors and hospitals work, as well as how their attorneys assess claims against them. She draws on this knowledge to advocate for patients and their families.
“People want someone who’s competent, caring, and careful. They’ve just gone through the worst thing in their lives and been betrayed by doctors or a hospital — people that we’re supposed to trust,” she said. “I can set forth what happened and why it was negligent.”
Bertram graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Bachelor of Social Work. While accompanying a social worker to court one day, she found her true passion—the law. “The minute I walked into court, I knew that’s what I should be doing,” she said.
She obtained her law degree from the Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law in Washington, D.C., in 1989, becoming the first lawyer in her family. The faculty nominated her as Woman Law Student of the Year.
Bertram focuses on personal injury and medical malpractice in part because her mother is a nurse. “It allows me to combine the law and medicine,” she said. “I enjoy talking to juries and teaching them about complicated medical cases in an easier way.”
Bertram has achieved several distinctions throughout her career. She is one of 20 people serving on the D.C. Bar’s Board of Governors and also is a board member of the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, which finds lawyers to meet the legal needs of D.C.’s low-income residents, nonprofits, and small businesses.
She’s been an adjunct law professor at American University’s Washington College of Law since 2013, teaching a course about medical malpractice. Among her charitable work, she is an active supporter of Public Citizen, the nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, and a founding member of the Washington, D.C., charity Power 100. She also sews quilts for military veterans through the Quilts of Valor Foundation.
Licensed to practice in Washington, D.C., and in Maryland, Bertram has a notable record of favorable verdicts. In 2017, she won $8 million on behalf of her clients against Edward Dunne, M.D., and Foxhall Urology, and in 2018, she won a $1.25 million verdict against Capital Women’s Care and others for negligence and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
But even though she and her firm have a strong track record, she and Heather J. Kelly also work hard to settle cases in their clients’ best interests. If they’re able to reach a settlement before formally filing the case, they’ll lower their fees.
A third-generation Washingtonian, Bertram enjoys spending time with her family and on the Chesapeake Bay when not in court.
She’s proud of the individualized attention that the Bertram & Murphy provides.
“I can limit the number of cases I take so I can work very hard on each case,” Bertram said. “We have the time and the creativity and the resources and the technology and the verdicts behind us like we’re a big firm, but you don’t deal with layers and layers of people. You’re getting the A team.” | |||
| From College Basketball to $36 Million Judgment in School Shooting Case with Sheila Hiestand | 26 Feb 2024 | 00:39:19 | |
Louisville, Kentucky trial lawyer Sheila Hiestand has harnessed the same competitive zeal she had as a starting center on a division one college basketball team to become one of Kentucky’s leading trial lawyers. Sheila has successfully litigated and tried many high-profile cases, including a recent case in which she obtained a $36 Million judgment on behalf of the family of victims of a January 2018 shooting at Marshall County High School in which two students were killed and several others injured. Sheila discusses this case, including some of the many legal obstacles she confronted and the impact on the families she represented after this tragedy.
About Sheila Hiestand
Website: https://mhkylaw.com/
“The Lady Litigator” As a college basketball player who started in two final four appearances, Sheila knows the importance of hard work, drive and heart. Sheila—aka “The Lady Litigator” for her tenacity in court—is dedicated to helping women and their families through the very difficult process of personal injury claims. She has served as the president of the Kentucky trial lawyers with the Kentucky Justice Association and has worked tirelessly to fight for injured people for more than 30 years. This includes several trials with extraordinary results for her clients, such as an auto accident case where she earned a $743,000 verdict and a medical practice failure to diagnose cancer case where she earned a $1.3 million verdict. She also has achieved many 7-figure settlements for her clients in trucking, medical malpractice, auto and motorcycle cases.
After graduating from Centre College, Sheila received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Kentucky School of Law. Soon after she was recognized as the Fayette County Bar Association Outstanding Young Lawyer and was rated an “AV Lawyer” by Martindale-Hubbell®. She has also been recognized among the American Trial Lawyers Association’s Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Kentucky; Super Lawyers Top 50 Lawyers in Kentucky; Super Lawyers Top 25 Women Lawyers in Kentucky; as Top Lawyer by Louisville Magazine, and has received a long list of awards.
When not practicing law, Sheila enjoys spending time with her three children and husband and loves to compete in triathlons. She plays viola, violin, cello and piano and is a past member of the Lexington Singers. Sheila is also fluent in Spanish and has volunteered at the Federal Correctional Institute to assist Spanish-speaking inmates with legal matters pro bono. Education
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| Poker, Landmines and Trials with Reza Davani | 12 Feb 2024 | 00:52:59 | |
Before Maryland-based trial lawyer Reza Davani began rolling the dice with juries, he was a competitive poker player. Join Ben and Rahul for their discussion with Reza, in which he recounts how principles and lessons learned from playing poker translate to trial practice. Reza provides many valuable strategies for trial success, including identifying and planting “landmines” for the defense as part of his case. In addition to his phenomenal success as a trial lawyer, Reza is a sought-after speaker and teacher of trial tactics, and there is much for any practitioner to learn from listening to this episode. You may want to listen more than once.
About Reza Davani Website: Maryland Personal Injury Lawyer | Compensation After an Accident (kbaattorneys.com)
KBA is fortunate to work with Mr. Reza Davani because he is a true trial lawyer. He has tried many cases and is a student of the art, studying trial strategies, attending seminars, and always polishing his skills. His passion for client advocacy and willingness to fight made his partnership at KBA a great fit.
Mr. Davani has worked on both sides of the aisle, representing local, national, and international companies, governmental entities, and injured victims as both a plaintiff and defense lawyer. He has represented clients and worked on matters in state, federal and bankruptcy courts around the country, including in Maryland, Mississippi, Washington D.C., New Jersey, California, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Georgia, Virginia, Illinois, Iowa, North Carolina, and New York. (He is licensed in Maryland and has worked in other states on a pro hac vice basis.) Within Maryland, he has represented clients in matters in Prince George’s County, Frederick County, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Allegany County, Cecil County, Washington County, Montgomery County, Charles County, Howard County, Talbot County, Carroll County, Wicomico County, and Harford County.
He has the experience and helped clients with cases concerning complex litigation, product liability, commercial litigation, franchise disputes, catastrophic injuries, wrongful death and survival actions, direct lawsuits against insurance companies, qui-tam whistleblower cases, amputation injuries, and a variety of personal injury matters, including medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, vehicle collisions, commercial truck and tractor-trailer crashes, boating-collisions and allisions, and premises liability, including tripping hazards and dangerous trees.
Mr. Davani is committed to advocating aggressively for his injured clients, which he has done for the past ten years. In recent years, he personally helped injured victims and their families recover close to $15,000,000 in settlements and verdicts. Each case is different and prior results does not mean future success, we are confident he is going to help KBA clients hold defendants accountable and prevent future harms through the civil justice system.
He is also committed to community outreach and giving back to those in need. He has done non-profit legal work for a public defender’s office, the Prisoner Rights Information System of Maryland, Inc., the Mississippi Center for Justice, and a clinic representing ex-offenders. Attorneys often turn to him for advice which he offers for free to help improve justice in our communities. Mr. Davani is also a Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2019-2021.
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| Trial Lawyers to the Stars with Neville Johnson and Douglas Johnson | 29 Jan 2024 | 00:49:44 | |
From representing Yoko Ono to winning class action lawsuits on behalf of actors and musicians, Neville Johnson and his partner Douglas Johnson (no relationship) have built one of the most interesting and successful entertainment law practices in the nation, specializing in representing “talent” as opposed to the business side of the industry. Join Rahul and Ben for a fascinating discussion with Neville and Doug, as they describe how they got their start in this practice, recount some of their most interesting cases, and talk about trends in entertainment law resulting from new technologies.
About Neville Johnson - Senior Partner Website: Johnson and Johnson, LLP Law Firm | Johnson and Johnson, LLP (jjllplaw.com)
Professional Experience: Neville L. Johnson graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of California, Berkeley (1971). He received his law degree from Southwestern Law School (1975), graduating near the top of his class. He has tried over 28 civil jury trials and over 70 civil trials and arbitrations without a jury. He is a member of the invitation-only American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and is on the Board of Governors of the Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles (CAALA since 2005), the Board of Directors of the national organization Public Justice, and on the Board of Governors of the Beverly Hills Bar Association 2013-2015 and 2020-2022 (BHBA). Johnson is a long-time member of the invitation-only Los Angeles Copyright Society, and on the Board of The California Society of Entertainment Lawyers.
He was nominated for Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2005 by CAALA. He was Co-Chair of the Entertainment Law Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association from 2009 to 2011. He has been on the Planning Committee of the USC Entertainment Law Institute since 2011. He has appeared in courts in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Tennessee, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
In 2020, Mr. Johnson and his team secured a verdict in a Right of Publicity case of over 9 Million Dollars in damages, and over 7 Million Dollars in attorneys fees.
Mr. Johnson has litigated and settled countless cases against a wide array of defendants concerning royalty accounting, profit participation, publicity rights, idea theft, copyright infringement, and many other entertainment law matters. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Southwestern Law School since 2012, where he teaches Entertainment and Media Litigation. However, his greatest pride has been in defending the privacy rights of all citizens against the worst malefactors in the media. His work in this field was perhaps best summarized by Professor David A. Elder, a leading expert on the law of privacy, who published the following special dedication in his treatise, Privacy Torts:
To Neville L. Johnson… who has led the charge, often successfully (and always creatively and with great passion) in exposing some of the worst outrages of media newsgathering. Neville ranks with Brandeis and Warren as the great defenders of privacy. All America is in his debt.
Mr. Johnson has practiced entertainment law and IP law since 1975 [except for 10 months in 1977-78 when he was a Public Defender (juvenile) in Los Angeles County and handled over 100 matters, including two murder trials and one attempted murder trial].
Mr. Johnson has represented many well-known celebrities and entertainment concerns. The firm currently represents Sylvester Stallone in net profit litigation, and many other writers, directors, actors, producers, musicians, models, and JoJo Siwa, the biggest teen star in the world. He and his firm have been lead counsel in many class actions, including pioneering class actions in the entertainment industry against the entertainment unions, major record companies and motion picture companies. The firm has also handled a number of consumer class actions. The firm handles 15 to 20 right of publicity cases a year.
Mr. Johnson is a frequent lecturer and written extensively on entertainment, copyright and media and other legal topics, including in London, England (Entertainment attorneys based in the UK, London Branch of Entertainment Section of BHBA), Cannes, France (MIDEM, the international music convention), New York (ABA Forum on Communications Section, and Entertainment Law Section and New York Bar Assn.: Entertainment Law Section), Nashville (ABA Entertainment Law Section), Las Vegas (ABA Entertainment Law Section), Miami, Arizona State University, Stanford University, U.C. Berkeley, Loyola Law School, Southwestern Law School, USC Entertainment Law Institute annual forum (3 times) as well as the undergraduate school, California Western School of Law, California State University, Northridge, and many times to the Entertainment Section of the BHBA as a panelist or moderator), the Intellectual Property Section of Los Angeles County Bar Assn., and Berklee College of Music (Boston).
Johnson & Johnson LLP, based in Beverly Hills, California, is a litigation firm that specializes in complex litigation with a particular emphasis on entertainment, intellectual property, right of publicity, privacy, defamation, consumer issues, and class actions. Mr. Johnson and the firm also negotiate business and entertainment agreements.
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Honors: He has been repeatedly selected by Super Lawyers as one of the top entertainment attorneys in Southern California (top 5% of attorneys as voted by peers). In 2020, 2021 and 2022 Super Lawyer and his peers named him one of the top 100 attorneys in Southern California, the only entertainment attorney on the list, he was named one of the top 100 Power Lawyers in Entertainment Law by The Hollywood Reporter every year since, 2008, and in 2020 moved to a new permanent category and designated a “Legal Legend.” He has also been designated numerous times one of the top lawyers in entertainment by Variety and Los Angeles legal newspapaer The Daily Journal. He was nominated as Trial Lawyer of the Year by the California Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles. He is a fellow at the American Law Institute (only 2% of all attorneys are members). In 2020 he was honored as Alumnus of the Year by the Biederman Entertainment Law Institute at Southwestern Law School. A law review article about his career is Richard and Calvert, “Suing the Media, Supporting the First Amendment: the Paradox of Neville Johnson and the Battle for Privacy,” 67 Albany Law Review 1097 (2004). On June 23, 2015, the Los Angeles Times did a major profile (front page, Business Section) on his career, “Contract Sport, ‘Go-to' L.A. Lawyer Says Hollywood Studios Are Shortchanging His Clients,” noting that Johnson & Johnson is one of the few firms successfully taking on the entertainment establishment on a regular basis. The cover story of the July 2016, issue of Attorney at Law magazine is about Neville Johnson. The Los Angeles Business Journal profiled him on its first page, “Lawyer Up,” (September 9, 2019).
Speaking Engagements: He is a frequent speaker, including in London, England [Entertainment attorneys based in the UK, London Branch of Entertainment Section of Beverly Hills Bar Association (BHBA)], Cannes, France (MIDEM, the international music convention), the Intellectual Property Section of Los Angeles County Bar Assn., and Berklee College of Music (Boston); and the Los Angeles Copyright Society. New York (ABA Forum on Communications Section, and Entertainment Law Section and New York Bar Assn.: Entertainment Law Section), Nashville (ABA Entertainment Law Section), Las Vegas (ABA Entertainment Law Section), Miami, Arizona State University, Stanford University, U.C. Berkeley, Loyola Law School, Southwestern Law School, USC Entertainment Law Institute annual forum (3 times) as well as the undergraduate school, California Western School of Law, California State University, Northridge, and many times to the Entertainment Section of the BHBA as a panelist or moderator), SInce 2011 he has moderated the panel on ethical issues for the annual Year in Review for the Entertainment Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association.
Publications: Johnson & Johnson, “Interesting New Developments About Which All Practitioners Should be Aware,” 31 New York State Bar Assn, Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal 56 (2020); Johnson, Johnson, Smolla & Tweed, “Defamation and Invasion of Privacy in the Internet Age,” 25 Southwestern Journal of International Law 9 (2019) Johnson & Johnson, “Trouble in Tinseltown, Los Angeles Daily Journal (April 23, 2019); “My Big Mouth,” Los Angeles Daily Journal (March 29, 2019); Johnson & Johnson, “Entertainment Contracts with Minors in New York and California, 30 New York State Bar Assn, Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal 75 (2019); Johnson & Johnson, “A New Way to Revive a Corporation?,” Los Angeles Daily Journal (October 18, 2016); Johnson & Johnson, “Hollywood Docket: One Sided World,” 27 New York State Bar Assn, Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal 32 (2016); Johnson & Elder, “Maybe America Needs More Peter Thiels,” Los Angeles Daily Journal (August 8, 2016); “We've Lost Control,” Los Angeles Daily Journal (June 16, 2016); “Talent Agency Act Survives Suit, Clarity Remains Elusive,” Los Angeles Daily Journal (May 10, 2013); “The Man Who Seduced Hollywood,” 36 Los Angeles Lawyer 41(September 2013); “Remedies for Web Defamation,” California Lawyer 36 (May 2013); “To Find Employment as a Lawyer, You Must Market Yourself,” 36 Los Angeles Lawyer 12 (June 2013); “Ten Rules for Success in the Practice of Law, 31 Los Angeles Lawyer 12 (June 2008); Chapter, Johnson & Aradi, “Defamatory Tweeting and Other Name and Likeness Violations” in Building Your Artist's Brand as a Business, International Association of Entertainment Lawyers (2012) (includes a discussion of right of publicity); Chapter, Johnson & Fowler, “Litigation: How to Draft Defensively Without Killing the Deal” in Licensing of Music from BC to AD (Before the Change/After Digital), International Association of Entertainment Lawyers (2014); Elder, Johnson & Rishwain, “Establishing Constitutional Malice for Defamation and Privacy/False Light Claims When Hidden Cameras and Deception Are Used by the Newsgatherer,” 22 Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review 327 (2002); “New Developments in California Privacy and Defamation Law,” 23 California Litigation 21 (2010); Johnson & Johnson, “What Happened to Unjust Enrichment in California? The Deterioration of Equity in the California Courts,” 44 Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review 277 (2010); Johnson & Walsh, “The Danger of “Anti-Libel Tourism” Litigation in the United States, 32 Los Angeles Lawyer 44 (December 2009); Johnson, “Privacy and the First Amendment”, California Litigation (2006); co-author “Caught in the Act,” Los Angeles Lawyer (1998) (an analysis of trends in the right of privacy); Johnson & Lang, The Personal Manager in the California Entertainment Industry, 52 Southern California Law Review 375 (1979)(a definitive article on the regulation of talent agents, personal managers, and the interplay of entertainment unions and guilds in that nexus). He co-authored chapters on music publishing and personal managers in The Musician's Business & Legal Guide (2017 5th edition), and wrote the authorized and best-selling biography of the greatest coach in the history of sports, The John Wooden Pyramid of Success (Second Edition 2004).
