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In this Trial Lawyer Nation podcast, Michael Cowen sits down with Ohio attorney, Andy Young, who like Michael, specializes in trucking cases.
Andy’s journey over the past 20 years of practicing law and ultimately specializing in trucking cases started by accident when his hobby for rehabbing trucks, as well as starting a trucking company, turned out to be more valuable than he expected where he was being asked to speak at various trucking litigation groups. Essentially his passion for “anything on wheels” and his upbringing around big equipment propelled him toward the industry as well. He goes on to establish upfront that he indeed does not hate the trucking industry as some might conclude by having become a trucking attorney. Andy cares deeply for the truck drivers as well as the component of the industry that treats the drivers well while also explaining in great detail the parts of the industry he does not care for, which abuses the drivers and stokes safety issues all in the name of profits. He goes on to say that everything he does “ultimately is in favor of safety and in favor of the truck drivers too.”
Beyond filing lawsuits to try and improve the trucking industry, Andy is also involved in several advocacy efforts having originally become involved through some articles he had written and published back in 2011 on underride crashes, which have evolved all the way through giving testimony to Congress on the issue. He talks through some of the efforts that he’s been a part of in shining a light on the issues that surround truck crashes, specifically underride guards and rear guards, where the industry has made significant strides to reduce fatalities from crashes involving underrides in Europe, but continue to lack in the United States. While Andy has started to see the needle move a little bit in regards to instituting safety features that would prevent such fatalities, he also sees the trailer manufactures resist the urge to make their products safer while using federal regulations as a scapegoat for not making these life-saving improvements. This transitions into Andy sharing how helpful it can be for the families who have lost a family member to a truck crash to become active in safety advocacy as a way to give them some purpose to their loss.
Michael asks Andy, with his unique perspective as a truck driver and running a trucking company, what he’s learned to make him a better trucking lawyer. Undoubtedly, Andy refers to his time behind the wheel as being the most valuable and suggests that those who are looking to be great trucking lawyers do what Michael Cowen did and go to truck driving school to get a more intimate understanding of what truck drivers experience as well as a better understanding of what it’s like to maneuver such large pieces of equipment. Andy also continues to use his truck driving skills as a part of a small race car team where he drives the truck that carries the car and finds himself constantly thinking about his cases every time he gets behind the wheel. This has allowed him to more effectively communicate with truck drivers better and understand things that perhaps other attorneys might not consider. He goes on to describe several examples of how this has come in handy citing personal experiences that have helped him to debunk some theories placed on truck drivers in cases when it comes to the speeds they travel at in relation to what gear they are in, which he notes has “been very, very beneficial.”
The conversation shifts to Andy discussing his great results in the face of some fairly tough fact patterns, where Andy goes into detail regarding his litmus test on how he decides whether to take on a case. It’s worth noting that he does not think it matters whether his client has hit the back of a truck, has had a DUI, were speeding, or had some other issues going on. Instead, he looks at the truck driver and the truck company to see if they created a hazard whereby a crash would not have happened otherwise to determine if the case is worth pursuing or not. He goes into further details on case selection tips, including spending some money upfront to explore how the hazard was created and/or how it was confronted.
Moving the conversation into the courtroom, and wrapping up this podcast, Andy describes some of his techniques and analogies he uses to keep his case in a positive light including one he uses with his clients who are angry about their loss (rightfully so) but are in need of help to not become their case’s worst enemy by displaying their hostility. Another analogy he uses with his clients refers to how to determine what’s important and what’s not at trial, which he’s found to resonate well with his clients when he establishes the analogy with his clients early on. Andy also uses a technique where his client’s home is used as a witness, which is truly fascinating and the way he walks through it, literally and figuratively, can really give things a whole new perspective. Truly some incredible strategies and techniques worth listening to and incorporating into any case that’s going to trial.
