Trial Lawyer Nation

Trial lawyers can’t be afraid of failure. It is often by refusing default thinking and defying expectations that a trial lawyer gets the first big win that sets the tone for their career. On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, Michael Cowen speaks with Maxey Scherr–a Texas trial lawyer, board certified in truck accident law–who recently started her own law firm and found immediate success with a $10.65M verdict against Swift Transportation. Listen to Maxey explain how learning and preparation have been integral to some of her biggest wins, why it's important for a trial lawyer to have a reputation for trying cases–and how in the end, getting a good result stems from seeing the case through the jury’s eyes and placing your trust in them. Featured GuestName: Maxey ScherrAbout: Maxey Scherr is the founder of the Scherr Law Firm in El Paso, Texas. She has practiced for more than 14 years and has over 40 jury trials resulting in multi-figure verdicts, including a $10.65 million truck accident verdict in the firm’s first trial. Ms. Scherr is Board Certified by the NBTA in Truck Accident Law and is a member of various boards and organizations focused on trucking law. In addition to a law degree from Texas Tech, she earned a bachelor’s in Psychology from UMass-Boston and undertook postgraduate work in Neuroscience at Harvard. Company: Scherr Law FirmConnect: LinkedIn  Connect with Trial Lawyer Nation☑️ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn.☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.

There’s data going all the way back to the 1970s showing that people have lost a leg while operating a forklift. Not only do these leg crush injuries keep occurring, but it's the most common injury with a stand-up forklift.  It’s a big problem. However, the industry has been able to avoid having to change anything because they've been able to get the standard written to support their design decisions. On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, Michael Cowen and Malorie Peacock discuss how they overcame the odds to win $17.5M in damages for their client in a case against a forklift manufacturer.  All this occurred in a case where the defendant said they’d never even pay $100k. Tune in to this part one, of a two-part series, as Michael and Malorie discuss how they established liability in the case. What was one of the key winning trial strategies? Not getting sucked into disproving every argument the defense made. Don’t miss out! Michael's book, Big Rig Justice: A Comprehensive Guide to Maximizing Value in Truck Accident Cases is now available!Featured GuestName: Malorie J. PeacockAbout: Malorie J. Peacock is a Partner at Cowen Rodriguez Peacock. She was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas and received her J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center. During her time with Cowen Rodriguez Peacock, Malorie has worked on numerous commercial vehicle, trucking, and wrongful death cases. Malorie brings close attention to detail, commitment to finding safety issues and areas of neglect, continued utilization of technology and cutting-edge visuals in cases, along with a sincere passion to help those who have been hurt, to each and every case.Company: Cowen Rodriguez PeacockConnect: LinkedInConnect with Trial Lawyer Nation☑️ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn.☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.

Losing is what helps us develop as trial lawyers. If you quit too early after losing a case, you will never know the success you could have had.On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, Michael Cowen speaks with renowned trial lawyer and highly influential author, Rick Friedman. Rick has won multiple nine-figure verdicts, including a verdict against Monsanto for $72 million. What is the secret to Rick’s success? Getting out of his own way.Tune in to learn more about how to frame “moral truth” for the jury and how “uncomfortable facts” can become good facts by controlling the narrative.Featured GuestName: Rick FriedmanAbout:   Rick Friedman is a partner at Friedman | Rubin who built his reputation representing regular people and small businesses injured by large corporations and government entities. He has won large verdicts in difficult cases in the fields of personal injury, defamation, insurance bad faith, and business torts. His books are considered essential reading among trial lawyers and include: Rules of the Road, Polarizing the Case, Becoming a Trial Lawyer, The Elements of Trial, and The Way of the Trial Lawyer. Company:  Friedman | Rubin, PLLP | LinkedInConnect:  LinkedIn Connect with Trial Lawyer Nation☑️ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn.☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.

As a trucking trial lawyer, if you are compassionate, people can walk all over you and you won’t get good results, you need to be both fierce and compassionate. On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, Michael Cowen and Michael Leizerman discuss the ins and outs of wrongful death litigation. Leizerman draws on his experience as a truck accident lawyer and shares the strategies he used to win a recent $18 million verdict.He emphasizes the need to have open communication with the victim’s family and draw on their love for the victim. He also stresses that while the client comes first, it is also important to create a compassionate atmosphere by treating the defendant with fairness and compassion. However this compassion needs to be accompanied with fierceness.Tune in for an in-depth discussion on litigating wrongful death cases, and learn how to draw out the story from the victim’s family, cross-examine defendants, and use a combination of compassion and fierceness to build a strong case.Featured GuestName:  Michael LeizermanAbout:   Michael Leizerman is a founder of The Law Firm for Truck Safety, which handles truck accident litigation across the United States.  He is the co-founder of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (ATAA). He concentrates his practice in select catastrophic injury truck collision cases across the country.Michael was the first Chair of AAJ’s Trucking Litigation Group. He is the author of the treatise Litigating Truck Accident Cases.  Michael has taken 15 truck and bus cases to trial since 2006. He has received record-breaking truck accident settlements and verdicts across the country, including multiple verdicts with punitive damages. Michael is also the author of the Trial Guides book The Zen Lawyer: Winning with Mindfulness. Company: The Law Firm for Truck Safety LLPConnect: LinkedIn | TwitterConnect with Trial Lawyer Nation☑️ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn.☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.

