(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading...
In this Trial Lawyer Nation podcast, Michael talks with one of the nation’s top trial attorneys, Mikal Watts about his pursuit of the goals he established at a very young age which forced him to make some tough decisions early on in his career. Fear, exhilaration, and even his wife thinking he was crazy couldn’t keep Mikal from doing what had to be done before it was too late in his career.
Mikal describes the choices that were made when he initially started his own practice and their unlikely, yet practical, reasoning. Mikal also recalls his first big solo case and how literally moving some furniture around helped him put his best foot forward and became a pivotal moment for his practice. Mikal offers advice on the do’s and doesn’t for those looking to start their own firm, in addition to some of the sacrifices and deferred gratification that comes with the territory.
While there have been many to date, Mikal shares with Michael some of the verdicts that he has been most proud of thus far, such as his first case against Chrysler, and how those cases have added to the value of his practice beyond just the dollars and cents. Mikal delivers practical keys to success for the courtroom and how to truly connect with the jurors in the room, which by the way, have become keenly proficient in detecting BS (both factual and unscrupulous).
At the same time, both Michael and Mikal recognize and discuss the absolute need to break subjects down into their simplest terms (Mikal’s metaphor for tire tread is simply priceless). Humility and modesty shine through as Mikal describes his firm’s ethos and attitude for sharing with other lawyers, not unlike Michael and his firm, and the inherent benefits that come with such an inclusive environment, for both the firm and more importantly the clients they serve.
This podcast concludes with an important discussion of the biggest threats to the legal industry to which Mikal’s thoughts may surprise even the most seasoned attorney.
Background on Mikal Watts:
Mikal Carter Watts is the founding Partner of Watts Guerra LLP. He was born in Corpus Christi, TX in 1967. Mikal attended The University of Texas in Austin where he completed his undergraduate degree in two years. He then went on to the UT School of Law, where he also graduated in two years at the age of twenty-one. Following college, Mikal accepted a position working for The Honorable Thomas R. Phillips, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, as a briefing attorney from 1989-1990. In 1997 Mikal opened his own law firm in his hometown and in 2006 he relocated to San Antonio.
Mikal was married in 1993 to his lovely wife Tammy. Together they have three children, Taylor, Hailey and Brandon as well as two grandsons, Caleb and Austin. His interests include spending time with his family, attending church, Spurs basketball games, and Longhorn football games.
For more information on Mikal Watts visit http://www.wattsguerra.com/lawyers/mikal-c-watts
-
140 – Maxey Scherr – From Theater to Trial: Maxey Scherr on Starting Strong, Establishing Your Reputation, and Letting Go
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 Guest
Name: Maxey Scherr
About: 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 Firm
Connect: LinkedIn
Episode Highlights
[3:54] Blazing new roads: Maxey has attended every ATAA Annual Symposium. She was one of the first woman attorneys to gain board certification in truck accident law and is continually studying and learning to improve her craft.
[8:46] Theater kid to trial lawyer: Maxey’s background in theater has played a role in her courtroom success by preparing her to confront an audience and face her fears using the methods of psychodrama.
[10:51] Setting a precedent: A trial lawyer’s reputation is based in part on having a reputation for trying cases. Settling low or quickly sets a standard for future cases, but so does willingness and commitment to trying cases. “If you’re going to accept the case, try it,” says Maxey.
[17:18] Starting strong: When starting Scherr Law Firm, Maxey brought over a former client who suffered a TBI in a truck accident and, after a $300,000 settlement offer, ended up securing the first eight figure verdict in El Paso since the 1990s.
[24:48] Never TMI about TBI: Brain injuries can be difficult to detect and argue to the defense. But with a background in neuroscience, Maxey stays up to date on the rapidly evolving neurological research field, using the latest findings to counteract the defense’s misrepresentations of these “invisible injuries.”
[37:05] Legal logistics: One of the proudest moments of Maxey’s career came from representing Mexican nationals in a truck accident case against FedEx and a U.S. government contractor that involved cross-border litigation challenges.
[49:45] Parenting, litigating, and trust: As a mother, Maxey has learned to let go and trust her son to choose his own path–a lesson that has translated to the courtroom and trusting the jury to make the right decision.
Connect with Trial Lawyer Nation
☑️ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn.
☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and 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.
