Episodes

The lawyer who prepares hardest is not always the lawyer the jury believes. Heather Rogers, the first public defender of Santa Cruz County, California, has spent more than 20 years learning that a trial is won by the story jurors repeat to each other in the deliberation room, not by the perfect binder. With host Kevin Morrison, Heather walks through her three trial tips: preparation is power, connection over perfection, and be yourself. She explains why the theory of the case works as a North St...

Trial credibility often comes down to restraint: knowing when not to object, what to leave out, and how to keep a jury's attention on what matters. Craig M. Peters, a partner at Altair Law in San Francisco, joins host Kevin Morrison to share trial tips from his path from public defender to plaintiff's attorney. Craig holds back on objections whenever possible, arguing a heads-up to opposing counsel builds trust with the jury. He distills each witness to three key points, paired with simple hand-...

Over his career as a federal district judge in six districts, he tried over 400 jury trials. When host Kevin Morrison asks retired Hon. Mark W. Bennett to explain that passion, the answer is simple: He believes in the Seventh Amendment. But while the amendment guarantees the right to a jury trial, it doesn’t guarantee a win. In this conversation, Judge Bennett recalls why lawyers won based on his view from the bench. Tune in for his insights about what makes his skin crawl at opening, why you wa...

Most trial lawyers are taught what to say in the courtroom. Charla Aldous built a 40-year career on something harder: being completely herself — and she believes it's the only path to real credibility. Charla, founder of Aldous Law in Dallas, joins host Kevin Morrison to share three principles that define her practice. Beyond authenticity, she breaks down how to catch opposing counsel off guard — keeping them nervous and off-balance — and how to think outside the box by reordering witnesses and ...

“Mini openings are a gift,” says Michael A. Kelly. “They’re guaranteed by statute.” A shareholder at Walkup, Melodia, Kelly + Schoenberger in San Francisco, Mike joins host Kevin Morrison to deliver his top three trial tips. A member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, the International Academy, the American College, and the International Society of Barristers, Mike brings hard-won experience to three high-impact topics: leveraging mini openings and voir dire to get your damages number out early, ...

Currently in trial on a landmark social media case, Rahul Ravipudi takes time out to share his battle-tested philosophies in this episode of “Verdict Academy.” A partner at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi in Los Angeles, Rahul is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates and all four elite invitation-only trial organizations: ABOTA, IATL, ISOB, and ACTL. With host Kevin Morrison, he breaks down his top three tips for trial lawyers. Tune in to hear what they are. Learn More and Connect ☑️ Rahul Ravipud...

“Liar, cheat, ambulance-chaser.” If you ask people what they think of lawyers, those pejoratives are often high on the list. When you ask people what they’d like lawyers to be, the answer is almost always “a teacher.” That’s why, if you ask Randi McGinn for her first tip for lawyers, her answer is to be the human in the courtroom, not the lawyer. A partner at McGinn Montoya Love Curry & Sievers in Albuquerque, Randi sits down with host Kevin Morrison to share that tip and two others that she’s l...

When his dad was diagnosed with cancer at age 53, Rich Schoenberger was unsure about his future. He and his dad had a heart-to-heart. He might want to be a lawyer, he said. “What’s the best place to learn how to be a trial lawyer?” his father asked. “I have no idea.” “Well, why don’t you find out?” Some four decades later, Rich is a leading plaintiffs’ attorney and member of the “big four” invitation-only trial organizations. Reflecting on that formative conversation with his father, he tells ho...

The traditional way to study juror behavior is with a focus group of 10 or 12 mock jurors. Multiply that by 25 or 30, and you have big data: a technique that studies how 300 or 400 people would evaluate a case. The idea is that a large sample can reveal what’s likely to occur in a case and why. John Campbell, a pioneer in the field of big data who co-authored the groundbreaking book “JuryBall,” visits host Kevin Morrison to unpack his insights from studying more than 1,300 civil cases. Tune in t...

Host Kevin Morrison once tried a case against Jerry Popovich. “I can tell you he is top-notch, among the best I've ever gone against,” Kevin says. But don’t take it only from Kevin. Jerry is also a member of three invitation-only trial lawyer organizations with more than 80 jury trials under his belt. Speaking with Kevin on today’s podcast – not in a courtroom – Jerry shares three key trial tips. Tune in for his insights about focus groups, jury selection, and witness examination. Learn More an...

Karen Burgess once sang to a jury in closing argument. And she’s not even an accomplished singer. But it reflects her strategy for closing argument, and she reveals why to host Kevin Morrison. A member of the “big four” invitation-only organizations – the American Board of Trial Advocates, International Academy of Trial Lawyers, American College of Trial Lawyers, and International Society of Barristers – Karen also founded her Austin-based boutique firm, Burgess Law. Tune in for her insights on ...

“There's no single solution or single approach for every case,” says Walter "Wally" Yoka, who should know – after a remarkable career spanning 40 years. A nationally recognized defense attorney and member of invitation-only organizations such as the American Board of Trial Advocates, Wally has tried cases involving products liability, commercial disputes, class actions, and catastrophic personal injuries. Tune into this conversation with host Kevin Morrison, where Wally shares gems to inspire yo...

In four decades of med-mal practice, Jim Bostwick knows that he can’t fix clients who have been failed by the medical system. “But you can really make a difference in their lives.” In this conversation with host Kevin Morrison, Jim explains how he does just that. The difference, says the founder of Bostwick & Associates and member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, often comes down to expert selection, case selection, powerful themes, and confronting bad facts head-on. Learn More and Connect ☑️ ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K_1ql_Un5Q&t=59s Today, Gene Brown Jr. is a member of the “Big Four” invitation-only organizations of elite trial lawyers: the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, American College of Trial Lawyers, American Board of Trial Advocates, and International Society of Barristers. But his first trial? “I was so nervous that I sat for my opening. I examined witnesses from counsel table, and I finally garnered enough courage to stand up and do a closing.” Gene won tha...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7khcOikMS5w&t=1s “Being a defendant,” says leading defense lawyer Chris Beeman, “one of the benefits of getting to trial is that the plaintiffs do go first, so it gives the defense time to continue getting organized.” And being organized is critical, Chris says as he reflects on lessons learned from his 65 jury trials. In this conversation with host Kevin Morrison, Chris also discusses transitioning from liability to damages arguments, using technology effectivel...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQu2Ub6jLRo Fifty years: same firm, same building, same parking space. “There is something about stability in my background,” Dan Kelly says as he reflects on his legendary career. There is also wisdom to be shared, which Dan does with host Kevin Morrison in the inaugural episode of “Verdict Academy.” A retired partner from Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger and a contributor to “Plaintiff” magazine, Dan discusses three fundamental aspects of trial practice: c...

What separates trial lawyers who consistently win from those who do not? The answer is not in casebooks—it is in the conversations that happen spontaneously in the office, in quiet moments after a tough trial, and in the mentorship that used to define our profession. Verdict Academy captures these disappearing moments. Host Kevin Morrison, a nationally recognized top trial attorney, sits down with America's most accomplished trial lawyers to extract the insights you did not learn in law school...