Being an exceptional trial lawyer requires mastering a lot of skills they don’t teach in school. The same can be said for being an exceptional parent. But, sticking the landing on both? That must be a pipedream, right?On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, Michael Cowen and his new Partner, Natalie Arledge, discuss whether it’s possible to be a successful trial lawyer without being a shitty parent. Through the lens of a mom of two, Natalie discusses the challenges of developing as a trial lawyer, her journey from associate to partner, and the unique lessons she learned along the way.Featured GuestName: Natalie ArledgeAbout: Natalie is a Partner at Cowen | Rodriguez | Peacock and a mom of two. Natalie was born and raised in San Antonio and attended Baylor University for college and law school. When not in the office, Natalie enjoys spending time with her family and their two dogs.Connect: LinkedInConnect with Trial Lawyer Nation☑️ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn.☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.

Lawyers know their cases backwards and forwards. However, jurors may need help honing in on the most important elements of a case. Visual trial strategy helps create a series of clear, tailored exhibits to present to a jury at trial.On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, Michael Cowen talks to visual trial strategist, Amy Hall. Amy discusses her tried-and-true three-exhibit formula–the anchor, the link, and the payoff–which she uses to distill everything in a complex case into these three themes. Additionally, Amy explains that because jurors learn better by combining both visual and auditory means, she always recommends using physical exhibits while presenting your case instead of fumbling over technology.Tune in to learn how to employ visual trial strategy to guide juries through trials.Featured GuestName: Amy HallAbout:  Amy Hall’s background in cognitive science, journalism, the gambling industry, advertising, and graphic design, has given her a unique and highly relevant skill set for litigation strategy. She combines exceptional design, editing, and writing with real-world insights on decision-making and emotion to distill case themes into an effective visual strategy. She helps identify the difficult truths in a case, and then helps resolve them, providing tangible, ready-to-use tools that address the toughest case issues.Company:  Amy Hall’s Visual Trial StrategyConnect:  LinkedIn | Trial Strategy Academy CLEConnect with Trial Lawyer Nation☑️ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn.☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.

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

Premises cases can be a tough way to make a living. “It’s challenging, like medical malpractice, but with the right experts, with the right research, with the right resilience, you can win these cases.”On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, Michael Cowen speaks with Michael Neff, an experienced trial lawyer, about the oft-forgotten yet critically important and challenging area of tort law–premises liability law. He explains the kinds of cases that inflame his passions, how to succeed in premises liability law, and, of course, the importance of 7-inch stairs! Neff also briefly discusses his case against Snapchat, a cutting edge case he’s been working on outside of the premises liability realm.Tune in for an in-depth discussion on premises liability law, insights on case selection, and how attorneys like Michael Neff work to secure sizable verdicts for clients with life-changing damages, ensuring the rules are followed. Featured GuestName:  Michael NeffAbout:  Michael is a trial lawyer with approximately 30 years of experience, who practices premises liability law, including ‘trip and fall’, ‘slip and fall’, negligent security, and much more. He is the founding partner of the Atlanta-based firm, Neff Injury Law, which has won over $100 million in jury verdicts for its clients. Outside of the courtroom, Michael is the author of Premises Liability: A Guide to Success and founder of the National Association of Premises Liability Attorneys (NAPLA).Company:  Neff Injury LawConnect:  LinkedIn // michael@neffinjurylaw.com // 404-531-9700Connect with Trial Lawyer Nation☑️ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn.☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.

Lay witnesses. Whether you call them eyewitnesses, ‘before and after’ witnesses, or damages witnesses, you need them to help you make your case. And sometimes the most unexpected ordinary people can be the greatest witnesses. “There's obvious ones like the spouse or the children or family members of your plaintiff. But beyond that, there's coworkers, there's neighbors, there's the pastor, there's the guy that runs a corner store at the end of the block, their kid’s teacher…it could be a whole universe of people out there.”On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, Michael Cowen and Malorie Peacock explore how to identify potential lay witnesses and the importance of building trust with these witnesses to ensure that they feel comfortable disclosing pertinent information. They also examine the importance of obtaining visual evidence, such as photos and videos, to make events more real for jurors. But when it comes to getting these lay witnesses, lawyers have to be willing to do the legwork.Tune in to gain valuable insights and strategies for building a compelling case through effective lay witnesses.Featured GuestName: Malorie J. PeacockAbout: Malorie J. Peacock is a Partner at Cowen Rodriguez Peacock. She was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas and received her J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center. During her time with Cowen Rodriguez Peacock, Malorie has worked on numerous commercial vehicle, trucking, and wrongful death cases. Malorie brings close attention to detail, commitment to finding safety issues and areas of neglect, continued utilization of technology and cutting-edge visuals in cases, along with a sincere passion to help those who have been hurt, to each and every case.Company: Cowen Rodriguez PeacockConnect: LinkedInConnect with Trial Lawyer Nation☑️ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn.☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.

There are great episodes and there are John Romano episodes. This is not one you want to miss.On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, Michael sits down with legendary trial lawyer John Romano as he shares wisdom acquired over five decades of law practice. John reveals valuable insights into the mindset of a winning trial attorney, practical preparation tips, the importance of  jury research, and even shares his pre-trial preparation checklist. Through personal anecdotes, John also addresses the fear frequently felt by young lawyers and offers practical advice for persevering.There’s still time to sign up for Cowen’s Big Rig Boot Camp CLE Trucking Seminar. We’ll be covering the Nine-Step Method for Maximizing Value in Trucking Cases, Proving Corporate Negligence, Claims Against Other Parties, and more! Register now at BigRigBootCamp.comFeatured GuestName: John RomanoAbout: John Romano is a founding partner of Romano Law Group, a personal injury law firm located in West Palm Beach, Florida. John has successfully represented clients in a wide range of personal injury cases, including auto accidents, wrongful death, medical malpractice, and has successfully litigated to a verdict nearly every type of civil and criminal case. He 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.Company: Romano Law GroupConnect: LinkedInConnect with Trial Lawyer Nation☑️ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn.☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.