-
142 – Ed Ciarimboli – Visuals, Sequencing, and Zoom: Ed Ciarimboli on Trying Cases Post-COVID
Trying cases is an evolving process. And if you’ve been doing the same thing for 25 years, you’ve probably been doing something wrong for the past 24 years. From shorter jury attention spans, to Zooming in experts, to condensing information, and incorporating more visuals, courtroom trial techniques and jury expectations have changed significantly following COVID.
On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, host Michael Cowen speaks with Ed Ciarimboli, a trial lawyer out of Pennsylvania who’s tried close to 100 cases since the beginning of his career.
Tune in to hear Ed share how his approach to trials has changed in the post-COVID world and get his tips on how to adapt your trial strategies to “move the needle toward victory.” And how can you overcome the fear of losing cases? Get comfortable with yourself and realize that there are things that you can control and things you can not.
Don’t miss out! Michael’s book, Big Rig Justice: A Comprehensive Guide to Maximizing Value in Truck Accident Cases is now available!
Featured Guest
Name: Ed Ciarimboli
Ed Ciarimboli is a founding partner in the Eastern Pennsylvania law firm of Fellerman & Ciarimboli Law P.C. Ed concentrates his practice on trucking and auto collision and medical malpractice litigation. He is Board Certified by the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys and Board Certified in Truck Accident Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Ed has been selected for inclusion in the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers® list every year since 2008.
Ed graduated from Wilkes University with a dual degree in political science and engineering and applied science. He earned his J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law. After graduating from law school, Ed served as a law clerk to the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas and the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Company: Fellerman & Ciarimboli Law P.C.
Connect: LinkedIn
Episode Highlights
[08:36] Learning and evolving: Ed views trying cases as an art where you’re always pushing the envelope and trying new things, some of which will work and some will not. He says that if you’re always doing things the same way, “you’re not learning and evolving.”
[10:31] Getting over fear: Throughout the course of his practice, Ed has learned that a big part of getting over the fear of losing cases or not doing well at trial is accepting that there are things that are in your control and things that are not.
[12:41] Don’t talk to jurors afterwards: Ed follows the advice once given to him by a judge, which is to never talk to jurors after a case regardless of the outcome.
[16:51] Take care of yourself first: Ed’s advice on dealing with stress is to take care of yourself first, both mentally and physically.
[19:34] Using visual summaries: One of the things Ed learned while trying cases during COVID was to condense large volumes of information into visual summaries so that the jury can get all the information they need to make a decision, and to do it quickly, and in a way that leaves an impression.
[29:44] Zooming into the courtroom: Pre-COVID, Ed rarely used Zoom. Now Zoom is commonplace and jurors expect it, especially with expert witnesses.
[31:12] Move quickly but not in a hurry: Post-Covid, juror attention spans and trials have gotten shorter. Give the jury the information they need to make a favorable decision and don’t waste their time.
[39:32] Jury selection and masks: Jurors who wear masks can be polarizing and impact the group dynamic of a jury. Both Michael and Ed don’t select jurors who wear a mask.
[41:00] Sharing resources: Ed graciously shares a PowerPoint presentation that he’s done on visual aids. You can download the presentation here.
Connect with Trial Lawyer Nation
☑️ Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn.
☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and 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.
-
117 – Isabella Santellan – How to Build a Referral-Based Practice
When it comes to personal injury law, the client-firm relationship can be fairly transactional. Most clients aren’t talking about their personal injury cases with their network, and lawyers hope that their clients don’t get injured again and become repeat customers.
But when you have mostly transactional, single-case relationships with clients, how can you gain more business? If your personal injury clients aren’t telling their network about you, who will?
One of the most rewarding methods for gaining more business is referral marketing. Creating longstanding attorney referral relationships gives you a pipeline for more cases, helps you build a reputation, and keeps your firm top of mind in the industry. However, in order to succeed with referral-based marketing, you have to cultivate your relationships and think about what the other person wants.
According to Michael Cowen and the team at Cowen Rodriguez Peacock, you have to give back in order to grow your referral-based business. Take referring attorneys out to lunch or to an event that they would enjoy. Or, give them a gift that’s personalized (and doesn’t have your firm’s name or logo on it). However you decide to show gratitude to your referral partners, it’s important that you create a system to follow up, check in every now and then, and continue nurturing that relationship.