Since 2012, Neville and Douglas Johnson have taught a course on entertainment and media litigation as Adjunct Professors at Southwestern School of Law. From 2011-2014, he was one of the panelists teaching the Los Angeles County Bar Association new admittees course on class actions; and since 2011 he has moderated the panel on ethical issues for the annual Year in Review for the Entertainment Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association.
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About Douglas Johnson - Managing Partner Website: Johnson and Johnson, LLP Law Firm | Johnson and Johnson, LLP (jjllplaw.com)
Professional Experience: Mr. Johnson is well known for handling high-profile and high-impact entertainment matters. His clients include producers, actors, directors, writers, production companies, music artists, composers, music publishers, and independent record labels. He is well-known for his successes in royalty disputes, profit participation disputes, right of publicity cases, and theft of idea cases for film and television. Mr. Johnson also handles invasion of privacy and libel cases, business disputes, and class actions.
Mr. Johnson has been repeatedly named by Super Lawyer as a top intellectual property litigator for more than a decade, representing the top 2.5% of the profession in Southern California. Mr. Johnson also serves as outside general counsel for WorldStarHipHop.com, a popular music and pop culture website, where he deals with cutting-edge copyright, media, and right of privacy issues. Mr. Johnson has handled numerous copyright infringement lawsuits in Federal Court for Worldstar.
Since co-founding Johnson & Johnson, Mr. Johnson has been at the forefront of developing California's right of publicity laws. He regularly represents celebrities, models, and professional athletes in litigation against defendants who have wrongfully used their images. He has litigated cases up to the California Supreme Court, advocating for precedent to protect the rights of all Californians from those who would seek to profit from their names, images, and likenesses without authorization. Mr. Johnson's advocacy in this area of law extends to his participation on speaking panels, publication of scholarly articles, and educating law students on the importance of these rights. Mr. Johnson recently litigated a right of publicity case that resulted in a 9.6 million jury award and an attorney fee award of 7 million against Coca-Cola and Monster Energy for building their Hubert's Lemonade brand around the name of the founder of Hansen Juices, Hubert Hansen. Mr. Johnson also received a seven-figure jury award in a right of publicity case for an actor/supermodel.
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| Embracing Risk and Winning at Trial with Jeffrey Kroll | 15 Jan 2024 | 00:50:05 | |
Chicago-based trial lawyer Jeffrey Kroll is no stranger to risk. On the road to some of his biggest verdicts, including a 2017 verdict for $148 million, Jeff has turned down big money to cast his lot with the jury. Join Ben and Rahul for their conversation with Jeff, in which he discusses some of the core beliefs and strategies that inform his highly successful approach to trying cases to juries. Listeners will come away with many insightful tips that will benefit their own trial practices.
About Jeffrey Kroll Website: Chicago Personal Injury Attorneys | Kaveny + Kroll
Jeffrey J. Kroll is a founding partner at Kaveny + Kroll, a Chicago firm focused primarily on plaintiffs’ tort litigation. Jeff has been representing victims of negligence for over three decades and has taken cases to verdict throughout the country in the areas of trucking accidents, products liability, premises liability, medical malpractice and transportation negligence.
In 2017, Jeff was a major part of the trial team that won a record-breaking $148 million verdict on behalf of a dancer paralyzed by a collapsed shelter at O’Hare International Airport. This is the highest compensatory damage award to an individual plaintiff in Illinois history.
Jeff regularly handles complex damage cases and has received multimillion dollar verdicts and settlements. Jeff obtained a $15.2 million verdict on behalf of a man who was seriously injured when he was struck and run over by a forklift at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago. He obtained a $5.25 million dollar verdict in the first U.S. bike share death. During his career, he has obtained verdicts or negotiated settlements on over 80 occasions where the results have exceeded $1 million, including six cases which have exceeded $10 million. Jeff has obtained more than $430 million in verdicts and settlements throughout his career.
Jeff is also active in national bar associations where he routinely speaks and writes on several trial topics as part of his commitment to maintaining quality and professionalism in the legal community. He has been asked to lecture on over 160 occasions and has published over 139 articles for lawyers. Based on his substantial contributions to continuing legal education, the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education recognized Jeff with IICLE’s 2015 Addis E. Hull award. In 2008, that same group awarded Jeff the Top Instructor in CLE courses.
Jeff is also a highly sought-after legal commentator, making frequent local and national media appearances to provide in-depth legal insight and analysis of current events. He has been interviewed in countless television segments, podcasts, and publications.
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| $6.19 Million in Rural Ohio, with Allen Tittle | 04 Dec 2023 | 00:37:19 | |
Join Ben and Rahul for their discussion with Ohio Trial Lawyer, Allen Tittle who recently obtained a $6.19 million verdict in a difficult medical malpractice case in rural Ohio. This was a case that Allen round tabled with Ben’s breakout medical malpractice group at the PSBR trial college in California last year. We discuss how Allen successfully used the hospital policies to establish the standard of care and system failures that resulted in the harm to his client. We also talk about how Allen’s unusual and challenging childhood created the foundation for his future success as a trial lawyer and informed his abilities to connect with clients and juries.
About Allen Tittle Allen is a born and raised Ohioan. He grew up here, went to undergrad and law school in Ohio, and now serves this community with his law firm. Hardworking blue-collar people are his roots, who he relates with best, and is the reason he couldn’t see himself living anywhere else. Allen was dropped on his great-great-aunt and uncle’s doorstep when he was two weeks old. They took him in when they didn’t have to and raised him as their own. While growing up, the phrase “it takes a village” couldn’t be more true for him. He loves being able to help the people he grew up around and give back to the village that helped raise him. Both as a business and personally, Allen strongly believes in giving back to the community. He has a scholarship for students and is involved with many community initiatives. Allen is best known as a family man, Cleveland sports fan, and supportive member of his community.
Experience & Expertise Allen is the founder and co-owner of Tittle & Perlmuter. He started the firm in 2015 at his kitchen table with six figures of student loan debt, his first baby on the way, and a brand new mortgage because he wanted a law firm where clients actually came first. Allen practices exclusively in the area of personal injury, with an emphasis on medical malpractice and nursing home neglect state-wide. Medical malpractice cases are some of the most difficult cases to take on, but he is always up for a challenge and relishes the role of the underdog. Being a lawyer gives him the power to fight the Goliaths of the world, whether it be a billion-dollar insurance company or a multi-million-dollar medical company. He has the honor and privilege of representing people and families who have had their lives turned upside down by catastrophic injuries with life-altering effects. Recovering money, getting justice and answers, and helping families move on is the biggest responsibility that he does not take lightly. Allen has committed his life’s work and legacy to serving his clients and community as one of Ohio’s leading personal injury lawyers.
Background & Education Allen was born and raised in Huron, Ohio. After graduating from Huron High School, he attended Bowling Green State University where he graduated Magna cum laude. He then went to law school at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law where he graduated magna cum laude. Because of his education, experience, and expertise, Allen is asked to speak by multiple bars and legal associations like the Ohio Association for Justice, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Lorain County Bar Association, and the Westshore Bar Association.
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| Leveraging Superior Court Reporting and AI with Steno President Dylan Ruga | 26 Aug 2024 | 00:44:25 | |
Join Ben for his conversation with Dylan Ruga, trial lawyer and co-founder and President of Steno, a long-time sponsor of the pod. Dylan updates us on the new functionality and services offered by his innovative court reporting service, Steno. Steno allows plaintiff attorneys to defer costs of court reporting and videographer services until the end of the case. In states that allow it, these deferred costs can be non-recourse. Steno now operates through the Zoom platform but offers an app that integrates with Zoom and makes collating, marking, annotating, and saving exhibits at depositions seamless. Steno also offers videographer services that enable recording of the witness and exhibits and post-production editing so that witnesses and exhibits can be presented in optimal fashion without requiring substantial attorney time or other vendor for editing. Dylan also discusses the roll out of a new product, Transcript Genius, which uses AI that has been specifically training to understand and interpret deposition transcripts to enable lawyers to query one or multiple transcripts to quickly identify key admissions, information, or contradictions in witness testimony. If you are a trial lawyer who handles a volume of depositions, you will gain a lot of insight and value from this episode. Dylan is the Co-Founder, President and Chief Legal Officer at Steno, where he stewards business development initiatives and forges new partnerships. Dylan is also a founding member of Stalwart Law Group, recognized as one of California's top 20 litigation boutiques. He is a practicing trial lawyer with more than 15 years of experience in intellectual property, professional liability, and commercial litigation. | |||
| Justice and Accountability for Victims of Mass Shootings with Jamal Alsaffar | 20 Nov 2023 | 00:54:44 | |
When trial lawyer Jamal Alsaffar of Austin Texas heard about the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, he had the eerie feeling of history repeating itself. Many of the facts were strikingly similar to what had occurred in the Sutherland Springs church mass shooting case in Texas that Jamal tried to a Federal judge, resulting in a $230 million judgment for the families. In the process, Jamal also forced the U.S. Government to disclose documents and information that demonstrated a long-standing pattern of failing to report dangerous, violent, and mentally unstable members of the armed forces to the FBI databank, thereby permitting tens of thousands of deranged or dangerous individuals to purchase and continue to possess firearms. As a result of Jamal’s case, he not only secured compensation for his clients, but he forced the Air Force to enact policy changes that resulted in tens of thousands of dangerous individuals being reported. Join Ben and Rahul for their in-depth discussion with Jamal, including his journey to becoming a trial lawyer that started with him becoming a standout in high school and college mock trial competitions to becoming one of the leading lawyers in the United States in bringing claims against the Federal Government and representing victims of mass shootings.
About Jamal Alsaffar Mr. Alsaffar was born and raised in Dallas, Texas and is a nationally experienced trial attorney. Mr. Alsaffar has spent his entire career as a trial lawyer representing individuals and families. He has successfully represented clients in state, federal, and appellate courts across the country in complex personal injury and medical malpractice cases. In addition to a Texas statewide practice, Mr. Alsaffar has a national Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) practice representing veterans and military families around the country including Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington D.C., New York, New Hampshire, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada, Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington.
In 2013, Mr. Alsaffar was selected as one of the 20 “Leading Lawyers” under the age of forty in the state of Texas by Texas Lawyer magazine. His legal peers have voted him as a “Super Lawyer” from 2014-2022 and prior to that as a Texas “Rising Star” from 2006-2014. Mr. Alsaffar has also served as the National Chair of the Federal Torts and Military Advocacy Section for the American Association of Justice, the nation’s premier trial lawyer organization. Mr. Alsaffar served as an adjunct professor of trial advocacy at the University of Texas School of Law, and also served as a volunteer coach for the University of Texas undergraduate trial advocacy team for over ten years. Mr. Alsaffar is a proud father of three children and is a volunteer select soccer coach for the Lake Travis Youth Association and serves on the board of LTYA.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS Mr. Alsaffar is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the American Association for Justice, Texas Trial Lawyers’ Association, Federal Bar Association, the Capital Area Trial Lawyers’ Association, and the Austin Bar Association. He has served as Co-Chair of the Birth Trauma/Medical Negligence Litigation Group of the American Association for Justice, and has twice served as the Chair of the Federal Tort Liability and Military Advocacy section of the American Association for Justice. He is on the Federal Torts Executive Committee for the American Association for Justice. Mr. Alsaffar is also a fellow of the Texas State Bar Foundation.
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| Thinking Outside of the Box, with Scott Perry | 06 Nov 2023 | 00:46:46 | |
Join Ben for his interview of Scott Perry, one of Virgina’s most talented and successful trial lawyers. Scott talks about his transition from Big Law to plaintiffs work and his later transition from a narrow focus on medical malpractice to a broader practice. Scott discusses some of his landmark cases, including a case that changed the safety standard for American rowing and a recent $10 million verdict on behalf of a high school basketball star severely injured during a school community service project. Scott talks about how he navigated the difficult facts of the case to achieve justice for his client.
About Scott Perry Before joining Breit Biniazan, accomplished trial lawyer Scott Perry served as a founding partner of Perry Charnoff, PLLC.
Perry knows that it’s not just luck, but skill that gets personal injury lawyers the best result. He strives to surround himself with like-minded attorneys who enjoy the challenge of pushing the status quo and raising the bar for trial practice, which is why he joined forces with Breit Biniazan. Perry, who has a history of creating change in his community, strives to leverage this partnership to make an even greater impact for his clients and the communities he serves.
Several years ago, Scott represented a family in a devastating case involving a drowning on the Potomac River. The victim, an 18-year-old Filipino immigrant, became a rowing coach while on summer break from his Ivy League university. Unfortunately, one beautiful day, the victim was thrown from the launch and tragically drowned—despite being a strong swimmer.
When Perry looked into the case further, he discovered that the sport of rowing in the U.S. fell well behind its European counterparts when it came to safety. Coaches in other countries are required to wear special life vests and safety lanyards—and he successfully argued that safety measures like these could have prevented this tragedy. Perry’s represented families in several other sporting injury and wrongful death cases since then.
While at Perry Charnoff, Scott’s unique litigation approach led to multiple multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements, including:
Helping the Davids Stand Up to the Goliaths Perry believes that trial lawyers and the jury system help level the playing field between well-funded parties and those with fewer economic resources. It’s a David and Goliath challenge between injured plaintiffs and the biggest, most well-financed firms in the U.S.—and these firms fight like mad.
With Scott’s broad experience in personal injury litigation, he levels this playing field expertly. And his philosophy of preparing each and every case as if it’s going to trial forces defendants with deep pockets to sit up and take notice.
Over the last 20 years, Perry has been consistently nominated as a Washington, D.C.-area “Super Lawyer,” honored in Virginia Lawyers Weekly, and (in 2019) named Medical Malpractice Lawyer of the Year. Each of these honors recognizes Perry’s unsurpassed ability to recover damages on behalf of his clients.
Not everyone realizes that, just like doctors, lawyers can become board-certified in certain areas of practice. Perry recently underwent an extensive process to become a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, demonstrating his proficiency in this area of law.
Most recently, Scott was selected as a member of the invite-only Inner Circle of Advocates, which limits its members to the top 100 plaintiff trial lawyers in the country. He is one of only two Virginia attorneys selected to the Inner Circle, with the other member being his Partner, Jeffrey Breit. Both completed a rigorous vetting process requiring a review of verdicts and settlements, trial skills, commitment to the community, and general collegiality.
Representing Families After a Devastating Loss Perry focuses his practice on catastrophic injury cases such as truck accidents, wrongful death, product liability, and medical malpractice. This laser focus allows Scott to give each client the individual attention and advice they deserve.
And it’s paid off—he’s successfully handled multiple cases involving catastrophic sports injuries, prompting the defendants to make nationwide safety changes to avoid future lawsuits.
What’s more, with a brain-injury survivor in his own immediate family, Perry is well-aware of the challenges families face—which is why he’s a longtime supporter and volunteer for Brain Injury Services, an organization dedicated to helping brain-injured children and adults build needed skills.
Scott, his wife JoAnn, and their two young children live in Northern Virginia. In his free time, Perry is an avid exercise enthusiast—though his favorite physical activity will always remain hiking with his family. | |||
| Trying Birth Injury Cases with Briggs Bedigian and Jon Stefanuca | 23 Oct 2023 | 00:56:53 | |
During a recent two-month period, Maryland and Pennsylvania-based trial lawyers Briggs Bedigian and Jon Stefanuca obtained verdicts of $34 million and $187 million in back-to-back trials in complex birth injury cases. Join Ben and Rahul for their discussion with Briggs and Jon about their path to handling these challenging, highly leveraged, and risky cases, and the strategies they have developed for sustained and repeated success. Whether you handle birth injury cases or not, this episode contains important lessons that will benefit anyone who tries cases for a living.
About Briggs Bedigian H. Briggs Bedigian (“Briggs”) is a trial lawyer dedicated to representing victims of medical malpractice and catastrophic personal injuries nationwide. Briggs and his partner, Charles Gilman, co-founded Gilman & Bedigian, LLC with one guiding principle – to provide the absolute best legal representation to those most in need.
Briggs’ particular set of trial skills sets him apart from his peers when he steps into the courtroom. His familiarity with the trial process and his humility and comfort trying cases in front of juries has proven both persuasive and productive. Briggs has tried more than 70 cases to verdict, including winning the largest medical malpractice verdict in Pennsylvania history, $182 million on behalf of a catastrophically injured child. His record of success also includes winning the second largest medical malpractice verdict in Maryland history of $55 million.
While Briggs prepares every case for trial, he routinely achieves multimillion-dollar pre-trial settlements, many in excess of eight-figures. Experience has proven that the hard work of trial preparation and his assertive strategy has been crucial to his success.
Briggs has earned a reputation in the legal community as the “go-to attorney” for catastrophic medical malpractice and personal injury cases. When judges, defense lawyers, doctors, and prominent lawyers refer Briggs their serious personal injury cases, you know he is providing top notch legal representation – and getting top results.
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About Jon Stefanuca
As a trial attorney at Gilman & Bedigian, LLC, Jon handles a variety of medical malpractice and personal injury cases. Jon has extensive experience with cases involving catastrophic injuries, including, but not limited to:
Jon dedicates most of his time to helping children injured by medical negligence, including children diagnosed with cerebral palsy, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, and developmental delays.
