On the last full business day of 2024, we take a look back on our past year.

Maybe you've played the game Rose, Bud, Thorn. Well, that's our format for today.

We've had some really good things happen in 2024. For one, we were able to help our clients get some sense of justice. Bob received his board certification in Truck Accident Law from the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

We also a thorn of sorts -- we did not get a chance to try any cases to a jury this year. This is the first year in the last several years where we did not get to try one.

We also have several buds in the works. New team members joining the team. Lots of cases -- particularly tractor trailer and other commercial motor vehicle cases -- that we will litigating and getting ready for trial.

In all, 2024 was a good year, one where we laid a lot of groundwork for big things to come!

#triallawyers #yearinreview

Some trial attorneys will discuss the concept of fear, that gripping emotion that can cause us to doubt just about everything that we are doing.

Oftentimes, those discussions of fear are general in nature but are not really identified. That makes fear this boogey man that is lurking but mysterious, never really able to be mastered.

In this episode, we do a deep dive into the various types of fears that trial lawyers face. We identify the types of fears that pop up, identify when they are most likely to happen, and discuss ways that we have confronted and overcome those fears.

Those fears include:

• fear of failure and losing;
• fear of rejection;
• fear of the "unknowns";
• performance anxiety;
• fear of getting in trouble or making mistakes

Any attorney who is doing things on their own will feel, at least temporarily, these emotions. And there can be a healthy dose of fear when doing these things.

We identify when those fears become unhealthy and offer tips for triumphing over fear.

There is an old African proverb that says, "if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

Trying cases to juries is done best when you use a team approach.

In this episode, we'll talk about some of the hazards of solo trial work. Sure, you can do a jury trial by yourself. You can handle every phase of the trial, from jury selection to opening, direct exams, to crosses, jury instructions to motions to strike.

But flying solo is not the best or most effective way to try a case. There are just too many phases of trial with too much depth for you to be able o do everything as well as possible.

We will talk not just about the benefits of teamwork, but we'll focus on the specific roles that should be filled when you are building out your trial team roster.

We'll go beyond first and second chairs and talk about the witness wrangler, the tech guru, the designated hitter, the legal eagle back at the office, and the gatekeeper who is guarding the home front.

This has worked for us. It has not only improved our results, but it has made things much less stressful, much more fun, and everyone is deeply invested.

#triallawyer #teambuilding #lawyerlife #trialteam #dreamteam