BACKGROUND
Andrew (Andy) R. Young concentrates his practice on catastrophic truck crashes and wrongful death litigation. He holds an active, interstate, Class A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and regularly drives his own Peterbilt semi-tractor and 45-foot racecar trailer. He has testified as a Truck Safety Advocate before the U.S. House of Representatives, Subcommittee on Highways and Transit. He is a member of the Owner Operators Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA). He has testified on behalf of OOIDA and the Ohio Association for Justice’s Truck Safety Section before the Ohio Senate Transportation Committee. He serves as an Executive Officer of the AAJ Trucking Litigation Group and is the immediate, past-president of the Lorain County Bar Association (LCBA). Mr. Young is “AV” rated by Martindale-Hubbell, has been included in Ohio Super Lawyers, and has received numerous awards from AAJ TLG, OAJ, and was the LCBA Member of the Year in 2016. Mr. Young serves on the Board of Regents for the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (ATAA) and serves as the ATAA’s current Education Chair. He lectures frequently at continuing legal education programs on trucking litigation and trial advocacy. Mr. Young has served as a Moderator and on the Organization Committee for two industry “Truck Underride Roundtables” hosted at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) at their crash test facility in Ruckersville, Virginia. Mr. Young is also member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). Mr. Young is a partner with Young and McCarthy, LLP, located in Cleveland, Ohio and works with attorneys throughout the nation.
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123 – Tom Kherkher – How Lawyers Can Make It Big on Social Media
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Before opening his own firm after graduating from law school in 2018, Tom Kherkher didn’t have Facebook or Instagram. “I was the guy everybody made fun of because I didn’t have social media,” he remembers.
Flash forward four years and Tom — or AttorneyTom, as he’s known online — is one of the most recognizable lawyers on the internet. He’s accumulated 500 million minutes of watch time on Facebook and 270 million views on YouTube. And as one of the first attorneys to take advantage of TikTok, he’s been able to funnel viewers toward his other content, which has generated cases for his firm.
But social media, in his opinion, isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be. It takes a lot of time and dedication to gain an audience, and even with one as big as Tom’s, social media isn’t generating hundreds of new referrals.
“I would be really skeptical of anybody who is directly making money off of you, if they’re selling you this social media product,” he says. “I do think it is going to get only better as younger people get in the workplace and are the ones who need lawyers, but slow and steady wins the race.”
So how do you gain a big social media following and keep them engaged? Which platforms generate the most success, and how can we get the most out of those platforms? Tune into this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation as Tom and host Michael Cowen talk through these topics — and reveal some social media secrets.
Featured Guest
Name: Tom Kherkher
About: Tom Kherkher is the founding attorney of The Kherkher Law Firm and an associate attorney of Kherkher Garcia. He is doing what he loves every day – fighting against injustice.
After graduating from law school and passing the Texas bar, Tom immediately founded his own law firm in Houston, Texas to fight for people and bring them justice. At The Kherkher Law Firm, Tom and his staff work tirelessly and passionately to recover damages for individuals who have suffered from the negligence of others. Tom Kherkher is licensed to practice law in the U.S. Southern District of Texas and all courts of the State of Texas and Louisiana.
Company: The Kherkher Law Firm, PLLC and Kherkher Garcia, LLP
Connect: LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube | TikTok | Facebook | Instagram
Episode Highlights
[01:16] The YouTube lawyer: Meet Tom Kherkher, one of the top attorneys in the social media game. As one of the most-watched lawyers online, Tom has attracted clients to his firm, but it’s not as easy as some people claim.
[03:26] Straight outta law school: Before he even passed the bar exam, Tom had signed a lease on an office to start his own practice. He discusses why he took that risk and how he built his successful firm from scratch with the help of social media.
[08:27] Finding the sweet spot: How did Tom create a successful social media brand with millions of views? “Trial and error,” he says — and a surprising discovery about the value of longer-form YouTube content over TikTok.
[15:08] ‘Edu-tainment’ focused: Want a loyal social media following? Stop focusing on promoting yourself and don’t expect anything in return from your followers, Tom explains.