Beyond medical negligence, Jon has extensive experience with toxic exposure cases, including carbon monoxide poisoning and lead paint poisoning.
He has handled hundreds of birth injury cases around Maryland and across the country. Some of his recent jury verdicts speak for themselves:
In addition to medical malpractice litigation, Jon has extensive experience with toxic exposure cases, including carbon monoxide and lead paint cases. His experience includes class actions, mass actions, business disputes, contract disputes, intellectual property disputes, and non-disclosure agreement . litigation.
Prior to joining Gilman & Bedigian, LLC, Jon was a trial attorney with Murphy Falcon & Murphy, a nationally recognized group of elite trial lawyers. Jon represented the injured in a variety of cases involving medical malpractice, catastrophic personal injuries, product defects, brain injuries, lead poisoning, and carbon monoxide poisoning, among other cases. He was a member of the litigation team in the class action filed against St. Joseph Medical Center and Dr. Mark Midei, which culminated in a $37,000,000.00 settlement. Jon was also a member of the litigation team in the class action filed against Kennedy Krieger Institute, involving allegations of unethical and unlawful experimentation on children. Jon also developed a reputation for representing professional athletes and their families in personal injury cases.
Unlike most other attorneys, Jon has experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants. Jon was a litigation associate with Nash & Associates, LLC, where he represented MedStar Health, a $4 billion health care system in the Baltimore area with a network of nine hospitals and twenty other health-related businesses across Maryland and the Washington, D.C. region. As a result of this experience, Jon has a unique understanding of medical malpractice defense mentality and strategy.
Jon served a judicial clerkship for the Honorable W. Michel Pierson, Circuit Court Judge of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, prior to entering private practice.
EDUCATION Jon graduated with honors from the University of Maryland School of Law. He served as the Articles Editor on the Board of the Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender, and Class. He was also admitted as a member of the school’s Moot Court Board. As a student attorney, he represented a number of community organizations in the Economic Housing and Community Development Law Clinic for which he received a Special Achievement Award.
LANGUAGES In addition to English, Jon speaks Russian, French and Romanian.
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| Trial Alert: Gideon Asen's Recent Medical Malpractice Trial with Trevor Savage | 10 Oct 2023 | 00:55:53 | |
Gideon Asen attorney, Trevor Savage, joins the podcast to talk about a recent case he and Ben Gideon tried involving a delay in diagnosis of prostate cancer. Ben and Trevor discuss some of the legal challenges they had to overcome and how they used focus groups and big data to identify key issues and frame the case effectively for trial. They discuss their approach to voir dire, opening statements, use of demonstrative aides and order of witnesses.
About Trevor Savage Trevor is a skilled trial attorney who represents clients in claims involving medical malpractice, wrongful deaths and other complex personal injury cases. After completing a clerkship with the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, Trevor began his career at a large firm in Portland, representing medical providers, businesses, and insurance companies. Trevor’s experience as a defense attorney gives him a unique perspective that he uses to give Gideon Asen’s clients an advantage during litigation with insurance companies. A native of Maine, Trevor is a graduate of Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, and then the University of Maine School of Law. At Maine Law, he served as Managing Editor of the Maine Law Review and as a legal writing teaching assistant for first-year students. During law school—alongside his then-classmate and current colleague, Meryl Poulin—he distinguished himself as one of two “Prize Arguers” of their class and argued before the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. He and Meryl Poulin—another Gideon Asen attorney—later competed nationally as teammates on the Maine Law Moot Court Team, finishing in the top three of a competition of more than forty teams. While at law school, Trevor interned with the Appellate Division of the United States Attorney’s Office and then with Judge Kermit V. Lipez of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. He also worked as a Student Attorney at the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office (winning his first two jury trials as a second-year law student). Trevor lives in North Berwick, Maine, with his wife, Amy, and two children, Jacob and Will. | |||
| Avoid Being Sued or Having Your Money Stolen with Larry and Lauren Acker | 25 Sep 2023 | 00:47:49 | |
Join Ben for his discussion with trial lawyers Larry and Lauren Acker from Travers City, Michigan. Larry, who has spent his career trying legal and accounting malpractice claims, offers insights into how best to avoid having money embezzled from your law practice and how to avoid being sued for malpractice. This father and daughter team discuss trying a recent accounting malpractice case together and the approach to communicating these types of cases to jurors.
About Lawrence J. Acker _________________________ Lawrence J. Acker, P.C/ The Acker Law Firm 12930 S. West Bayshore Drive Traverse City, MI 49684 248-229-1911
Education: B.A., Oakland University, Rochester MI 1970 M.A.T., Oakland University, Rochester MI 1972 J.D., Detroit College of Law, Detroit MI 1977
Practice Areas: Legal Malpractice Medical Malpractice Accounting Malpractice Family Law Fraud Issues Personal Injury
Lawrence Acker is a trial attorney. He has conducted trials in multiple Federal jurisdictions and multiple State Courts. He has conducted arbitration hearings at the American Arbitration Association, at JAMS and has served as a private arbitrator. Fellow of The American College of Trial Lawyers (FACTL 2007). Fellowship in the ACTL is available only by invitation. Fellows are inducted after rigorous investigation of adherence to the highest standards of trial performance and professional ethics. Membership is available to no more than 1% of the Trial Lawyers in the USA and Canada, after an attorney has established a reputation for excellence in trial advocacy.
Lawrence Acker served as Chairman of the State of Michigan Committee of the American College of Trial Lawyers for a two-year term (2019-2020).
Lawrence Acker is a past member of the Michigan Character and Fitness Committee.
Lawrence Acker has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America, Martindale Hubbell Directory of Preeminent Attorneys and Michigan Super Lawyers
Lawrence Acker has served on the Editorial Board of Michigan Lawyers Weekly. He was nominated as “Lawyer of the Year” in 2002 by Lawyers Weekly.
Most recent trial completed: Lake Michigan Carferry vs. DeBoer Baumann, CPA firm. Mason County Circuit Court, Ludington, Michigan; Case No. 2019-000249-NM Entered judgment on jury verdict with interest 6/22/2023 in the amount of $746,918. Co-counsel Ms. Lauren Acker.
About Lauren Acker Associate, Lawrence J. Acker, P.C/ The Acker Law Firm 12930 S. West Bayshore Drive Traverse City, MI 49684
Education: J.D. William & Mary Law School, 2019 B.A. Washington & Lee University, 2012
Admitted to Practice: Michigan District of Columbia Oregon
Lauren has been assisting her father, Lawrence J Acker, with cases since November 2019, focusing on professional malpractice and personal injury. Lauren is involved in all aspects of matters in Michigan State Courts and Federal Court including U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District of Michigan; Southern District of Texas, Houston Division; and Central District of California, Los Angeles. Lauren sat second chair during a jury trial for accounting malpractice that resulted in the largest jury verdict in Mason County, Michigan. | |||
| Continuous Practice and Improvement Yields Better Results with Monte Tynes | 11 Sep 2023 | 00:43:51 | |
Douglas “Monte” Tynes is a second-generation trial lawyer from Pascagoula, Mississippi. Monte, who serves as the co-chair of the damages section of the Edge Trial College, has an insatiable desire to continue learning and getting better at the craft of trying cases. In his career, Monte has tried numerous jury trials in civil rights, employment, personal injury, and medical malpractice cases. He tries cases in Mississippi, in some of the most conservative and difficult plaintiff’s venues in the Country. Monte shares his recent experience achieving a verdict of almost $ 1 million in a low speed, no damage, rear-end car accident trial in a conversative Mississippi venue. Monte talks about his “speed trial” technique and how he presented his difficult damages case. Monte talks about other lessons learned from this and several other recent trials, and what he is continuing to do each day to hone is skills at the craft of trying cases.
About Monte Tynes Douglas L. Tynes, Jr., who prefers to go by the much more informal ‘Monte’ Tynes, is a second-generation attorney, who began practicing law with his father, Douglas L. Tynes, in 2006. After the latter’s retirement in May 2013, Mr Tynes continued practicing in the same historic building where his father had worked for more than 30 years.
Mr. Tynes is a devoted practitioner of the law. He goes the extra mile to become better acquainted with his client by making house calls, so he may know them in their surroundings. Mr. Tynes makes sure that his team at Tynes Law Firm share his work ethic and is equally understanding of the needs of his clients.
Areas of Specialization: Mr. Tynes’ practice includes: Automobile accidents 18-wheeler accidents Medical malpractice Criminal law Family law cases such as divorce, custody, and child support Mr. Tynes is admitted to practice in all state courts in Mississippi, as well as the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Education: Mississippi College School of Law, 2002-2005 Active in the Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association student chapter Earned a Juris Doctorate in May of 2005 University of Mississippi School of Law, 2004-2005 Finished final year of law school as a visiting student Georgia Institute of Technology, 1998-2002 Earned Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and Sigma Phi Epsilon Wrote for The Technique, the school’s weekly newspaper While attending school full time, also worked at Pond & Co., Architects and Engineers
Ocean Springs High School
Graduated with High Honors Lettered in football and soccer Part of civic organizations such as Phi Kappa
Representative Clients: Mr. Tynes has an impressive success rate when fighting complex and challenging cases. He has also obtained favorable results in several other kinds of cases, such as a recent $260,000.00 verdict in a sexual harassment case against former Sheriff Mike Byrd.
In one of his most rewarding cases, Mr. Tynes, along with his co-counsel, obtained a rare acquittal in a capital murder case in ‘State of Mississippi v Tevin James Benjamin’.
Personal Life: A longtime resident of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Monte is passionate about his family, fishing, and anything to do with Georgia Tech.
He is married to Leilani Tynes, and they have four beautiful children. | |||
| Finding Your Authentic Voice with Christian Morris | 28 Aug 2023 | 00:52:16 | |
Join Ben and Rahul for their conversation with Nevada trial lawyer Christian Morris. Attorney Morris describes her journey, from going up on a farm in Maine with no electricity or running water to being named 2019 Trial Lawyer of the Year in Nevada after obtaining a $31 million verdict on behalf of a young California woman who suffered anaphylactic shock while attending a convention in Las Vegas. Along the way, Attorney Morris describes how she found her own authentic approach, style, and voice as a lawyer that has enabled her to connect with jurors and to build a successful practice and career that she loves.
About Christian Morris
Christian Morris, Esq., is a personal injury trial attorney. Christian focuses exclusively on personal injury cases and making sure her clients obtain a just verdict or settlement.
She recently received a $31 million dollar verdict for a woman who was severely brain damaged due to the negligence of Medic West, an ambulance company that chose to eliminate a lifesaving medication from their medic’s jump bags to save $2.42 per bag.
She is licensed to practice law in Nevada in both state and federal courts. Christian also holds bar licenses in California and New Jersey. In February, 2012, Christian successfully passed the New York State Bar. In 2013, Christian was accepted to the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyer’s College, and she continues her work with the Gerry Spence Method on the Ranch in Wyoming. Christian was voted Nevada’s Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Nevada Justice Association for 2019. She is the second woman in twenty-two years to receive the honor. Christian also serves on the Board of Governors for the American Association of Justice.
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| Trial Alert: Breaking Down Rahul’s Recent $46 Million Verdict | 04 Aug 2023 | 00:53:13 | |
In this episode, Ben and Rahul break down the recent $46 million verdict Rahul obtained in a case on behalf of a client injured during a Brazilian Jujitsu class. Rahul talks about how he frames the issues in the case to deal with the challenge of many jurors believing that those who engage in dangerous activities, like Jujitsu, assume the risk of injury. He shares his approach to voir dire and to obtaining this high-value verdict in a relatively conservative venue where verdicts tend to be on the lower side. Rahul talks about how the verdict was received in the Jujitsu community and how it is likely to lead to changes that will make the practice safer.
About Rahul Ravipudi Rahul Ravipudi is a partner at Panish | Shea | Boyle | Ravipudi LLP and has spent his legal career handling catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases involving commercial vehicles, pedestrians, industrial or construction accidents, utility negligence, dangerous conditions of public and private property as well as cases of sexual abuse and sexual assault. Mr. Ravipudi also represents consumers in class actions against businesses who engage in unfair/illegal business practices and public entities in cases where corporations have endangered the safety, health, property or comfort of the public.
Mr. Ravipudi currently serves as Public Entity Plaintiffs’ Co-Lead Counsel in the JUUL Labs Product Cases, representing school districts and other public entities in California involved in litigation against the electronic cigarette manufacturer. Has also serves as Plaintiffs Co-Lead Counsel in the Southern California Fire Cases litigation arising out of the 2017 Thomas Fire and subsequent debris flows in Montecito, California as well as on the Plaintiffs Executive Committee in the California North Bay Fires litigation. Mr. Ravipudi previously served on the Steering Committee in the Blythe bus crash litigation.
Named 2017 Trial Lawyer of the Year by Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, Mr. Ravipudi has obtained numerous landmark verdicts and settlements including a $160.5 million jury verdict for a man who suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of a vicious beating by security personnel for a nightclub, a $46,475,112.33 jury verdict for a beginning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu student who suffered a catastrophic spinal cord injury while sparring with a Del Mar Jiu-Jitsu Club instructor who performed a technique which rendered the student an incomplete quadriplegic, a $28,500,000+ settlement for a special needs student who was catastrophically injured after being struck by a vehicle while under the care and supervision of Victor Elementary School District (VESD) personnel, as well as a $23,500,000 settlement on behalf of the family of Paul Lee, a 19-year-old non-verbal autistic student who tragically died aboard a Whittier school bus after the driver left him behind to engage in a sexual tryst with a coworker. The Lee case was a catalyst for significant change in school transportation with Governor Jerry Brown signing the “Paul Lee School Bus Safety Law” in September 2016, requiring all school buses in the state of California to be equipped with a child safety alarm system that must be deactivated by the bus driver before departing the bus. The new law will go into effect at the start of the 2018-19 school year and requires bus drivers to receive training in child-safety check procedures.
Committed to serving as an advocate for his clients, Mr. Ravipudi has obtained numerous eight-figure awards including a $20,500,000 jury verdict for the mother of a high school student who was killed while walking to a bus stop, a $19,786,818 jury verdict for a man who suffered severe burn and traumatic brain injuries when his rental home exploded as a result of Southern California Gas Company negligence, a $13,935,550 jury verdict for 19-year-old pedestrian who suffered extensive injuries as a result of being struck on the sidewalk by a vehicle driven by a Los Angeles County employee, a $13,000,000 settlement for the children and parents of a woman who was killed when her car was hit by a Hawthorne, California police officer, a $11,000,000 settlement for the family of a middle school student who drowned during a school-sponsored swim party, a$10 million for the family of an independent truck driver killed by an intoxicated heavy lift operator at a stevedoring terminal in Long Beach, and an $8,000,000 jury verdict in Clark County District Court for a Nevada man who suffered significant internal injuries after he was served and ingested what he believed was a Honey Blonde Ale but was actually a chemical cleaning compound left in the tap lines.
Mr. Ravipudi shared his insight into successfully litigating cases against the stevedoring companies in an article entitled, “Danger on the Docks – Where there is an injury or death on the waterfront, drugs or alcohol are too often involved” published in the February 2011 edition of Advocate, journal of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles.
Additional recoveries obtained by Mr. Ravipudi include a $15,950,000 settlement for a teen who suffered a brain injury on an HOA playground, $8,000,000 settlement for an 81-year-old woman who suffered severe spinal cord injuries after falling at a hotel, a $7,000,000+ settlement during trial for the family of a man killed at SpeedVegas when the vehicle he was driving slammed into a track wall and burst into flames, $6,500,000 settlement for the two minor children and friend of a Southern California man who was killed after being struck on the highway by a freight truck whose driver had fallen asleep behind the wheel, a $6,000,000 settlement for a woman who suffered severe burn injuries when a faucet in the bathtub of her apartment detached and sprayed scalding hot water onto her body, a $5 million for an HVAC worker who suffered serious injuries when he fell through a skylight while working on a customer’s roof, a $3.3 million gross jury verdict arising out of the death of a pest control person crushed and killed when a semi-truck reversed into him at a warehousing facility, and $9 million from the State of California (Caltrans) when a 16-year-old girl on a restricted license lost control of her vehicle and collided into a guardrail damaged two days earlier resulting in a bilateral traumatic below knee amputations. This case involved significant appellate issues which led to Mr. Ravipudi’s article, “Dealing with the state of California’s first line of defense – stonewalling any meaningful discovery” published in Advocate, Journal of Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles in February 2009.
