Using Your Professional Network to Win Cases
The Beatles wrote “With a little help from my friends,” a great song, but also a sentiment every lawyer should consider to help gain an edge in the practice of law. When genuine professional friendships are established — not just exchanging business cards — it can make an enormous difference in helping you win your case.
Getting help from your legal peers certainly applies to the help I received from many good friends getting ready for a truck accident trial last year in Jackson, Michigan. A jury returned a verdict of $3.5 million for my clients, who were seriously injured in a truck accident in April 2008. The insurance company had offered $1 million to settle the case.
While many of us would consider the basic experts while preparing for a case, such as a jury consultant, there are many types of specialists who can assist and share their legal knowledge.
Ken Levinson, Chicago, Illinois. Ken teaches psychodrama at the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College and speaks at seminars around the country. Ken helped me to better present the human story at trial. Psychodrama is a powerful weapon for lawyers that helps us tell the “human story” of what our clients have truly gone through, and gets us beyond the sometimes mind-numbing picture that we would otherwise get from medical records and doctor depositions.
Morgan Adams, Chattanooga, Tennessee. Morgan is a top-notch truck accident lawyer and past chair of the American Association for Justice Truck Accident Litigation Group. Morgan helped me prepare for the live cross-examination of the trucking company owner at trial, and was another very helpful set of eyes when I was reviewing log books. Together we counted a number of FMCSA violations that the truck company and its truck driver had violated in the 30 days before this terrible truck accident.
Dorothy Sims, Ocala, Florida. Dottie helped me put together a cross-examination of the defendant’s psychiatrist that damaged her credibility in the courtroom. These experts are paid enormous amounts of money in the “soft” sciences of psychiatry and neuropsychology to find nothing wrong with honest people; and Dottie’s expertise helped me discount the psychiatrist’s testimony.
Phil Miller, Nashville, Tennessee. Phil is a very accomplished lawyer and trial consultant who works with trial lawyers from around the country. Phil was gracious enough to review my opening statement and discuss case strategy as well as order of proofs.
Randy Musbach, Chelsea, Michigan. Randy grew up in Jackson and has practiced there for more than 20 years. Being intimately familiar with the city and its neighborhoods, Randy graciously agreed to sit with me during voir dire, when we were picking a jury. Randy even helped me identify the family member of a local defense insurance lawyer.
Richard Jenson, Austin, Texas. Richard is one of the most respected jury consultants in the business today. Richard and I discussed the list of jurors together before we started jury selection.
Mark Granzotto, Royal Oak, Michigan. As an appellate attorney, Mark came to my office for an afternoon and gave me his thoughts on how far I could push on certain issues. Knowing Mark proofed my case for appealable issues made it easier to be aggressive and ultimately helped lead to the great verdict we got for my clients.
Why are these professional relationships so important? Because at some point, every lawyer must come face to face with the realization that there is simply not enough time to be a master of everything. We cannot do it all ourselves , even if we somehow did have unlimited time. One case may require knowledge of several completely different areas of law.
Establishing professional friendships takes time and sweat equity. It is built up slowly as incremental deposits by first helping others. This starts by first giving freely of your own time, answering questions for fellow lawyers on list serves, speaking at seminars, volunteering to serve on attorney groups and committees. It is cemented by networking after these seminars at dinners and over meals.
Lawyers should always take the opportunity to build their professional relationships every chance they get. Level the playing field by developing strong relationships with lawyers you trust and respect from across the country, and from which you can call upon for help and assistance.
Steven M. Gursten is a partner of Michigan Auto Law and is past president of the American Association for Justice Truck Litigation Group. Steve recovers some of the highest reported settlements and jury verdicts in Michigan every year, including the top-reported car accident or truck verdict and settlement in 2008, 2009 and 2010, according to Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
You can read more on Steve’s Michigan Auto Lawyers Blog, follow him on Twitter as @MichiganAutoLaw or become a fan on his Michigan Auto Law Facebook page.