[19:33] What the algorithm wants: “At the end of the day, Facebook and YouTube — all they care about is making money,” Tom says. He reveals secrets to taking advantage of that business model and getting your videos recommended.
[25:12] Quantity vs. quality: Millions of views are great — but those rarely convert to cases or a loyal following. To find success, you need a healthy balance of both short-form and long-form content, says Tom.
[30:59] The beauty of social: Which is better — pay-to-play social media or organic social media growth? Both can be effective, and both will cost you money or time to get a worthwhile return.
[36:33] One hour a week is not enough: Organic growth that makes you money can be achieved — but you have to put in the work, and hiring people doesn’t work as a shortcut, Tom explains.
[40:56] Learn from influencers, not other lawyers: Tom explains what lawyers can learn about mindset by paying attention to young social media influencers like Mr. Beast.
[44:29] Breaking the fourth wall: This podcast follows a similar mindset as Tom’s on social media: it’s helped us build trust and get cases, but it’s taken a while to get there.
[48:48] ‘Not all it’s cracked up to be’: Tom signs off with a message to listeners: be skeptical of people who say they’re gaining hundreds of cases and making millions from social media.
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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.
Post Views: 354
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120 – Malorie Peacock – How To Grow Your Law Firm
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Odds are, growing a law firm wasn’t built into your law school’s curriculum. You may be a fantastic lawyer, you may start a top-notch small firm, but if you’re setting out to scale what you’ve built then you will find a whole new set of challenges to tackle.
If you’re contemplating growing your firm or in the midst of the process, this episode is for you.
In episode 120, Michael Cowen is joined by Malorie Peacock, his fellow Partner & Trial Lawyer at Cowen, Rodriguez and Peacock PC about how to grow a law firm. On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, Michael and Malorie outline the mindset needed to start and grow a law firm, the pains and joys of scaling your firm from solo to the next stage, how navigate working with a consultant, how to manage and work with your team, tips on marketing efforts, and much more.
Featured Guest
Name: Malorie Peacock
About: Malorie J. Peacock is a Partner at Cowen Rodriguez Peacock. She was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas and received her J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center. During her time with Cowen Rodriguez Peacock, Malorie has worked on numerous commercial vehicle, trucking, and wrongful death cases. Malorie brings close attention to detail, commitment to finding safety issues and areas of neglect, continued utilization of technology and cutting-edge visuals in cases, along with a sincere passion to help those who have been hurt, to each and every case.
Company: Partner And Trial Lawyer, Cowen | Rodriguez | Peacock PC
Connect: Linkedin
Episode Highlights
[03:01] Not Every Attorney Try To Have A Bigger Firm: Malorie reveals that it’s not the best fit for everyone to have a large firm. Solo firms and small firms are great options depending on your career goals.
[09:15] Creating Systems Of Accountability In Your Business: As you are looking to manage your business health, also gauge your personal and team accountability.
[13:05] You have to learn to give up control over certain things as your firm grows: How Michael and Sonia have kept up with their team’s needs with a changing job market.
[26:49] Managing your team, especially with new lawyers: When working with a team, learning to adjust behaviors and expectations is imperative for a healthy team culture.
[38:09] How to balance being an exceptional lawyer with an exceptional law practice: Although your time is eaten up by running a law firm business, there are many methods and practices that you can apply to balance the law firm with practicing law yourself.
[42:24] Best practices for coaching team members: It can be difficult telling a team member you don’t like what they do, but by using radical candor you can help a team member be better for them and for the rest of the team.
[40:32] Hiring for the things you don’t want to do: One of the keys to balance is to hire a great team to handle the business side of a law firm so you can focus on the practice side.
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.
Post Views: 395
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118 – Deena Buchanan – An Inside View of How Insurance Companies Value Cases
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Big insurance cases can become complicated quickly. The ins and outs, layers of coverage, and strategies aren’t a one-size-fits-all, but learning from someone who has spent years putting on the parachute and jumping out the plane can save you from many of the headaches that follow.