In recognition of his outstanding trial efforts, some of the awards Mr. Ravipudi has received include, but are not limited to: 2023 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiffs Consumer Lawyers 2023 Lawyer of the Year in Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Best Lawyer 2022 Top Plaintiffs Lawyer in California – Daily Journal 2022 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiffs Consumer Lawyers 2021 Robert E. Cartwright Sr. Award – Consumer Attorneys of California 2021 Consumer Attorney of the Year finalist – Consumer Attorneys of California 2021 Top Plaintiff Lawyer in California – Daily Journal 2021 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiffs Consumer Lawyers 2020 Top Plaintiffs Lawyer in California – Daily Journal 2020 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiffs Consumer Lawyers 2020 Plaintiffs Lawyer Trailblazer – National Law Journal 2019 Consumer Attorney of the Year finalist – Consumer Attorneys of California 2019 Plaintiffs Lawyer Trailblazer — National Law Journal 2019 Trailblazer Award – South Asian Bar Association of Southern California 2018 Consumer Attorney of the Year finalist – Consumer Attorneys of California 2017 Trial Lawyer of the Year – Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles 2017 Consumer Attorney of the Year finalist – Consumer Attorneys of California 2017 Top Plaintiffs Lawyers of California – Daily Journal 2017 Top 100 Lawyers of California – Daily Journal 2016 Trial Lawyer of the Year finalist – Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles 2016 Consumer Attorney of the Year finalist – Consumer Attorneys of California 2016 Top Verdict By Impact – Daily Journal 2015 Trial Lawyer of the Year finalist – Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles 2014 Top 20 Under 40 – Daily Journal
In addition, Mr. Ravipudi has been consistently ranked top in his profession for his work in Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs with annual inclusion to Best Lawyers since 2013 and selection to the Super Lawyers list since 2014, the latter of which recognizes no more than five percent of attorneys in the state. Mr. Ravipudi was previously selected as a Super Lawyers “Rising Star” from 2006-2013 – an honor awarded to the top 2.5 percent of lawyers in the Southern California area under 40 years of age.
Prior to joining Panish | Shea | Boyle | Ravipudi LLP, Mr. Ravipudi worked at another consumer law firm where his work helped recover over $4 billion for his clients. He participated as co-lead class counsel in a consumer class action case brought on behalf of all gas and electricity rate payers in the State of California against El Paso Natural Gas Company and Sempra Energy. This case arose out of the California Energy Crisis of 2000/2001 and resulted in the recovery of more than $3.5 billion in restitution to California utility customers. To date, this is recognized as one of the largest antitrust settlements in American history.
Mr. Ravipudi also participated as co-lead counsel on an antitrust class action case brought on behalf of all gas and electricity rate payers in California against Reliant Energy Services and other energy traders for manipulating the California natural gas market by engaging in wash trades, churning, and false reporting. Hundreds of millions of dollars were recovered for rate payers of the State of California as well.
In addition to serving as an Associate Editor for the Advocate, Journal of Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, Mr. Ravipudi actively publishes articles in various journals and trade publications and is a frequent speaker on various issues, including class action litigation and trial tactics. In 2010, Mr. Ravipudi was profiled in the California Law & Politics magazine in an article entitled “Class Act(ion)”.
A Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Mr. Ravipudi is also a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers, and an Associate of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). He is an active member of the Consumer Attorneys of California, the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), the South Asian Bar Association (SABA), and the Nevada Justice Association. He serves on the Board for Loyola Law School, on the Executive Committee for the Los Angeles Chapter of ABOTA, on the Board of Governors for CAALA, on the Steering Committee for SABA, and on the Board for Public Counsel. He has previously served as Treasurer of the South Asian Bar Association Public Interest Foundation and is an active supporter of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
Mr. Ravipudi received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Minor in Chemistry from the University of California, Riverside and his law degree from Loyola Law School where he has served as an adjunct professor teaching Trial Advocacy since 2008. He resides in La Canada Flintridge with his three sons and wife Smitha, who serves as Chief Executive Officer at USC Care & Ambulatory Care Services at Keck Medicine of USC. | |||
| Trial Lessons Learned from the Tobacco Wars with Sarah London | 20 Jul 2023 | 00:42:09 | |
Join Ben and Rahul for their interview of San Francisco trial lawyer, Sarah London of Lieff Cabraser. Sarah explains how her interest in community organizing ultimately led her to a career as a plaintiff trial lawyer. She views the law as the ultimate weapon for promoting positive societal change. Not long after becoming a lawyer, Sarah London found herself in Florida trying case after case against the big tobacco companies. At first, the plaintiffs were losing every trial. But in time, they found strategies to turn the cases around, win, and obtain large verdicts. This experience of trying similar cases over and over provided a laboratory for better understanding of how to select juries and frame a case for trial success. The insights gained through this process are valuable not just for tobacco litigation, but anyone who conducts jury trials. Sarah was recently appointed as co-lead counsel for the Juul litigation. Sarah’s insights into trial lawyer are both practical and inspirational. You won’t want to miss this episode!
About Sarah London “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
A partner in Lieff Cabraser’s San Francisco office, Sarah R. London is a determined, skilled, and experienced advocate for the injured, employees, and consumers. In February of 2020, Sarah was appointed to the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee in the Gilead HIV Drug Kidney & Bone Injuries Litigation. In December of 2019, she was appointed to serve as Co-Lead Counsel and Liaison Counsel for plaintiffs in the nationwide multidistrict Juul e-cigarette fraud and injury litigation. In September of 2019, Sarah was appointed by Judge Judith E. Levy to serve as Subclass Settlement Counsel in In re Flint Water Cases, the federal class action lawsuit seeking justice for the over 100,000 residents of Flint, Michigan who were exposed to seriously elevated levels of lead as a result of insufficient water treatment. Sarah also serves in lead roles in women’s health cases, including work as court-appointed Liaison Counsel and Interim Class Counsel in the federal class action filed on behalf of families in May 2018 against San Francisco’s Pacific Fertility Center over the Center’s March 2018 allegedly negligent destruction of hundreds of frozen eggs and embryos as a result of a leak in a cryogenic storage tank. Sarah also served in a leadership role in successful litigation recovering millions of dollars on behalf of women who suffered serious injuries due to complications from allegedly defective trans-vaginal surgical mesh. Sarah has been directly involved in several recent California environmental disaster cases, including litigation against Plains All American Pipeline arising out of the 2015 oil spill in Santa Barbara, and two important class action cases on behalf of homeowners and businesses that suffered economic injuries in the wake of the massive Porter Ranch gas leak, which began in October of 2015 and lasted into February of 2016. A Super Lawyers Rising Star for eight consecutive years and 2015 finalist for the Consumer Attorneys of California Streetfighter of the Year Award, Sarah has held multiple leadership positions in CAOC, including her current position on the Board of Directors. In September 2019, Sarah was appointed Chair of the Resource Board of the National Association of Women Judges. | |||
| More Big Data with John and Alicia Campbell | 03 Jul 2023 | 00:49:26 | |
Episode Summary
John and Alicia Campbell join Ben and Rahul for a follow up discussion on the value of Big Data in preparing cases for trial. John is joined by his business partner, fellow attorney and wife, Alicia Campbell. John and Alicia discuss their forthcoming book, co-authored with Attorney Sean Claggett, in which they present both the science and practical uses of big data to help trial lawyers make better decisions and achieve better trial results. In this episode, John and Alicia discuss some of the lessons learned from years of jury research and big data studies; how the data is best used to maximize value at trial; and some of the common mistakes trial lawyers make in case presentation and jury selection that can impact the win rate and verdict value in the case.
About John and Alicia Campbell
John and Alicia Campbell, Campbell Law
John Campbell, JD is a trial and appellate lawyer turned law professor turned jury researcher. John trained as a trial lawyer under John Simon, a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, and then went on to become a successful consumer attorney. John’s verdicts and settlements exceed $350 million. John has also handled appeals in the Eighth, Second, Tenth, and Fourth Circuit, as well as the United States Supreme Court and a variety of state courts. Most recently, John served as lead counsel in a series of class actions against municipalities, including Ferguson, Missouri, who engaged in policing for profit. The cases led to the eradication of many predatory fees targeted at minorities and the working poor. John remains a member of Campbell Law LLC. For eight years John served as a professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. While there, he founded the Civil Justice Research Initiative, dedicated to better understanding jury behavior through rigorous empirical research. He continues to run CJRI at the University of Denver and teaches as an adjunct professor. John’s academic work led to demand for him to study individual cases for plaintiff attorneys. He ultimately founded Empirical Jury. In only a few years, Empirical Jury has emerged as a cutting-edge firm that uses big data and scientific approaches to equip attorneys to obtain the best result possible for clients. Empirical Jury has been involved in verdicts in excess of $550 million and is routinely called on to analyze some of the most complex consequential cases in the country. During the Covid-19 era, Empirical Jury is also leading the way on understanding the Covid Effect through careful data gathering and analysis. To date, Empirical Jury has surveyed over 1,200 jurors on topics relating to Covid-19, virtual trials, and jury duty.
Alicia Campbell Alicia started Campbell Law, LLC, in 2009. Prior to that, she worked for a legal services law firm representing people in Social Security and consumer claims. Alicia decided to create her own firm so that she could handle the cases she wanted and give her clients a personal and positive experience. Since opening Campbell Law, Alicia has tried a mortgage fraud case to verdict in 2010, and she has argued before the Court of Appeals in 2011 and 2013 about mortgage issues. In 2015, she settled a mortgage fraud case in Missouri for $1.5 million dollars. And in 2016, Alicia settled a mortgage fraud and wrongful foreclosure case in Missouri for $4 million dollars. Alicia has also appeared in front of the Missouri State Supreme Court in 2012 and 2013 arguing on behalf of homeowners, in an attempt to change the unlawful detainer statute in Missouri. She has argued before the 8th Circuit, and she has also argued before the Missouri Court of Appeals in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. In 2018, Alicia was lead counsel in certifying a class action against the City of Ferguson for its use of illegal and excessive fees in municipal court to generate profit. Alicia takes on mortgage companies and banks, as well as other types of financial fraud. She has pursued mortgage fraud claims for the last 5 years and understands people's struggles when it comes to their homes. She has been voted one of the best lawyers to call "if the bank wants your house." She has filed individual and class cases that involve predatory lending practices and schemes by banks and small lenders. She also sues debt collectors, auto dealers, and payday lenders, and has had considerable experience in the employment context, handling employment discrimination claims.
Big Data is a fundamental part of Campbell Law. More than perhaps any other firm in the country, Campbell Law believes that better information makes better decisions. Campbell Law believes that big data and a science based approach to cases levels the playing field and that it can make any case more valuable. Indeed, John and Alicia operate on a simple rule: Big decisions call for big data. You can’t decide whether to settle, what jurors to select, what evidence to share, how your client plays, whether to admit some comparative fault, how much to ask for in closing argument, or any of the other myriad questions we all face by relying solely on your gut. You need real answers. And they are available with big data. The methods are now tried and true. Time and again, the methods John and Alicia have developed have accurately predicted verdict ranges and provided insights into how to win difficult cases and to maximize value. This marriage of big data with trial law came from a happy confluence of events. John started his journey towards big data while working as a professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. There he became a well-known academic studying jurors. He is a recognized author in the field and continues to produce research to advance justice in courts and legislatures. Alicia joined the fight as she began to study her own cases using the same principles that informed academic studies. This desire to meld scientific rigor with real world questions produced a company called Empirical Jury. As founders of Empirical Jury, John and Alicia studied cases in at least 40 states, using over 135,000 jurors, across 330+ cases. In only five years they were honored to participate in over $1 billion in verdicts and more than $2 billion in settlements. Empirical Jury was a wonderful experience, but it was only a first step. Over the last five years, as the plaintiff bar has embraced big data, so too has the defense. PhDs in social science and statistics are now common hires at large defense firms. So, John and Alicia decided that more was required. At Campbell Law they are driven by three future-looking goals. To continue to use big data to help attorneys obtain, fine-grained, and powerful insights that help them best serve their clients; To develop technological tools for the future, including jury selection software, AI that allows deeper understanding of juries, and much more; To encourage the development of a wider body of knowledge and research regarding jurors and juries. This includes founding the Justice through Empirical Data Institute (JEDI), which will work with Arizona State University to fund important jury research that benefits all of the practicing bar. | |||
| Born to be a Trial Lawyer with Arash Homampour | 12 Aug 2024 | 00:50:56 | |
Join Ben and Rahul for their interview of famed Los Angeles trial lawyer, Arash Homampour. Arash has perfected the ability to trial difficult liability and damages cases to outlier high verdicts. Arash explains how he channels his innate connection with his clients and abilities as a trial lawyer to achieve these results. Arash discusses his upbringing as the child of first-generation Iranian immigrants and how he went from failing the bar examination to being one of the most accomplished and successful trial lawyers in California and the United States. You don’t want to miss this episode!
About Arash Homampour
Arash Homampour Has Obtained Over $1 Billion Dollars in Settlements, Verdicts and Judgments for His Clients. He is a trial attorney who in the last five years alone has obtained many successful trial results (ranging from $2.5 million to $60 million) against Sunbeam Products, the State of California, Costco Stores, Farmers Insurance Exchange, Allstate Insurance, and Louisville Ladder in a wide array of cases involving dangerous roads, dangerous ladders, dangerous premises, and unlawful employment practices. In 2023, he has been named one of Daily Journal’s Top Plaintiff Lawyers In California. In 2023, he has been named one of Daily Journal’s Top 100 Lawyers In California. In 2023, he has been named one of the Top 10 Southern California Super Lawyers, 3 consecutive years. In 2023, he has been named the Best Lawyers® 2023 Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs “Lawyer of the Year” in Los Angeles. In 2023, he has been recognized by the Los Angeles Times as a legal visionary. In 2022, Homampour Law Firm was honored to be one of Top Verdict’s Top 10 Verdicts in California. In 2002, Homampour Law Firm was honored to be one of Top Verdict’s Top 20 Verdicts in California. In 2022, Homampour Law Firm was honored to be one of CVN’s Top 10 Most Impressive Plaintiff Verdicts of the year. In 2022, he recovered a verdict of $60 million. In 2022, he recovered a verdict of $34 million. In 2022, he recovered a verdict of $36 million (wrongful death) In 2022, he recovered a settlement of $23 million (dangerous condition of public property) In 2022, he recovered a settlement of $15.92 million (dangerous condition of public property) In 2022, he recovered a settlement of $10 million (dangerous condition of public property) In 2022, he recovered a settlement of $8 million (dangerous condition of public property) In 2022, he has been named one of the Top 10 Southern California Super Lawyers. In 2022, he has been named one of Law360°’s Titans Of The Plaintiffs Bar. In 2021, he recovered settlements of $24 million (dangerous condition of public property) and $8 million (dangerous condition of public property) In 2021, he has been named one of the Top 10 Southern California Super Lawyers. In 2021, he has become an Entrepreneur Leadership Network Contributor. In 2020, he recovered verdicts of $32 million (single plaintiff settlement premise and product liability case), $5.3 million (confidential settlement) and $5 million (disputed policy limits settlement). In 2019, he recovered a verdict of $30 million (wrongful death of driver that hit improperly parked truck), $12 million (wrongful death) and $5 million (liability and damages settlement) In 2018, he received the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA’s) Ted Horn Memorial Award presented to the lawyer who has provided outstanding service to the Association and the legal community. In 2018, he received the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association Top Gun/Trial Lawyer of the Year award in Products Liability. In 2018, he recovered verdicts of $12.25 million (wrongful death of man at swap meet) and $10 million (fatal vehicle versus motorcycle) and was named in the Top 100 Southern California Super Lawyers for the 7th year in a row. In 2017, he recovered settlements & verdicts of $14.5 million (insurance bad faith), $14.25 million (wrongful death of a motorcyclist) $4.5 million (auto vs. truck). In 2016, 2018 and 2019, he has been named one of the Top 30 Plaintiff’s attorneys in the State by the Daily Journal. In 2016, he was awarded the Ventura County Trial Lawyers Association Trial Attorney of the Year award. In 2015, he recovered verdicts of $16.2 million (motorcycle rider suffered a head injury), $5.6 million (wrongful death of 83 year old), $60 million (wrongful death of mother in fire started by a defective space heater), $14.2 million (dangerous condition wrongful death case for lack of warning signs against Caltrans) and $14 million (bad faith claim against Allstate Insurance Co.). In 2010, he was named by the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA) as its Trial Attorney of the Year. CAALA is the largest plaintiff attorney group in the country. In 2007, he was named one of the Top 20 Attorneys Under the Age of 40 in the State of California by the Los Angeles Daily Journal. Every year since 2004, he has received nominations for Trial Attorney of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys of California and/or CAALA. Since 2005, he has been designated a Super Lawyer by Los Angeles Magazine and Law & Politics. Since 2010, he has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Southern California Super Lawyers which is based on the lawyers who received the highest point totals in the Southern California nomination, research and blue ribbon review process. He has also successfully briefed and argued many appeals, including a recent California Supreme Court victory in Cortez v. Abich (2011) 51 Cal. 4th 285. Arash frequently lectures throughout the state on all matters related to trial practice and has published many articles. You can find copies of those articles or videos of his presentations at www.caala.org or www.caoc.org
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| How to Compete and Win Big Every Time with Brian Panish | 19 Jun 2023 | 00:50:47 | |
Join Ben and Rahul for their discussion with legendary trial lawyer Brian Panish, founding partner of Los-Angeles-based trial firm, Panish Shea Boyle and Ravipudi (PSBR). Brian discusses how the values he learned growing up and playing competitive sports through college shaped his work ethic and approach to the competition of trial practice. Brian shares keys to success at trial and in building a world-class trial law firm. Brian is the G.O.A.T. You don’t want to miss this episode!