Above all, Michael says that it’s important to create a culture of sharing and respect and keep your promises with referring attorneys. You don’t have to take every case that comes your way, and you can’t guarantee the outcome of a case. You can, however, promise to work hard, keep clients informed, and honor the deal you made.
In episode 117, Isabella Santellan, the Marketing Assistant at Cowen Rodriguez Peacock, asks Michael Cowen all of the essential questions about building a referral-based business and tending to referral relationships. Listen to this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation to hear Michael’s advice on building a referral network and nurturing relationships, turning down referral cases, and simplifying the referral process for your firm.
Featured Guest
Name: Isabella Santellan
About: Isabella Santellan is the Marketing Assistant at Cowen Rodriguez Peacock. She was born and raised in San Antonio, TX and recently received her B.B.A in Management from the University of Texas at San Antonio. As the Marketing Assistant, Isabella runs the firm’s social media, helps plan events, and works to ensure they provide an unforgettable experience to everyone they work with. In her free time, Isabella enjoys traveling, golfing, and spending time with her family.
Company: Cowen Rodriguez Peacock
Connect: LinkedIn
Key Points
Top takeaways from this episode
- Start with the people you already know (and don’t be too picky about cases). It’s difficult to come out of law school and have the reputation and network needed to create a referral-based business. Michael Cowen suggests you get your foot in the door by being hungry, humble, and persistent. Take cases from those who are already in your network and expand your business from there.
- Give your referring attorneys what they want. It’s important to stay top of mind when you’re building a referral-based business. How do you do this? Michael says you need to give back to your referral partners. Take your referring attorneys to lunch or to an event that they might enjoy. You could also give them a call, send a handwritten thank you note, or give them a gift (without your firm’s name or logo on it). However you show gratitude, you have to do so with the other person in mind.
- Nurture your existing referrals. When trying to build a referral-based business, many firms make the mistake of moving on to new referrals without nurturing existing partnerships. But the key is to create longstanding relationships with attorney referrals. It’s much harder to convince someone new to send you the first case, and it’s more fruitful to put effort into the connections that are already sending business your way.
Episode Highlights
[02:40] The foundation of great attorney referral relationships: The key to establishing great referral relationships is nurturing your connections, setting expectations upfront, and making sure you stay top of mind.
[06:05] The three things a referring lawyer or co-counsel wants: Every referring lawyer or co-counsel wants as much money as possible, as quickly as possible, without client complaints. Michael Cowen breaks down the details of how to achieve this.
[07:27] How to keep a referring lawyer’s attention: Michael shares Cowen Rodriguez Peacock’s strategies for keeping a referring lawyer’s attention and making sure they choose you over competitors.
[09:07] Turning down a referral’s case: The number one step to respectfully turn down a referral’s case is to do it swiftly. It’s hard to say no, but it’s better than accepting a case that you’ll later regret. Michael also suggests directing a case to a different firm and offering a possible solution.
[12:00] What you can and can’t guarantee to a referring lawyer: You can’t guarantee the outcome of a case, but you can promise that you’ll work hard and keep the team informed about the details of a case.
[13:13] How a new attorney can build their referral network: Start with people you already know. From there, you can build out your network and run your business on referrals. Especially when starting out, you have to get your foot in the door — you can’t be too picky about cases until you build your reputation.
[18:30] Michael’s experience with referrals: Michael shares his advice for working with referring lawyers and developing your referral process. He also talks about the big mistakes he made early in his career and how you can avoid those same mistakes.
[25:32] Simplifying the referral process: The key to simplifying the process for referring attorneys is to remove the bottlenecks. If you’re busy, put them in contact with someone else on your team who can give them the time and attention they need. For Michael, getting clear on criteria for automatic ‘yeses’ and ‘nos’ can help simplify the process as well.
[26:51] Other methods to gain referrals: Michael explains how his seminar, Big Rig Boot Camp, and his podcast create a referral funnel and generate more business.
[30:43] What to do after you win the referral: It can be tempting to constantly look for new referrals, but Michael advises you to spend more time and effort on your existing referral relationships.
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.
Just listened to Michael’s interview with Mikal Watts. What a great interview! Thank you both for sharing your knowledge and for your willingness to mentor others. I need to find a friend with a shiny head in case I pick up a tire case! Haha. Thank you for your candor as well in the lessons you learned as you grew your practice.