With a storied career ranging from big law and excess coverage, to truck accident and personal injury, Deena Buchanan has earned the skills to pay the bills and chooses to pay it forward. Since her switch from big law and Fortune 500 in-house counsel to the plaintiff side of law, Deena holds valuable insight that can apply to both sides of the court.
In episode 118, Michael Cowen speaks with Deena Buchanan, Managing Partner at Buchanan Law Firm, LLC. On this educational episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, Michael and Deena also discuss what it’s like running a law firm, giving advice and brainstorming with less experienced attorneys, different excess cases, not settling against major corporations, and much more.
Featured Guest
Name: Deena Buchanan
About: Deena Buchanan brings more than 20 years of experience, thoughtfulness and a commitment to strong advocacy to every case she handles.
Deena has been a trial attorney since she was admitted to practice, and she’s earned high regards from judges, clients and other attorneys. She’s known for her thorough preparation, her oral advocacy skills during trial proceedings, and her poise and composure in any situation. She has tried employment, personal injury and wrongful death actions. She’s also represented insurance companies and major corporations, for many years, so she knows what to expect from the other side.
Though she has considerable experience in a number of jurisdictions, Deena focuses her current practice on controversies arising in New Mexico. She has a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the laws and procedures in New Mexico, as well as local trial practice.
Company: Managing Partner, Buchanan Law Firm, LLC
Connect: Linkedin
Key Points
Top takeaways from this episode
- How do you know when there is excess coverage? It can be easy to overlook the specifics in big insurance cases, especially when there’s a large settlement offer. However, by doing this, lawyers often leave money on the table. By asking in discovery early and often about the coverage you see, you can pick out wordings and layerings being used to hide the actual amount your client could be up for.
- You need to build relationships with adjusters and decision makers. Often with insurance cases, your information is based on what is collected and provided by the defense lawyer. They’re often overworked or a true believer in the case and want to make it difficult for you to get the policy information you need. This is why it’s important to build relationships with adjusters who can get you the information you need, work around the people withholding or dragging their feet, and build your name in the industry.
- You can drive up the value of your case. By serving with complaint, pushing in discovery with motions to compel, and giving notice for depositions early, you can push the value of your case for your client up. You’re showing that you’re serious both to your client and to who you’re going after, showing you won’t settle for less or be pushed around. By doing this it strengthens a long term relationship with your client, not just adjusters, and opens the chance for them to gain higher compensation more quickly.
Episode Highlights
[02:35] Deena’s Background that led her to a successful career in law: How a career spanning many different areas can prepare you for your next steps.
[10:32] Don’t settle when there’s money on the table: It’s common for lawyers to settle for less money when they don’t quite understand the policies they’re covering.
[16:14] Finding the pressure points on the carrier: Deena talks about the pressure points you want to find for a carrier to settle the covered claim in an insurance case.
[21:56] Plaintiff lawyer questions: Deena shares specific ways a plaintiff lawyer can make sure the right information makes it to adjusters.
[30:09] How a plaintiff lawyer can drive up the case value: Deena shares ways that plaintiff lawyers can show they’re serious and drive up the relief for their clients
[35:28] How management changes affect relationships: You want a good relationship and to run a good case to avoid breaking down relationships with management at insurance companies or head adjusters.
[37:46] Experienced lawyers are willing to help you with advice: Deena and Michael discuss the fear that younger lawyers may have of asking for advice on a case – fearing that they will have to bring someone new on. But that’s not the case! Ask for advice and to brainstorm all over.
[41:33] What work Deena is doing now: Deena switched to the plaintiff side of law and has never been happier. She mainly focuses on trucking cases now, and carries her knowledge throughout her career. You can reach Deena on her website at Buchananlaw.com.
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.
Post Views: 666