About Brian Panish One of the country’s leading trial attorneys, Los Angeles personal injury lawyer Brian Panish has obtained some of the most significant jury verdicts in United States history on behalf of plaintiffs. His courtroom victories include a $4.9 billion record verdict in the landmark products liability case Anderson v. General Motors, over 100 verdicts and settlements in excess of $10 million, six verdicts in excess of $50 million, and more than 500 verdicts and settlements over one million dollars in personal injury, car accident, wrongful death and business litigation cases.
Mr. Panish consistently serves in a leading role in the largest personal injury cases in California and the country. He currently serves as Plaintiffs Co-Lead Counsel in the Woolsey Fire litigation, Plaintiffs Co-Lead Counsel in the Southern California Fire Cases litigation arising from the 2017 Thomas Fire and subsequent debris flows in Montecito, California, and serves on the Plaintiffs Executive Committee for the 2017 North Bay Fires in Northern California. Mr. Panish also serves as Lead Trial Counsel in the Southern California Gas Leak Cases where he led a team of lawyers in obtaining a $1.8 billion settlement from Southern California Gas Company and Sempra Energy. He previously served in leadership roles in the Asiana Airlines Crash Litigation, the Olympus Superbug CRE Litigation and DePuy ASR Hip Implant Litigation, among others.
Most recently, Mr. Panish has been retained to represent the husband and son of Halyna Hutchins, a cinematographer who was fatally shot and killed by Alec Baldwin on the movie set of ‘Rust’ in October 2021.
Since 2011, Mr. Panish has obtained more than $500 million in verdicts including, among others, a $23,720,996 bench trial award for a Southern California man and his wife after the man suffered a lower leg amputation as a result of being struck by a 28-foot utility truck while riding his motorcycle, a $21,503,420.48 verdict for a man who suffered catastrophic injuries after a vehicle illegally exiting the 405 Freeway HOV lane struck his motorcycle, a landmark $53,745,374 verdict for two Southern California brothers who were severely injured following a head-on collision with CRST big rig, a $41,864,102 jury verdict and subsequent $46,000,000 settlement for a United States Air Force Captain who suffered catastrophic injuries after being struck from behind while on his motorcycle and then dragged the length of a football field and a half by a Southern California Gas Company truck, a $36.5 million jury verdict against Schneider National for a big-rig crash that left a woman with severe spinal cord injuries, a $34.5 million verdict for a man who suffered a below the knee amputation after being hit by a tractor trailer, a $21,503,420.48 jury verdict for a Southern California man who suffered catastrophic injuries after a vehicle illegally exiting the 405 Freeway HOV lane struck his motorcycle and sent him careening across three lanes of traffic and into a passing flatbed trailer, a $17.4 million verdict for a Ph.D. student who suffered brain and jaw injuries during a rear end chain collision accident, a $17 million jury verdict against the Los Angeles MTA in the wrongful death of a visually impaired passenger, a $17.845 million award in a wrongful death case involving four family members killed when a Marine jet crashed into their home, a $20 million jury verdict for a woman who suffered a brain injury in a hit-and-run accident involving a J.B. Hunt tractor trailer, a $17 million jury verdict for a 84-year old man hit by a bus resulting in a leg amputation, a $15.3 million jury verdict for a woman and her daughter after the woman was severely injured on a negligently driven Alameda Contra-Costa Transit District bus, a $10.45 million jury verdict for the family of a security guard killed on the CBS studio lot and a $8.3 million jury verdict in the first DePuy ASR Hip Implant case to go to trial.
Because of his expertise in personal injury, wrongful death, mass tort and product liability cases, Mr. Panish has been appointed to serve on the Plaintiffs’ Steering and Executive committees in numerous high profile mass torts and major disaster cases, including litigation involving train crashes (co-lead counsel in the the Chatsworth Metrolink disaster, the Glendale Metrolink crash, and the Placentia Metrolink collision), airplane disasters (Alaska Airlines Flight 261 and Singapore Airlines Flight 006 crashes), pharmaceuticals (Vioxx and diet drugs), and defective product cases (Welding Rods, DePuy ASR Hip Implant Litigation, and Toyota Unintended Acceleration cases.) He is currently handling numerous cases involving the Asiana Flight 261 plane crash as well as serving as Plaintiffs Co-lead Trial Counsel, representing over 7,000 clients in the Porter Ranch Gas Leak litigation.
Mr. Panish has been recognized by numerous publications and organizations as being among the top trial lawyers in the country. Some of the honors he has received include the following:
In addition to his numerous honors, Mr. Panish currently serves as immediate past president of the prestigious Inner Circle of Advocates, comprised of 100 of the nation’s top plaintiffs’ lawyers. He is also a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers (including serving on the State Selection Committee), the International Society of Barristers, the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and was the 2011 President of the Los Angeles Chapter of ABOTA. He is a member of the American Bar Association (formerly a Litigation Section Board Member), the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (formerly on the Board of Governors), and the Consumer Attorneys of California (formerly on the Board of Governors). He also serves on the Best Lawyers® Board of Advisors.
Mr. Panish received his law degree, with honors, from Southwestern Law School, and received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Southwestern in 2011. He received his B.S. from California State University Fresno, where he was named Scholar Athlete, was the recipient of the Athletic Directors Award and was named an outstanding alumnus at the school’s Centennial Celebration in 2010. Mr. Panish is licensed to practice in California, Nevada, and Texas. Submit our online contact form to request legal assistance with your claim.
Verdicts and Settlements: The following is a list of just some of the landmark cases that Brian Panish has been involved in:
Brian Panish in the News:
The following is a list of some of the articles in which Brian Panish is featured:
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| Forming a Powerhouse Trial Team with Jodi Nofsinger and Susan Faunce | 05 Jun 2023 | 00:53:39 | |
Maine trial lawyers, Jodi Nofsinger and Susan Faunce join Ben and Rahul to talk about how they have joined together to form a powerhouse trial team and recently won a $6.5 million verdict in a malpractice case in Maine. Jodi and Susan talk about their diverse backgrounds which led them to become trial lawyers and how they have worked together over the years to form one of Maine’s most successful trial teams.
About Jodi Nofsinger
Attorney Jodi Nofsinger represents people who have been harmed by medical malpractice and those who have suffered serious personal injury. With an educational background in medicine and biology, Jodi is the rare attorney who understands both the law and science of the cases she handles.
Since joining Berman & Simmons in 1997, Jodi has earned a reputation as a tenacious and effective advocate for her clients. She is a natural competitor who thrives when representing the underdog and holding the powerful accountable.
She is also a trailblazer among Maine’s trial lawyers. In 2014, Jodi became only the 22nd trial lawyer in Maine—and only the third woman—inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Fellowship is extended to trial lawyers who are master advocates for their clients, and whose careers are distinguished by the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.
Jodi learned about the justice system from her mother, a clerk at a federal courthouse in Rockford, IL. Jodi recalls her mother’s compassion for people with disabilities who had come to court seeking benefits that were denied by the government. At an early age, Jodi understood that a lawyer can make all the difference for people who have been wronged.
“People put themselves in your hands, often after the worst thing that has ever happened to them, and your job is to get them to the end of their case safely, and with the best result possible,” Jodi says. “As a lawyer, you have the privilege and power to make positive change in people’s lives. That is the kind of responsibility that makes you want to do better.”
Jodi obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biology degree as a pre-med undergraduate. Beginning in high school and continuing until she entered the University of Maine School of Law, she worked in the field of biology, where she conducted research in the areas of heart disease, cellular biology, and genetics.
Besides her outstanding record of success in medical malpractice and catastrophic personal injury cases, Jodi is also well known for her work on civil rights cases, such as the groundbreaking lawsuit brought on behalf of transgender high school student Nicole Maines of Orono, ME. Jodi serves on the board of directors for the ACLU of Maine and the Maine Trial Lawyers Association.
About Susan Faunce
Since joining Berman & Simmons in 2006, attorney Susan Faunce has represented clients throughout Maine who have been harmed by personal injury and medical negligence. She currently leads the firm’s mass tort practice, which involves dangerous drug and medical device litigation, and works on medical malpractice and wrongful death cases. Susan is motivated by compassion for her clients and an interest in medicine.
From a young age, Susan knew she wanted to become a lawyer, in hopes of making a significant impact on people’s lives. Today she is one of Maine’s leading personal injury attorneys and has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, and Benchmark Litigation.
“I was raised by a single mother who spoke limited English and I lived in an underdeveloped country as a young adult,” Susan says. “These experiences have taught me to be courageous, resourceful, and persistent. I understand that every case carries both legal and emotional aspects, and I believe every client should have a strong advocate who will work tirelessly to successfully resolve their case.”
Susan is a graduate of Bowdoin College where she majored in Government Studies and Asian Studies. After college she worked as a paralegal on high-profile intellectual property cases at a major Boston law firm. She joined the Peace Corps and served in Morocco, teaching English to local high school students and French to women in the community. Susan chose to return home to Maine and earned her law degree from the University of Maine School of Law.
Susan serves as the Androscoggin County representative on the Maine State Bar Association Board of Governors and as President of the Maine Trial Lawyers Association. She is also a board member of the Maine Justice Foundation and the Robbie Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides funding for adaptive equipment and therapies for special needs children. | |||
| Sponsor Bonus Episode with SmartAdvocate | 24 May 2023 | 00:41:37 | |
| Selecting a Winning Jury with Harry Plotkin | 22 May 2023 | 00:54:11 | |
Ben and Rahul talk jury selection with Harry Plotkin, a nationally renowned expert on jury selection who has picked over a thousand juries in cases across the country. Harry has been involved in many high-profile cases and ground-breaking plaintiff’s verdicts. Harry shares his strategies for identifying favorable and unfavorable jurors and identifies areas where lawyer intuition leads to poor choices in jury selection. Harry explains how involvement of a jury consultant can increase the chances of a good result at trial. If you are heading to trial and picking a jury, you don’t want to miss this episode!
About Harry Plotkin
Harry is a nationally renowned jury consultant and leading voice in the field of jury decision-making, psychology, and persuasion.
He has helped shape the outcome of over one thousand trials across the country in nearly every state.
$19.25 MILLION VERDICT in dangerous condition trial in Santa Cruz Howard v. CalTrans, February 2023
100% LIABILITY VERDICT in liability phase/fall down lift shaft trial in San Mateo Veimau v. Phillips, December 2022 (settled for large confidential amount before damage phase)
$45 MILLION VERDICT in public school district physical abuse trial in Los Angeles Wong v. Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, October 2022
$464.2 MILLION VERDICT in employment retaliation trial in Los Angeles Martinez/Page v. Southern California Edison, June 2022
$150 MILLION VERDICT in wrongful death trial in Palm Springs Collins v. Diamond Generating Company, July 2022
$11 MILLION VERDICT in pedestrian v. auto crash trial in Santa Monica Knight v. Haskell, August 2022
$34.5 MILLION VERDICT in aiding/abetting wrongful termination in Santa Cruz Ruvalcaba v. Keenan & Associates, May 2022
$102.5 MILLION VERDICT in public school district sexual abuse trial in San Jose Doe v. Union School District, March 2022
$25.7 MILLION VERDICT in medical malpractice arbitration in San Diego Vargas v. Kaiser Permanente, April 2022
$23.2 MILLION VERDICT in care home death (of an 81 year-old) trial in Bakersfield Mosley v. Pacifica Healthcare, March 2022
$10 MILLION VERDICT in "jaywalking" pedestrian death trial in Long Beach Garcia v. Herrera, December 2021
$7.2 MILLION VERDICT in federal airline/unruly passenger mistreatment trial in LA Bandary v. Delta, October 2021
$136.9 MILLION VERDICT in federal hostile work environment/race trial in SF Diaz v. Tesla, October 2021
$12.6 MILLION VERDICT in spinal fusion/premises liability trial Acosta v. Athena Management, August 2021
$6.4 MILLION VERDICT in spinal stimulator/vehicle crash trial in Orange County Castaneda v. Perez, September 2021
$13 MILLION VERDICT *county record* in wrongful death/product trial in rural Missouri Church v. CNH Industrial, November 2020
$25.6 MILLION VERDICT in dangerous condition/pedestrian stuck in crosswalk trial Tusant v. City of Hemet, February 2020
$17 MILLION VERDICT (with fees) in right of publicity trial in San Diego Hansen IP Trust v. Coca Cola, Monster Energy, February 2020
$13.3 MILLION VERDICT in traumatic brain injury trial against County sheriffs/nurses Collins v. County of San Diego, July 2019
$2 MILLION VERDICT in non-termination retaliation trial against a public university Linskey v. UC Irvine, April 2019
$6.5 MILLION VERDICT in zero-offer, coffee burn trial against a hotel DeRuyver v. Omni La Costa, March 2019
$7 MILLION VERDICT in 70-mph motorcyclist's wrongful death against local city Ascensio v. Covina, October 2018
$45.4 MILLION VERDICT in failure to prevent sexual abuse trial against local County F.M. v. Los Angeles County DCFS, July 2018
Linskey. v. UC Regents, April 2019
$16.2 MILLION VERDICT in disputed slip-and-fall, disputed brain injury trial Kidd v. WKS/El Pollo Loco, February 2018
$25 MILLION VERDICT in product liability/wrongful death trial Cruz, Mathenge v. Nissan North America, July 2017
DEFENSE VERDICT ($30M+ demand) in fraud/fiduciary duty trial Hotze v. Hotze, October 2018
DEFENSE VERDICT ($30M demand) in fraud/elder abuse trial Howard v. Howard, September 2018
$25.1 MILLION VERDICT in whistleblower retaliation trial Babyak v. Cardiovascular Systems, April 2017
$29 MILLION VERDICT in medical malpractice trial Williams v. Pilapil, March 2017
$16.3 MILLION VERDICT in trip and fall trial Picazzo v. CW Driver, October 2017
DEFENSE VERDICT ($16M demand)in fraud/breach of contract trial Oregon Ice Cream v. Gleason, April 2017
$256 MILLION VERDICT in fraud/breach of contract trial Kahn v. Nissan, May 2017
$26 MILLION VERDICT in wrongful death (of a minor) trial Zisette v. Starline, November 2016
$5.3 MILLION VERDICT plus malice in negligence/molestation trial Doe v. Five Acres, May 2017
$27 MILLION VERDICT in wrongful death/construction site trial Gonzalez v. Atlas Supply, July 2016
$47 MILLION VERDICT in breach of contract/employment trial Stewart v. AAPS, February 2016
$2.9 MILLION VERDICT (plus malice) in wrongful termination trial Mackey v. Helinet, January 2016
$14 MILLION VERDICT in insurance bad faith trial Madrigal v. Allstate, November 2015
$7.1 MILLION VERDICT in age discrimination trial Simers v. LA Times, November 2015
$10.5 MILLION VERDICT in breach of contract trial Stelluti Kerr v. Mapei Corporation, November 2015
$3.5 MILLION VERDICT in eye injury trial versus charter bus Guerra v. Starline, November 2015
$9.7 MILLION VERDICT in product liability/design defect trial Rivera v. Volvo, August 2015
$28 MILLION VERDICT in medical malpractice/failure to diagnose trial Rahm v. Kaiser Permanente, March 2015
$60 MILLION VERDICT in federal wrongful death/product liability trial Shinedling v. Sunbeam, June 2015
$8.7 MILLION VERDICT in single-plaintiff discrimination/retaliation trial Leggins v. Rite Aide, July 2015
DEFENSE VERDICT in class-action bad faith trial Keller, et. al. v. California State University, April 2015
$1.75 MILLION VERDICT + MALICE in employment retaliation trial Wascher v. Kaiser, June 2015
$3.3 MILLION VERDICT + MALICE in breach of fiduciary duty trial Colaco v. Cavotec, June 2015
$16.2 MILLION VERDICT against employer in car crash/injury trial
$58 MILLION VERDICT in personal injury/car crash trial Herman v. Cardiel, June 2014
RECORD VERDICT in a federal whistleblower trial Zulfer v. Playboy, March 2014
DEFENSE VERDICT in product liability/wrongful death trial | |||
| Character Counts in the Courtroom with Randy Kinnard | 08 May 2023 | 00:52:01 | |
From his Purple Heart in Vietnam to his landmark $55 Million verdict against Marriott Hotels in the Erin Andrews trial, Nashville-based trial lawyer, Randy Kinnard leads with character. Join Ben for his fascinating discussion with Attorney Kinnard tracing his journey from West Point to becoming one of the nation’s most successful civil trial lawyers.
About Randy Kinnard
Considered One Of The Best Lawyers In Nashville, TN As a seasoned Nashville personal injury and medical malpractice attorney, Randall L. Kinnard is a highly respected legal professional. He has been recognized by countless organizations and publications for his exceptional skill both in and out of the courtroom. Mr. Kinnard is a leading lawyer in Tennessee and has been ranked as one of the best in all of Nashville. He has recovered millions of dollars for injury victims over the years, always fighting for the maximum value of his clients’ cases.
