In this episode, Michael Cowen and Sonia Rodriguez reflect on the past year’s key lessons, emphasizing the importance of maximizing case value, the role of AI in legal practice, and the significance of clear communication and consistency within a law firm. They discuss how AI has been a game-changer in processing information and finding consistencies in data, despite its imperfections. The conversation also highlights the need for clarity in communication with team members and the benefits of maintaining consistency in work practices.
Featured Guest
Name: Sonia Rodriguez
About: Sonia has represented only plaintiffs for nearly 20 years. She practices in the areas of personal injury trial and appellate law.
Company: Cowen | Rodriguez | Peacock
Connect: LinkedIn
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168 – Mike Alder – Why Lawyers Need Discipline, Consistency, and a Spiked Meditation Mat
Three decades as a trial lawyer; 30 trials; more than $3 billion in verdicts and settlements; thriving practices: Ask Mike Alder how he does it, and his answer is simple.
“Take a cold shower and make your bed.”
Make your bed, every day, because it teaches the discipline a trial lawyer needs. Prefer a warm shower? Take a cold one anyway, because stepping outside your comfort zone prepares a trial lawyer for dealing with stressful situations.
In this wide-ranging conversation with host Michael Cowen, Mike reflects on the personal habits (meditating on a spiked mat) and professional strategies (doing small disciplines over time) that have contributed to his success. Tune in to learn his equation for excellence, recipe for losing your life, and daily routines. They’ve taken years to develop, “but now, I’m cooking with gas, and that is what it takes.”
Featured Guest
Name: Mike Alder
About: Mike is owner and senior trial attorney at AlderLaw, a leading Los Angeles firm that represents plaintiffs in personal injury, business torts, and employment litigation cases. He pursues all cases on behalf of his clients who have suffered injustices.
Connect: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Email
Episode Highlights
[01:33] “It’s a Good Living”: Over a three-decade career, Mike has 30 trials to his credit, with more than $3 billion in verdicts and settlements.
[03:34] Paying It Forward: Mike runs a program in which he pays half of a new lawyer’s trial costs and preparation costs if they agree not to settle for cheap, but rather try the case.
[07:33] Letting Go: Establishing his own firm, Mike discovered that he couldn’t handle both operations and big trials, so he learned to accept what he’s good at and hire the right people for other roles.
[11:10] Equation for Excellence: “Excellence equals consistent, mostly ordinary behavior done over time to create good habits that you combine with other good habits that make you excellent,” Mike says.
[17:03] A Good Pain: Mike swears by his spiked meditation mat because it “focuses the hell out of you.”
[20:14] Dirty Words: Don’t say “work-life balance” in front of Mike or his wife. They believe the expression implies that “if I take this, then I take away from the other.” In fact, they say, you can “have it all” as long as you make priority decisions at certain times.
[26:54] The Common Denominator: Mike recently added a workers’ compensation practice that often crosses into employment law. Ultimately, “it’s all based around helping people.”
[29:18] “Per-chlor What?” When he took on a groundwater contamination case, Mike couldn’t pronounce the name of the chemical. But over time, he learned it, and he and the jury were speaking the same language.
Connect with Trial Lawyer Nation
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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.
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170 – Dirk Derrick – Leveraging the Transformative Power of Focus Groups
South Carolina PI attorney Dirk Derrick joins host Michael Cowen for an in-depth discussion about Dirk’s innovative approach to focus groups.
By prioritizing truth-seeking and empowering clients through data-driven decisions, Dirk’s team uses focus groups to maximize case values. Plaintiffs’ attorneys who want to learn more are invited to request access to his podcast, “The Appraisers,” where other plaintiffs’ attorneys share case studies from their focus groups.
Featured Guest
Name: Dirk Derrick
About: Dirk’s firm, Derrick Law Firm Injury Lawyers, has nearly 30 attorneys practicing in 10 locations across South Carolina. He has obtained information from 10,000 South Carolinians and watched 700 focus group juries deliberate. He partners with data scientists to develop a proprietary interactive database to analyze the data.
Company: Derrick Law Firm Injury Lawyers
Connect: LinkedIn | Facebook | X | YouTube | Instagram
Episode Highlights
[04:31] Prioritizing Client Service: Dirk shares his hiring strategy to ensure that clients have support not only from their lawyer but also paralegals, bills and records, and others.
[06:37] It Starts on Social Media: Focus groups start by gathering participants; for Dirk’s team, that means inviting potential members via social media. From there, the process includes vetting the participants, presenting arguments, and following up with questionnaires.
[13:08] Game-Changer: Dirk explains how his focus group program has changed “every part of our practice, of how we build cases.”
[16:48] Insurance Leverages: Insurance companies have four main leverages over plaintiffs’ attorneys and their clients. Dirk outlines each.
[25:36] Everyone’s Invited: The firm’s focus groups include participants on all sides of any issue, including insurance adjusters and ex-defense lawyers. Dirk explains the strategy.
[31:39] The Appraisers: Plaintiffs’ attorneys are invited to request access to this closed podcast, where they can hear case studies from other lawyers who have used focus groups. Click here to sign up.
[35:36] The Anti-Marketer: Years ago, Dirk had a static website and did not actively market. One night, he told his wife that he planned to pursue a marketing strategy. She thought he’d gone crazy.
Connect with Trial Lawyer Nation
☑️ Follow us on X, 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.
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177- Leon Dacbert – Your Firm Has Legal Software. Now What?
“We want our technology to create a better experience for clients and employees, not just one more extra task to do every day,” says Leon Dacbert, a lawyer and chief technology officer at Begum Law Group. Leon joins host Michael Cowen to share his experience transitioning from server-based case management software to cloud solutions. Drawing from his personal journey of selecting, implementing, and customizing legal software, Leon offers practical guidance on avoiding costly mistakes, ensuring smooth transitions, and using technology to genuinely improve client care rather than simply adding administrative burden.
Click here to learn about the firm’s Big Rig Boot Camp on July 10.Michael and Malorie welcome listener questions for a new “Ask Michael and Malorie Anything” feature. To submit a question, email Michael.
Featured Guest
Name: Leon Dacbert
About: Leon advocates for those who have suffered injuries such as through car crashes or slip-and-falls. He is also the firm’s chief technology officer, where he pushes the boundaries of technology in the legal industry.
Company: Begum Law Group on LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
Connect: LinkedIn
Episode Highlights
[02:09] Becoming a Tech-Lawyer Hybrid: Leon’s journey from being “the family tech guy” to leading technology implementation at his law firm while maintaining his legal practice.
[05:16] Lawyer vs. Techie: The unique advantage of having a lawyer lead technology implementation is their understanding of case pipelines and legal workflows that non-lawyer tech specialists often miss.
[07:59] Client Feedback Systems: Leon describes implementing software to gather client feedback at key points in a case’s lifecycle, from intake through resolution.
[10:06] Selecting Software: When choosing case management software, consider the ecosystem around it—what developers and vendors are available to support the platform.
[12:13] Sales vs. Reality: Beware polished product demos from salespeople. Always insist on a “sandbox” or demo account to test the software yourself before committing.
[17:29] Incremental Approach: Rather than trying to implement every possible feature at launch, start by copying your current processes into the new system.
[19:24] Ensuring Data Quality: The key to reliable dashboards is ensuring staff enter accurate data—Leon explains his “give and take” approach to incentivize proper data entry.
[22:56] Better Experience: The ultimate goal of technology implementation should be improving experiences for both clients and staff, not adding bureaucratic burden.
Connect with Trial Lawyer Nation
☑️ Follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, and 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.