Valuing His Clients First & Foremost Mr. Kinnard emphasizes two things in his practice: competence and respect. He has started many initiatives that shed light on the importance of respect in life and legal practice. Mr. Kinnard truly respects his clients, treating them as a counselor and acting as a friend to them through the entire legal process.
A Strong Track Record Of Success He stands out from other lawyers by more than just his results and commitment to respect—Mr. Kinnard is certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification and Board-Certified as a Medical Malpractice Specialist by the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys.
In his 40+ years of practice, he has recovered many record-setting verdicts for injury victims, including a $22 million jury verdict that was the largest in the state for a single person. This is what sets him apart as one of the premier plaintiff’s medical malpractice attorneys in all of Nashville. He was also able to secure a $55 million verdict for sportscaster Erin Andrews in her lawsuit against a hotel and a stalker.
Award-Winning & Nationally Recognized Randall L. Kinnard is widely recognized by leading legal organizations as one of the region’s most talented and successful trial lawyers. He has been named to The Best Lawyers in America since 1993, Mid-South Super Lawyers every year since 2007, and received the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association’s “Outstanding Trial Lawyer of the Year” award in 2016, among many other distinctions.
Mr. Kinnard is also one of a select group of lawyers to become a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, an invite-only group of the nation’s top 100 plaintiffs’ trial attorneys.
The Kentucky Court Trial Review praised Mr. Kinnard's work in the legal community in a post on social media:
"Randall Kinnard, a Nashville lawyer, had quite a year. He had three really significant verdicts. This guy is good. I summarize.
January - Plaintiff told she didn't have breast cancer. She did. Led to 11 week treatment delay. $1.75 million in Murfreesboro
March - He represented Erin Andrews in her case against Marriott regarding the peephole incident. $55,000,000. Nashville.
October - Vanderbilt lost a biopsy sample. Plaintiff doesn't (and can't know) if she has cancer. $2,000,000 in Nashville. It was all emotional distress.
If I needed a lawyer in a personal injury case in Tennessee, Kinnard (pictured) would be on my short list. He's like Tyler Thompson. Only from a little further down south."
Prior to pursuing law school, Mr. Kinnard attended West Point. He served in Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, which equipped him for success in his legal practice. He was awarded the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Purple Heart, Bronze Star for Valor, and Air Medal for his two tours in Vietnam.
Community Involvement In addition to his dedicated support of his clients, Randall Kinnard is also driven to give back to his community. Mr. Kinnard serves as a volunteer for Alive Hospice, residing on the Quality Council for the organization. In addition, he is a board member of Centerstone, a non-profit organization that helps more than 40,000 individuals with mental illnesses.
Mr. Kinnard is on the Board of Directors of Friends of Warner Parks and supports The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. While serving as Chair of Fundraising for Legal Aid, he helped raise $700,000, setting a record for the organization! Mr. Kinnard has also been a board member of his church and a dedicated Sunday school teacher. He is honored to support dozens of local and national charitable organizations.
Currently, Mr. Kinnard is in the process of founding The Children’s Justice Center, which is a non-profit organization designed to provide free legal help, advice, and court representation for children who have been abused and neglected.
Mr. Kinnard enjoys spending his free time in the outdoors. He loves running, fishing, golf, and hiking. He also enjoys reading a good book, especially on the topic of history. | |||
| Exposing Insurance Bad Faith with Matthew Sharp | 24 Apr 2023 | 01:05:19 | |
Reno, Nevada trial attorney Matt Sharp specializes in holding insurance companies accountable for failing meet their obligations to their insureds. Recently, Matt obtained a record-setting $200 million verdict against the largest health insurer in the country. Prior to that, Matt obtained a $100 million verdict in another bad faith case. Join Ben and Rahul for their discussion with Matt about the ins and outs of first party and third-party insurance bad faith claims—and how these cases can result in large verdicts where there is evidence that an insurance company failed to meet its obligations. Any trial lawyer who may encounter a bad faith claim in practice cannot afford to miss this episode!
About Matthew Sharp
RENO PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER NEVADA INSURANCE LITIGATION ATTORNEY
Over the past 15 years, Reno trial lawyer Matthew L. Sharp has represented individuals and businesses injured by the unlawful conduct of others, including negligence, malpractice, and insurance bad faith. Mr. Sharp focuses on representing clients in connection with insurance disputes, including bad faith claims, delay or underpayment of claims, or the failure to defend. In addition, he has considerable experience handling health insurance disputes, as well as disputes regarding auto insurance, disability insurance, and life insurance.
Additionally, as an experienced personal injury attorney, Matthew Sharp helps clients get money damages for auto accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, elder abuse, and defective products.
Contact Reno accident and injury attorney Matthew L. Sharp at (775) 383-8751 to schedule a free consultation to learn more about your rights and options.
Representing Clients in Connection with Insurance Disputes Matthew Sharp’s experience and know-how when it comes to insurance disputes is second to none. In fact, he has represented clients in cutting edge insurance litigation regarding managed care and other health insurance issues. For instance, he obtained a favorable settlement on behalf of clients injured at a subpar medical facility from a large Nevada HMO who had negligently referred patients to the facility – one of the first cases of its kind in the country.
He represents clients in insurance disputes involving all types of insurance policies, including:
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| The Road to a $100 Million Verdict with Andrew Garza | 10 Apr 2023 | 00:53:17 | |
Join Rahul and Ben for their discussion with Andrew Garza, founder of the Connecticut Trial Firm. Andrew talks about how he started his plaintiff’s practice while working as a bartender at night to make ends meet. He worked hard to become a better trial lawyer and to develop cutting edge approaches to developing cases and preparing them for trial. Andrew describes how he applied these strategies recently to obtain a $100 million verdict in a negligence and product liability case tried in Connecticut State Court—the largest personal injury verdict in the State’s history.
About Andrew Garza
Biography
Personal injury clients face many challenges. After an injury, they may struggle to pay bills, find a replacement vehicle, or even obtain medical care. Time and again, insurance companies take advantage of the injured in order to increase their corporate profits. Andrew understands what it means to overcome adversity. He grew up in public housing in Groton and worked his way through college and law school by waiting tables and tending bar. He has devoted his practice to helping those who are most vulnerable to obtain justice. Andrew uses his skills to level the playing field for his clients. When he is not practicing law, Andrew is probably hosting a great party for his family and friends or building furniture in his workshop.
Education
Andrew received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Connecticut. He graduated cum laude from New England School of Law, where he was a New England Scholar and served on the executive board of The New England Law Review. | |||
| $38 Million Negligent Security Verdict and More with Ben Cloward | 27 Mar 2023 | 00:59:29 | |
Join Rahul and Ben for their discussion with Las Vegas trial lawyer, Ben Cloward (https://www.thefiercefirm.com/). Attorney Cloward shares how his Mormon faith and commitment to service created the foundation for his career as a plaintiff trial lawyer. Ben describes in detail how he used aggressive discovery and big data to develop and try a negligent security case on behalf of the family of a man murdered at a local housing development. Ben talks about how he was able to identify the most compelling facts, come up with the ideal sequencing of the evidence, and rebut factual and legal defense to achieve this extraordinary result.
About Ben Cloward In 2016, at the age of 37, Benjamin P. Cloward became the youngest lawyer in the history of the State of Nevada to be awarded the prestigious “Trial Lawyer of the Year” by the Nevada Justice Association. That same year, he became the youngest member of the Nevada, Las Vegas Chapter of ABOTA (American Board of Trial Advocates), and at the time was also the youngest person in the State of Nevada to be Board Certified as a Personal Injury Specialist. He has received many additional recognitions, including being AV-Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and receiving a perfect 10.0 by Avvo.com. He has been featured in several magazines in Nevada for his accomplishments and hard work.
Just recently, in February 2020, Ben obtained a $38 million jury verdict, which is believed to be the largest ever negligent security for wrongful death in the State of Nevada. Other verdicts Ben has obtained include a $15 million jury verdict in 2016 on behalf of a family whose disabled son, Harvey, was allowed to choke to death on a paratransit bus. That verdict was upheld in a unanimous decision after four years of contentious appellate litigation with the final judgment ballooning to over $20.5 million dollars. The defense in that case never formally offered a single penny. After obtaining the verdict, Ben continued working on the safety issue that led to Harvey’s death, and with the help of many other people, got “Harvey’s Law” passed in Nevada in 2017, which required certain training for all paratransit bus drivers to ensure others were protected. In 2016, Ben also obtained a $12.9 million jury verdict for a family whose life had been altered by a drunk driver who injured the mother and killed the daughter. He also obtained a $10 million settlement for a client who was significantly injured from a fall which resulted in a moderate brain injury. Ben has obtained multiple soft-tissue, low visible property damage jury verdicts including a $2.98 million jury verdict in 2018, a $1,075,000 verdict in 2014, and several 6 figure verdicts. In addition to obtaining significant jury verdicts, Ben has also been involved in settling over thirty cases for values ranging from $1 million to $10 million as noted above.
Ben successfully argued the Khoury v. Seastrand, 133 Nev. Adv. Op. 52 (July 28, 2016) case which was a huge victory for all injured Nevadans because it rejected the Howell doctrine, which allows negligent people who caused harm to get a discount when they hit responsible citizens who carried personal health insurance.
Ben is a graduate of the famed Gerry Spence Trial Lawyer’s College and believes as does Gerry that “It all begins with you . . .” Ben served on the board for a nonprofit company called the Loa Fund, which focuses on providing financial assistance to those who struggle with addiction to receive help through wilderness therapy and other addiction recovery programs. Ben believes that you can never truly understand another human until you have walked a mile in their shoes and that everyone should be given the benefit of the doubt and a chance to prove themselves. Ben was raised in Salem, Utah. As a young boy, Ben earned his Eagle Scout Award and after graduation from high school, he served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Louisiana.
Ben attended the University of Utah and graduated in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in finance. He began law school at the University of Tulsa, College of Law. After his first year, Ben transferred to the University of Utah, S.J. Quinney College of Law, where he graduated in 2008. While in law school, Ben received the Outstanding Achievement Award for Teaching Law in the High School, the CALI Excellence for the Future Award for Property, and was on the Dean’s List. He also served as the President of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society and as a Judicial Intern for the then-State Court Presiding Judge, Gregory K. Frizzell, who is now a Judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma. He also participated as a Note and Comment Editor for the Journal of Land, Resources, and Environment Law, where his Comment, Why has State v. Hutchinson Been Ignored? An Analysis of Why Utah Cities Lack Authority to Exact Water, 28 J. LAND RESOURCES & ENVTL. L. 433, was selected for publication.
Ben’s interests outside of work include spending time with his wife and two beautiful daughters. He also enjoys mule deer archery hunting, bass-fishing, camping, and watching the Boston Red Sox. He is active in his church and currently serves as a Stake High Councilor. He believes our highest calling in life is to help others come unto Christ. | |||
| Trial Alert: Gideon Asen Trial Loss, Followed by $4.5 Million Verdict with Taylor Asen | 13 Mar 2023 | 00:58:42 | |
Episode Summary: Join Rahul for his conversation with Ben and Ben’s law partner, Taylor Asen, in which they break down recent back-to-back jury trials: one which resulted in a defense verdict and the other a $4.5 Million verdict for the plaintiff.
About Taylor Asen: “Taylor went above and beyond during the entire case. I felt valued, respected and as if I was the #1 and only client he had.” – Adam D. (Winslow, Maine) Taylor specializes in medical malpractice cases, trucking accident cases, and other complex personal injury cases. Except for his partner Ben, Taylor is the only Maine lawyer listed in Lawdragon’s list of top 500 plaintiff’s attorneys. Taylor possesses a unique combination of intellect, competitive drive, and human empathy that makes him a powerful advocate for his clients. Taylor has dedicated his career to championing the interests of individuals who have suffered harm or injury from corporate misconduct, individual negligence, and bad medical care. Taylor’s efforts on behalf of injured Mainers have resulted in several of the largest case settlements in Maine history. “Nobody is more committed to his clients than Taylor,” said Ben Gideon. “His mind is always working. It’s not unusual for me to receive a call after midnight from Taylor, wanting to brainstorm about a thorny problem or about case strategy. Taylor is also a gifted legal writer, enabling our clients to gain the upper hand in motions and briefs submitted to the courts. When it comes to the full range of personal qualities and skills needed to achieve extraordinary client results, there are few lawyers I’ve met who can match Taylor.” A native of Maine, Taylor is a graduate of Yale Law School. At Yale, Taylor worked in the Veterans Legal Services Clinic, representing veterans who were improperly denied disability benefits. After graduating from law school, Taylor clerked for federal judges in New York City and Newark, New Jersey. Taylor began his career at a plaintiff class action firm in New York, before returning to Maine to represent individual plaintiffs in medical malpractice, truck accident and other complex personal injury cases. “The wealthy and the powerful don’t just expect their attorneys to be good. They expect them to be the best,” Taylor says. “We aren’t interested in being ‘good’ lawyers. We expect ourselves to provide our clients representation every bit as good as America’s biggest corporations receive.” Taylor’s wife, Becca, is the Director of Recruiting and Professional Development at Bernstein Shur. Taylor and Becca live in Falmouth, Maine with their three children, Davida, Vivienne, and Leon. | |||
| Fearless Pursuit of Frontier Justice with Zander Blewett | 27 Feb 2023 | 00:51:25 | |
Episode Summary
Anyone familiar with the popular television series, Yellowstone, will recognize the peculiar challenges of trying plaintiffs’ cases in Montana. Yet, Montana trial lawyer, Zander Blewett, has been doing it successfully his entire career. Join Ben (www.gideonasen.com) for his in-depth discussion with Zander, describing the unique circumstances that brought him to the practice of plaintiff law, his many landmark cases and verdicts, and his approach to success as a trial lawyer, family man and leader in the community.
About Zander Blewett
Founding Partner The University of Montana Law School has been renamed the "Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana." Alexander (Zander) Blewett III has earned an AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell™, the highest recognition possible in the legal industry, for his professionalism and ethics. Practice Areas
Admitted
Education
Associations and memberships
Notable Cases
Biographical details
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| Over $1 Billion in Verdicts from Nitrous Oxide and Psychiatric Hospital Neglect with John and Johnny Simon and Tim Cronin | 29 Jul 2024 | 00:44:00 | |
Join Ben for this conversation with John and Johnny Simon and Tim Cronin of the Simon Law Firm. This episode covers discussion of two fascinating recent cases in which the Simon firm obtained more than $ 1 billion in combined verdicts on behalf of a client killed by a driver high on nitrous oxide and a rape victim in a psychiatric hospital. Learn about John, Johnny and Tim expertly built these cases around themes of corporate malfeasance, greed, neglect, and punitive damages. Both verdicts are huge landmark accomplishments that will create positive change for society.
The Simon Law Firm, P.C. | Over $1 Billion Won (simonlawpc.com)
About John Simon John G. Simon’s work as Managing Partner at the firm has resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars for past clients. Well-respected in his field, John’s career includes several published works, frequent community involvement, and the role of adjunct professor at Saint Louis University School of Law For 30 years, John Simon has devoted himself to fighting for the victims of negligence in St. Louis and across the nation. Because of his unparalleled skill and belief in the power of the law, John has secured over 150 verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 million or more for his clients. John’s practice is among the most accomplished in the nation:
Fighting for Plaintiffs Across the United States John’s conviction and passion for the law form the cornerstone of our practice. His belief in the power of hard work, persistence, and dedication allows him and his fellow attorneys to achieve incredible results. Above all, he knows that a group of committed individuals working together can accomplish great things—that’s the heart of his firm.
About Johnny Simon By joining The Simon Law Firm, P.C. in 2015, Johnny continues a proud tradition of excellence in the art of advocacy on behalf of people and businesses in need. A tradition that was established by his father—a tradition he intends to uphold. Ask Johnny Simon, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, what he does for a living, and he will tell you very simply: a trial lawyer. Trying cases to juries, to verdict, is what he does. Practicing law, he will tell you, is not job, but a vocation—a privilege that he takes very seriously. Johnny focuses his practice on a diverse array of personal injury cases, including litigating cases involving defective products and product liability issues, medical malpractice claims, 1983 excessive force cases, and trucking/auto accidents, business litigation, and consumer fraud. Johnny graduated from Marquette University obtaining a degree in business, finance, and economics. He obtained a law degree from Boston College law school. Johnny has litigated against some of the largest companies and hospital systems in the country. He is proud to represent clients from in need of top-notch legal representation and knows that he has the resources and experience to even the odds. He has tried cases in state, federal, and appellate courts across the country. With every case, Johnny brings the same tenacity and drive in order to achieve the best results for his clients. He is always eager to tell the story of his clients to a jury, members of the community, and expose improper and unlawful conduct which caused devastating and life altering injuries. Outside of the Courtroom, Johnny is a husband, father, son, brother, and nephew. His hobby: thinking of ways to make a client’s case better.
About Timothy Cronin Tim Cronin is a skilled and experienced personal injury trial attorney, including product liability, medical malpractice, premises liability, and trucking litigation, serving clients nationwide from our St. Louis office. He has recovered over 750 million dollars for injury victims, received numerous legal accolades, and offers compassionate counsel to his clients. Timothy M. Cronin is a skilled trial attorney that focuses his practice on personal injury, product liability, medical malpractice, premises liability and trucking litigation involving catastrophic injuries or death. Tim devotes himself to uncovering wrongdoing and seeking justice for his clients. His goal in every case is to help repair the lives of his clients that have been devastated by the reckless conduct of others, to do everything possible to ensure it never happens again to anyone else, and to make the litigation process as easy and stress-free for his clients as possible. He has tried many cases, and prepared countless others that settled on the courthouse steps. Tim has obtained verdicts exceeding ten million dollars on four separate occasions, along with a recent $535 million verdict that is the largest in Illinois state history for a single plaintiff. He has also obtained settlements or verdicts exceeding a million dollars for his clients on nearly fifty separate occasions, recovering in excess of four million dollars or more on over half of those cases.
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| Mastering the Ability to Try High Impact Cases with Jim Leventhal | 13 Feb 2023 | 00:58:36 | |
Episode Summary
Few lawyers have succeeded in building and trying more complex, high impact cases than Colorado-based trial lawyer, Jim Leventhal. Join Ben (www.gideonasen.com) for his in-depth discussion with Jim, beginning from Jim’s early days working in the public defender's office while moonlighting in his father’s clothing store, to his journey building one of the most successful plaintiff’s firms in the county. Learn how Jim’s journey included investigating and trying many significant and ground-breaking cases which have changed the legal and medical landscape and made the world a safer place for all patients.
About Jim Leventhal
JIM LEVENTHAL is devoted to helping and improving the quality of life of the clients he serves by putting the interests of the client first. This emphasis on achieving the best possible result for his clients is reflected in Jim’s recognition as one of the Best Lawyers in Colorado and the United States. As the founder of Leventhal Puga Braley P.C. Jim has worked diligently for over 41 years in cases involving medical negligence and serious personal injury, fighting relentlessly to ensure that people receive justice.
Jim Leventhal’s Cross-Examination of an Adverse Party: Complete Transcript
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| Winning Trials in Conservative Venues with Tom Keefe | 30 Jan 2023 | 00:56:25 | |
Join Ben (www.gideonasen.com) for his conversation with the insightful, brilliant, and always irreverent trial lawyer, Tom Keefe. Ben and Tom discuss Tom’s journey from childhood, where he grew up the son of a successful worker’s compensation lawyer, to his current status as one of the most successful plaintiff’s trial lawyers in Illinois. Tom talks about strategies he uses to connect with jurors in the deeply red, conservative venues of Illinois where he tries many of his cases.
About Tom Keefe Tom Keefe, Jr. has been handling high stakes complex lawsuits on behalf of plaintiffs for nearly 40 years. He has compiled a remarkable record including more than 200 verdicts, judgments and settlements in excess of $1,000,000, and more than 20 of those in excess of $10,000,000. His clients have been compensated more than three-quarters of a billion dollars in cases ranging from medical negligence to products liability to vehicle and truck accidents to construction injuries to claims against railroads. He is relentless.
Tom is consistently named as one of America’s top lawyers and has been a Super Lawyer since 2007 through the present. For nearly a decade, his peers have voted him the best Downstate Lawyer, and among the Top 10 of all lawyers, in the State of Illinois. He has received Martindale Hubbell’s highest rating for more than 30 years. Most notably, he is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, an invitation-only group of 100 of the best plaintiff lawyers in the United States.
He has given hundreds of lectures and presentations and written extensively. He has been the recipient of numerous honors including the Madison County Record Person of the Year, the Richard Hudlin Memorial Award, and the Leonard Ring Award. He and his late wife Rita have long been active philanthropists and tireless supporters of social justice. | |||
| Winning Verdicts and Championing Causes with Brent Walker | 16 Jan 2023 | 00:53:41 | |
Join Ben (https://gideonasen.com/our-team/benjamin-gideon/) and Rahul (https://www.psbr.law/ravipudi.html) for their conversation with renowned Dallas, Texas trial lawyer, Brent Walker, one half of the firm Aldous & Walker. Brent talks about growing up with a trial lawyer mother and his journey to partner with legendary Texas trial lawyer Charla Aldous. Brent discusses how the two of them have built a firm focused on individual clients and taking on important causes, like Texas’ challenge to school mask mandates and sexual assault at a Jesuit school. Brent describes how he and Charla have teamed up at trial to achieve an incredible string of verdicts in a diverse set of cases. This is a great episode that you won’t want to miss.
About Brent Walker
Sharp. Protective. Trial Attorney.
Some attorneys focus on different areas of law, building a practice around specific kinds of cases and concentrating on them. But I don’t work like that. Instead, I try all kinds of cases. My job as a Dallas trial attorney is to go into court and stand up for my clients, whether the client is a person with a personal injury case or a corporation locked in a legal battle with another business. Whatever your case, I can plead your cause in court.
The experience of representing individuals and businesses as both plaintiffs and defendants gives me a unique perspective and helps me better serve clients of the firm. At the same time, my extensive appellate experience allows me to work on cases before and during trial with an eye toward possible issues in the event of an appeal.
Courtroom Experience
Before coming to work with Charla and the team at Aldous \ Walker—then Aldous \ Walker—I worked at one of Dallas’ leading healthcare law firms, as well as one of the nation’s leading personal injury firms. Over the years, I’ve gained significant experience in personal injury cases involving catastrophic injuries and wrongful death, as well as commercial litigation claims involving breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets.
But the most important thing to remember is not that I’ve tried this kind of case or that, but that I have, in fact, taken them to trial. I’ve stood up in court, argued cases to judges and juries, and persuaded them to my clients’ point of view. In an age where some young attorneys never even see the inside of a courtroom, that makes me rather unique. | |||
| Navigating the World of 30(b)(6) Depositions with Mark Kosieradski | 05 Dec 2022 | 00:40:21 | |
Minnesota trial lawyer, Mark Kosieradski is not only a highly accomplished trial lawyer, but he has written multiple books and is recognized across the country as a leading expert on the use of 30(b)(6) depositions. Mark joins Ben and Rahul to talk about his roots, practice and expertise using 30(b)(6) depositions to help build and win the case.
About Mark Kosieradzki Mark R. Kosieradzki is a board-certified civil trial advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and the Minnesota State Bar Association. He is recognized in Best Lawyers in America in addition to recently receiving his twenty-first Super Lawyer award. Mr. Kosieradzki is a past president of the Minnesota Association for Justice (MNAJ, formerly known as the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association) and the Minnesota Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). He was on the Board of Governors for the American Association for Justice and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Mr. Kosieradzki is an expert on 30(b)(6) depositions and teaches his techniques at seminars across the country. He is nationally renowned for his knowledge of 30(b)(6) deposition practice and authored 30(b)(6): Deposing Corporations, Organizations & the Government.
From Mark: I am the son of Polish immigrants. My mother fought in the Polish Underground in Warsaw during World War II. She was captured by the Nazis and imprisoned in a Nazi camp. My father was captured by the Russians and sent to a Gulag north of the Arctic Circle. They survived the war and ultimately immigrated to the United States. My parents taught me to stand up for what is right and to be scrappy. They also taught me that every day is an opportunity for a new adventure. These lessons have guided me to success professionally and personally. In addition to the passion I have for my work, I am an avid cyclist. At age 50 I took up playing the blues harmonica and on my 60th birthday I took up surfing in Costa Rica. This past year I took salsa lessons in Havana. As my parents taught me, and I share with my own children: look for and pursue the opportunities to do something meaningful and keep life exciting. | |||
| Changing Lives One Client at a Time with Tanya Ortega | 21 Nov 2022 | 00:51:35 | |
Recorded at TLU Vegas, Rahul (https://www.psbr.law/ravipudi.html) and Ben (https://gideonasen.com/our-team/benjamin-gideon/) talk to California trial lawyer Tanya Ortega about her approach to maximizing the value of cases for her brain-injured clients. Tanya has developed unique specialization in brain injuries, which begins with a deep understanding of the science and how to use objective medical evidence and the right experts to prove a TBI case. Tanya talks about her philosophy, which centers around investing substantial time and resources for individual clients, not just to help them win their cases, but also to help them on the road to healing from their brain injuries. For anyone who plans to handle a TBI case, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
About Tanya Ortega Tanya started her career in Chicago after earning a prestigious judicial clerkship and subsequently worked for a large Chicago insurance defense firm representing Fortune 100 and 500 companies against personal injury claims. For years, she won cases for insurance companies and learned every strategy used to defeat the claims of injured individuals. At Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Tanya now uses her insight of the judiciary and insurance companies to gain a significant advantage for her clients.
Tanya’s recent litigation accomplishments include the following jury verdicts and settlements: a jury verdict in McCall v. Coast Line Distributing, Inc., et al. for $2.1 million; a confidential settlement of $2.8 million; a settlement of $1.5 million in Singh v. Parris; a settlement in Jane Doe v. Tom Malloy Corporation, et al. for 1.2 million; a settlement in Osumi v Central Coast Fence, Inc., et al. for $1 million; a settlement in Adams v. Main Street Produce, Inc., et al. for $1 million; a settlement in Macari v. Salvucci and RBZ Vineyards, LLC dba Sextant Wines for $1 million and a settlement over the insurance policy limit in Wolff v. Cliff Resort LLC and Raul Quintana-Castillo. The Wolff case settled for $600,000, including $500,000 from Progressive Insurance that was 10 times the underlying policy limit of $50,000. Tanya was recognized by Top Verdict for having obtained one of the top 100 jury verdicts in California. She has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star for consecutive years, an achievement limited to the top 2.5% of attorneys in California, and The Top Women Attorneys in Southern California.
Tanya is also a member of the American Association for Justice Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group where she has been invited to speak at conferences across the country on various subjects, including an Overview of Traumatic Brain Injuries, Bias in Neuropsychological Testing as well as Sexism and Racism in Neuropsychological Testing.
Tanya is a lifelong runner and formerly competed on the University of Houston cross country and track teams as a middle-distance runner. When not at the office, Tanya is at the beach with her husband and kids. | |||
| Sponsor Bonus Episode with Hype Legal | 14 Nov 2022 | 00:26:06 | |
Join us for a discussion with folks from Hype Legal as part of our special sponsorship bonus track. | |||
| Winning A Texas-Sized $352 Million Verdict and More with Randy Sorrels | 07 Nov 2022 | 00:53:37 | |
In this episode, Ben (https://gideonasen.com/our-team/benjamin-gideon/) speaks with Texas trial lawyer Randy Sorrels about his recent $352 Million verdict returned for the family of a single, injured plaintiff—the largest compensatory damages verdict for a single injured individual ever recorded. Randy tells the story of this landmark trial against well-known Texas lawyer, Rusty Harden. Randy also discusses two other multi-million-dollar pandemic verdicts, including one involving former major league baseball great, Roger Clemens. Randy talks about what it’s like trying cases together with his wife and starting a new law firm during the pandemic. He also talks about his work as President of the Texas Bar Association. Randy is a gifted and inspiring lawyer, and you don’t want to miss this episode.
About Randy Sorrels
Randy Sorrels holds the unique distinction of being the only Texas board certified plaintiffs’ lawyer ever to have been both elected to serve as President of the State Bar of Texas and selected as one of the Top 100 lawyers in the state by Texas Super Lawyers magazine. His passionate representation of clients and lawyers has garnered statewide recognition and numerous prestigious awards – including most recently being named the ALM Media/Texas Lawyer Attorney of the Year Award (2022). Randy and his partner/wife obtained what is believed to be the largest actual damages verdict in United States’ history for an injured worker — $352.7 million – in a fully contested jury trial. In short, whether it is in the courtroom or in the boardroom, Randy has an unparalleled track record of success for his clients and the organizations he leads.
As a leader, Randy was voted by Texas lawyers to become the 2019-2020 State Bar President by the widest margin of victory in State Bar history. During his presidential service, he traveled Texas solidifying his reputation for helping not only those who hire him, but also helping fellow lawyers. His network of friends and relationships throughout the state is vast, and he is often hired by lawyers who are in need of representation. As a zealot advocate for his clients, Randy holds four board certifications including in Personal Injury Trial Law, Civil Trial Law and Civil Trial Advocacy from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and the National Board of Trial Advocacy. And in a peer selection process, for the last 14 years he has been named one of the Top 100 lawyers in the state. He is sought after by the nationwide and local media for legal analysis, commentary and perspective.
Randy’s success in the courtroom is also well-known throughout Texas and nation. He has taken dozens of cases to trial, securing multi-million-dollar verdicts in personal injury cases, medical malpractice cases, plant explosion cases and business lawsuits. During the time of Covid, Randy and the Sorrels Law team secured two of the largest personal injury jury verdicts in the country in a high-profile cases that received media attention worldwide. In one of the cases, the jury returned an actual damages verdict of $352.7 million for an injured worker who suffered catastrophic injuries, while in the other the jury awarded two minor league baseball players $3.24 million. For 2022, Randy has been named TEX-ABOTA’s Trial Lawyer of the Year, as well as the Best Lawyers® Personal Injury – Plaintiffs “Lawyer of the Year” in Houston. Previously, he has been named the Best Lawyers’ Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs “Lawyer of the Year” in Houston on three separate occasions. He has received some of the highest legal honors in the state, including being awarded the State Bar of Texas’ President’s Award (recognizing the one Texas Lawyer who provided the most outstanding contributions through distinguished service to the lawyers of Texas), the Judge Sam Williams Award (recognizing the Texas lawyer who provides the greatest contribution to both local bars and the State Bar of Texas), and the Houston Bar Association President’s Award (recognizing significant contributions to an HBA program). Early in his career, Randy was honored with the Woodrow B. Seals Outstanding Young Lawyer of Houston Award (recognizing the one young Houston lawyer who exemplified significant professional traits both inside and outside the practice of law). He started his career as a lawyer at the internationally acclaimed Fulbright & Jaworski (now Norton Rose Fulbright). | |||
| Trial Alert: Ben's Recent $5.5 Million Verdict with Meryl Poulin | 24 Oct 2022 | 00:59:44 | |
Ben and attorney Meryl Poulin of Gideon Asen talk with Rahul about a verdict obtained on September 30, 2022, in which a jury in Androscoggin County, Maine, returned a verdict of $5.5 million on a claim brought by the daughter of a decedent against a funeral services business for mishandling of her father’s remains after death. This is the largest jury verdict in Maine this year, and for the past several years.
At trial, the evidence showed that the funeral service was picking up decedents for cremation, but not processing the bodies for cremation, but rather allowing them to decompose in the basement of the funeral home. Plaintiff alleged negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress claims. The damages claim was limited to Plaintiff’s emotional distress in learning about the mishandling of her father’s remains. There were no physical injuries, medical expenses, or lost earnings claimed.
The pretrial offer was $7,500.
Here are some of the issues discussed on the podcast: 1. How to overcome defense attempt to benefit from a stipulation to liability. 2. How to turn Defendant’s “acceptance of responsibility” argument against them at trial. 3. How to maximize recovery of emotional distress damages when there is minimal (or no) physical injury. 4. How to dismantle the “death by 1000 cuts” defense. 5. How to use voir dire to find jurors willing to assign real value to emotional distress damages. 6. How to captivate the jury with a powerful opening. 7. How to frame a powerful closing and rebutting close, even in a conceded liability case.
About Meryl Poulin Meryl is a Maine native and attended Colby College and the University of Maine School of Law.
Meryl is an extraordinary athlete. At Colby, Meryl played varsity hockey, field hockey, and softball and was captain of the hockey and field hockey teams. Meryl was able to achieve incredible athletic success despite being sidelined for many months with two major knee injuries and reconstructive surgeries. Her experience dealing with chronic knee injuries gave her insight into the difficulties of living with pain and the effect of debilitating injuries on every part of a person’s physical and emotional well-being.
At Maine Law school, Meryl distinguished herself as an appellate advocate, winning the honor of “Prize Arguer” in her class and the Gignoux Award for Appellate Advocacy. Meryl was a part of two moot court teams that competed on a national level. In her third year, she and her moot court partner finished in the top three of a competition of more than forty.
After law school, Meryl worked at a large law firm in Portland defending medical malpractice and personal injury cases. This work gave her a keen understanding of how insurance companies operate. “There is no shortcut to getting your client fairly compensated by an insurance company,” says Meryl. “You have to put your head down and do the work. Insurance companies respond only to intelligent, persistent, and dogged advocacy.”
More recently, Meryl worked at Pine Tree Legal Assistance, Maine’s largest legal aid organization. At Pine Tree, Meryl represented low-income Mainers in housing and eviction cases and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in protection order and family law cases. At Pine Tree Legal, Meryl tried nearly twenty cases to verdict and prevailed in all but one case.
“I met Meryl when she was representing hospitals,” said Taylor Asen. “She was fearless, and I could see right away that she was going to be one of the best trial lawyers of her generation.” | |||
| Sponsor Bonus Episode with LawPods | 17 Oct 2022 | 00:28:22 | |
| It's About Vision with John Romano | 10 Oct 2022 | 00:46:57 | |
Join Ben and Rahul for their discussion with legendary Florida trial lawyer, John Romano. John recounts his experience learning from masters of trial practice during the golden age of trial practice in Florida and about the need for trial lawyers of each age and generation to continuously reinvent themselves, innovate, and develop a new vision for the times. John shares strategies of presenting non-economic losses in a compelling way that resonates with the jury.
About John Romano A partner at Romano Law Group, John F. Romano is a civil trial advocate board-certified by the Florida Bar and the National Board of Trial Advocacy, as well as the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys. John is also a member of the Taos Group, an association of prominent trial attorneys from around the country who work together to better serve the needs of their clients.
John regularly handles and litigates cases in the following areas: auto and truck accident litigation and trials, fall-down and premises liability cases, product liability, business litigation, pharmaceutical drug cases, pharmaceutical medical device cases, insurance litigation and criminal defense.
John has successfully litigated to a verdict nearly every type of civil and criminal case, including those involving failure to diagnose cancer, product defects, drug and vaccine defect litigation, libel and slander, vehicular collisions, personal injury, murder, armed robbery and wrongful denial of health insurance benefits. He lectures across America on trial advocacy and tort and criminal law, has authored three textbooks, and has published more than 100 articles in national publications or papers for national presentation.
John is a graduate of Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach. He accepted a football scholarship from Florida State University and went on to attend law school at South Texas College of Law in Houston, receiving his Juris Doctor degree in 1973. He was admitted to practice law in the state of Florida in 1974. John also proudly served as a Captain and J.A.G. Officer with the United States Marine Corps (primarily with the Second Marine Division out of Camp LeJeune, North Carolina).
John returned to Florida to work with the personal injury and general trial attorneys at the law firm of Cone, Wagner, Nugent, Johnson & McKeown, and later formed the Palm Beach County law firm of Romano, Eriksen & Cronin. In 2007, the firm became Romano Law Group. With nearly 40 years in law practice, he has held numerous positions in national law organizations and has been recognized for his contributions to the field of law in Florida, including receiving the Jon E. Krupnick award in 2015. He was inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame in 2015.
John has authored thousands of legal opinions and articles, including The Right to Trial by Jury. | |||
| Betting on Yourself to Win with Conal Doyle | 15 Jul 2024 | 00:51:20 | |
When Conal Doyle started his plaintiff’s practice, he faced long odds and daunting obstacles. But as one born without one of his legs who went on to become a ski racer, long odds and obstacles were nothing new to Conal. Join Ben and Rahul for their discussion with Conal about how he bet on himself and his clients time and again, achieved monumental verdicts and changes to the legal system on his way to becoming one of California’s most successful trial lawyers.
About Conal Doyle
Conal Doyle is an award-winning trial lawyer who has received national recognition for his courtroom victories that have had broad reaching impact on society. He is one of the few attorneys in history to argue before the United States Supreme Court and obtain multiple seven and eight figure jury verdicts. His international human rights victory in Castaneda v. United States was a catalyst for the reform of the United States immigration healthcare system, and garnered widespread acclaim from his peers, legal publications and the international media. For example, he received the 2012 California Lawyer of the Year (CLAY) Award in Human Rights, and the 2011 Trial Lawyer of the Year Award from the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA). He has been listed in both Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers for the past ten consecutive years, and his courtroom victories have been chronicled in newspapers around the world, including a piece on the CBS news magazine “60 Minutes.” Conal’s reputation as one of the finest trial attorneys in America was further cemented with two stunning back-to-back verdicts in Kern County, California, one of California’s most “conservative” jurisdictions. In December 2013, Conal obtained as lead trial counsel a $26.8 million medical malpractice jury verdict in McKnight v. Spain. This result was the largest medical malpractice verdict in County history and was recognized by The Daily Journal as a Top 10 Verdict in California for 2013. The National Law Journal recognized the verdict as a Top 100 Verdict nationally and the Consumer Attorneys Association of California (CAOC) named him a Finalist for the 2014 Consumer Attorney of the Year Award. The highest pre-trial offer by the defense was $300,000. In March 2014, Conal obtained as lead trial counsel a $3.8 million jury verdict in Doe v. Jack In The Box. In this premises liability case, the highest pre-trial offer was $200,000. The foundation of this success is a passion for justice and a commitment to client service. Conal was born without his right leg, and like many of his clients, has overcome great obstacles and endured daily struggles. These experiences provide him a unique insight into his clients’ challenges and help him guide his clients through difficult times. Conal’s personal experience has led him to focus on the representation of amputees in both first party bad faith and personal injury claims. The Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) honored Conal as the 2020 Street Fighter of the Year for his work on behalf of amputees in Trujillo v. United Healthcare, a national ERISA health insurance class action. The case required the nation’s largest health insurer to change its claims practices and reprocess claims related to the denial of prosthetic devices to amputees. Conal is also prosecuting two other class actions for wrongful denial of prosthetics-against Anthem and Blue Shield of California, among numerous individual bad faith claims for wrongful denial of prosthetics. Conal is well known as an advocate for amputees in injury and bad faith insurance claims. His article, “Glimpsing the Future for an Amputee,” is used as a guide for litigating limb loss cases by attorneys across the country. Conal has never backed down from a challenge or started a fight that he couldn’t finish. When he isn’t challenging corporate giants in the courtroom, Conal enjoys skiing the Rockies, a remnant from his past as an alpine ski racer.
Honors & Awards 2020 Consumer Attorneys Association of California (CAOC) Street Fighter of the Year Award 2014 Finalist-Consumer Attorney of the Year-Consumer Attorneys Association of California (CAOC) The National Law Journal Top 100 Verdicts, 2013 The Daily Journal Top 10 Verdicts, 2013 2012 California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) Award 2011 Trial Lawyer of the Year-Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA) 2011 Attorney of the Year-The Recorder The Best Lawyers in America, 2012 – Present Finalist-2011 CAOC Consumer Attorney of the Year 2011 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America The National Trial Lawyers Association Top 100, 2008 – Present The Daily Journal – Top 20 Under 40 in California, 2010 Super Lawyers-Southern California Superlawyer, 2012 – Present The Daily Journal – Top 10 Verdicts, 2010 Martindale Hubbell – AV Rating, 2007 – Present San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association – 2011 Civil Justice Award The National Law Journal-Appellate Lawyer of the Week, 2010 2011 Public Justice Achievement Award-Public Justice Foundation
Public Service Conal devotes a significant portion of his practice to public interest work and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Public Justice Foundation, a non-profit public interest law firm. Mr. Doyle frequently acts as “lead cooperating counsel” on cases with Public Justice, where he donates a portion of his fees as a pro bono contribution to the organization.
Prior Work History Conal comes from a “big firm” background, where he served as a trial attorney for six years at one of Florida’s largest and most respected law firms. Conal won his first federal jury trial in a civil rights excessive force case at age twenty-seven. By age thirty-one, he was lead trial counsel of an eleven-hundred-member law enforcement agency, where he litigated civil rights, torts, class actions, and employment cases. Conal participated in a dozen jury trials as a defense attorney, winning eleven of them. His jury trial experience includes cases involving medical malpractice, breach of contract, insurance coverage, premises liability, negligent security, 42 U.S.C. 1983 civil rights violations, excessive force, false arrest, automobile negligence, traumatic brain injury, wrongful death, and employment law.
Personal Mr. Doyle is a right leg amputee. He is an avid alpine skier and has competed in Giant Slalom and Slalom alpine races against the best disabled athletes in the world, including the U.S. Ski Team, Canadian Ski Team, and Australian Ski Team. He is a former member of the Board of Directors (1998-2002) of Self-Reliance, Inc. and is active in community efforts to improve the lifestyles of Americans with disabilities. He regularly draws on his unique life experiences in representing clients who have sustained significant injuries or have suffered discrimination due to their disabilities.
Public Speaking Mr. Doyle is a frequent lecturer and author on the topics of civil trial practice, civil rights, and personal injury litigation at law schools, Continuing Legal Education seminars, and the FBI NAA National Convention, where he has been recognized as an expert in civil rights litigation. He has also been quoted and featured frequently in national newspapers, radio, and television regarding constitutional law issues and civil rights.
Bar Admissions California, 2003 Florida, 1997 New York, 2006 District of Columbia, 2006 U.S. Supreme Court U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit U.S. District Court Central District of California U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida U.S. District Court Eastern District of California U.S. District Court Southern District of California U.S. District Court Northern District of California
Education Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee, Florida Juris Doctor cum laude – May 1997 Book Awards: Trial Practice, Litigation Seminar Florida House of Representatives-Legislative Internship/Scholarship Florida Bar Scholarship-Top 10 Law Students in State 1996 Stetson University College of Law, St. Petersburg, Florida First Year of Law School – 1994 Class Rank: 1/159 West’s Outstanding Scholar Award-#1 ranked first year law student Book Award-Torts Book Award-Civil Procedure Book Award-Criminal Law Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida B.A. – 1993 | |||
| Think of Her as Your One-Woman Special Operations Force for Trial with Ibiere Seck | 26 Sep 2022 | 00:49:25 | |
Join Ben (https://gideonasen.com/our-team/benjamin-gideon/) and Rahul (https://www.psbr.law/ravipudi.html) for their discussion with trial lawyer Ibiere Seck. Ibiere is a one-of-a-kind trial talent who often gets tapped to enter cases in the final days before trial as lead trial counsel or co-counsel. In this episode, Ibiere describes her journey from her early days working at the Johnnie Cochrane to her current position as one of California’s leading plaintiff lawyers. Ibiere talks about her approach to trials and how such has managed to find her authentic voice as a lawyer. You don’t want to miss this episode.
About Ibiere Seck Ibiere is the founder and principal trial attorney at, Seck Law P.C. where her practice focuses primarily on complex catastrophic injury, wrongful death, traumatic brain injury and sexual assault cases. Ibiere is the Secretary of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, the largest plaintiff trial lawyers association in the nation, and will lead the association as its President in 2024. She is also the Past President of The National Black Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40.
Ibiere received her Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. While in law school, she earned several distinctions, including being selected as a member of the nationally recognized Byrne Trial Advocacy Team and worked as a prosecutorial extern with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and as a civil rights intern with Inner City Law Center where she advocated for the homeless and working poor. Ibiere received her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Journalism Magna Cum Laude from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Brain injury, civil rights and sexual assault of minors. Ibiere exclusively represents plaintiffs in civil litigation/trial and prides herself in being a zealous advocate on an endless pursuit for justice on behalf of people who have been wronged, harmed or injured.
Prior to starting her firm, Ibiere was a partner and trial lawyer at the firm founded by the late civil rights attorney, Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr.
Ibiere has been recognized by her peers as a zealous advocate for her clients. She has been selected Southern California Super Lawyers list, an honor reserved for those lawyers who exhibit excellence in practice. Only 5% of attorneys in Southern California receive this distinction and was voted National Bar Association’s “Nation’s Best Advocates 40 Under 40” in 2015. A year later, she was the recipient of Consumer Attorneys Association of California’s Street Fighter of the Year award for her work on behalf of survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Ibiere is a member of the California State Bar and is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court, Central District of California as well as state courts; She is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association where she serves on the litigation section executive committee; Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, National Trial Lawyers, American Association for Justice; John M. Langston Bar Association, Consumer Attorneys of California, Beverly Hills Bar Association.
With a passion for service, Ibiere has long committed herself to causes. Her community service work proudly includes Los Angeles Trial Lawyers’ Charities (a non-profit organization founded by plaintiff trial lawyer with the purpose of making a positive difference in the quality of life for people within the greater Los Angeles area, focusing on issues related to education, children, survivors of abuse, persons with disabilities, and homelessness, by providing financial assistance to needy persons and groups in the greater Los Angeles area) and Allies for Every Child (an organization dedicated to bringing together and strengthening families in historically underserved communities in Los Angeles with the purpose of cultivating conditions for children to succeed in life).
When not advocating for her clients Ibiere enjoys traveling, volunteering and spending time with her family. She serves on the board of Los Angeles Trial Lawyer’s Charities, Allies for Every Child. She is also a supporter of the Western Center on Law & Poverty and the Mesereau Free Legal Clinic in south Los Angeles, both of which she served as an advisory board member. | |||
| Bonus: Building a Trial Lawyer Community with Dan Ambrose | 19 Sep 2022 | 00:29:34 | |
In this episode, Ben (https://gideonasen.com/our-team/benjamin-gideon/) and Rahul (https://www.psbr.law/ravipudi.html) catch up again with Trial Lawyer University founder Dan Ambrose to debrief from the Los Angeles trial college and discuss his plan for the second annual TLU Vegas conference in October.
About Dan Ambrose:
Daniel Ambrose started out in Detroit, Michigan as a criminal defense lawyer. Dan has attended programs such as the National Criminal Defense College, Western Trial Advocacy Institute and Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyer’s College, tried over 150 jury trials, and has studied trial advocacy for 20 years. Dan is known for his exceptional skills advocating for his clients. Through 20 years of practice, he has found a unique method to help trial lawyers efficiently master their skills. THE METHOD, was developed by meeting weekly with five trial lawyers over an eighteen month period. They presented, video recorded, and discussed their strengths and weaknesses. Dan currently lives in Los Angeles, California and now focuses on civil trial work, consulting, trial coaching and teaching. | |||
| The Art and Science of Persuasion with Justin Kahn | 12 Sep 2022 | 00:52:59 | |
Charleston, South Carolina attorney, Justin Kahn, is not only a successful trial lawyer and professor of trial practice, but also an accomplished magician and student of the neuro and cognitive science of jury persuasion. In this episode, Ben (https://gideonasen.com/our-team/benjamin-gideon/) and Rahul (https://www.psbr.law/ravipudi.html) interview Justin live at the PSBR Trial College, where Justin taught a breakout group on trial presentation skills. Enjoy the Bob Marley music in the background as Justin discusses strategies to improve your ability to communicate and persuade.
About Justin Kahn
REPRESENTATION FROM AN AV® RATED ATTORNEY
Justin S. Kahn is a civil litigator. His practice focuses on catastrophic personal injury matters and various kinds of complex litigation. Since 1992, Justin has worked hard fighting for those who cannot help themselves. He has successfully resolved cases and claims for several million dollars as well as represented people in small claims court matters. He is an advocate for those who cannot help themselves. He gives personal attention to every client. He gets to know the client to better understand the impact of the negligence on their life. Communication is key to effective representation. Mr. Kahn will keep you up to date and provide answers to the questions you have.
Accolades Board Certified Medical Malpractice, American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys Board Certified Civil Trial Advocate, National Board of Legal Specialty Certification Board Certified Civil Practice Advocacy, National Board of Legal Specialty Certification AV® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® Super Lawyers: Top Rated Medical Malpractice Attorney in Charleston, SC Certified Court Mediator, South Carolina Supreme Court
Experience Mr. Kahn is an adjunct professor at the Charleston School of Law where he teaches civil pre-trial practice and for over 20 years, Mr. Kahn has written the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure Annotated as well as the South Carolina Rules of Evidence Annotated published by the South Carolina Bar CLE Division. These are the books lawyers and judges use every day in the courts of South Carolina.
Justin S. Kahn's published text and annotations for the Rules of Civil Procedure and the Rules of Evidence provide practical information regarding case law and statutes. They are available for purchase at the links below: South Carolina Rules Annotated 2020 South Carolina Evidence Handbook Annotated, 15th Edition
He is admitted to the United States Supreme Court, the Second, Third and Fourth Circuit Courts of Appeals, the District of Columbia, the United States Federal Court of Claims, the United States District Court of South Carolina and the South Carolina Supreme Court.
Mr. Kahn has been involved with cases around the country, including in New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee and Alaska. He is also a circuit delegate of the South Carolina Bar and serves on several committees. Additionally, he writes and speaks nationally on various topics including procedure, evidence, persuasion, and litigation.
Justin also enjoys performing close-up magic and blogging about technology. He is married and has three children | |||
| Game Changing Voir Dire with Dirk Vandever | 29 Aug 2022 | 00:51:42 | |
Kansas City trial lawyer Dirk Vandever has developed a mastery of voir dire and trial that few lawyers can match. In this episode, Ben (https://gideonasen.com/our-team/benjamin-gideon/) and Rahul (https://www.psbr.law/ravipudi.html) chat with Dirk at the PSBR Trial College, where he taught a breakout group on voir dire strategy. Join Ben and Rahul for their conversation with Dirk and learn the voir dire and trial techniques Dirk uses to regularly obtain significant seven-figure verdicts on behalf of his clients.
About Dirk Vandever Dirk Vandever served as the youngest president of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association before going on to become president of the Kansas City Bar Foundation and the American Board of Trial Advocacy (KS/MO). He regularly lectures on trial practice at national, state and local levels. He graduated with honors from the University of Missouri – Columbia (BS) and UMKC (JD). His proudest achievements have been his own two children and being able to help his clients who need it. | |||