Once upon a time four young lawyers decided they hated practicing law. So they became comedians. Part of their gig involved creating a podcast. Which they needed content for.
One day one of the comedians, Matt Ritter, saw that The Velvet Hammer blog was the number one trial practice blog for the ABA. He thought that was neat. Called. And the rest is comedians at law podcast history.
Read MoreThe insurance company hires two defense doctors to testify. They don't examine the patient. Just read the records and come up with opinions. A nice way for a couch doctor to earn $750 to $1000 per hour.
I take their depositions one after the other. Dr. 1 is taken at 2:00 and lasts for an hour. The next is set to start at 3:30. So what do you think. Will Dr. 1 and Dr. 2 try to get their story straight in the 15 minutes between the two depositions. Read on.
Read MoreThis is a snippet from closing argument in a catastrophic brain injury case I tried with attorney Gordon Johnson.
The courtroom is wired for videorecording. But the microphones are not that great so you have to turn up the volume.
Read MoreTired of fake reality tv.
Try the true life story of the survival and recovery of the Owen family. Brought to you by - the Owen Family.
According to the news: On December 21st around 1:20 p.m. The Owen family was traveling on Highway 2 near Stevens Pass when a tree fell onto their suburban and claimed the lives of 58-year-old Tim Owen and 56-year-old Cheryl Reed. Also in the vehicle were the couple's son, Jeremy, daughters Jessie and Jamie, and son-in-law Steven Mayer. Jeremy was released from the hospital but the other three are still being treated for serious injuries.
Read MoreMs. A is insured by State Farm with UIM. They do not want to pay the claim. They hire this psychiatrist to do a records review. To help them challenge the injury claim. Dr. P never meets or interviews Ms. A. But being the God-like creature that he is, will testify that Ms. A somaticizes her injuries and has "secondary gain." What this means in real people language - is that she is making the injuries up. My job is to show that he is the one making things up.
Read MoreThis is becoming a pastime of mine. I call it: name that article. Let's see if this defense rehab doctor (physiatrist) can do more than blow smoke...
Read MoreI teach trial advocacy with Judith Shahn who is a voice coach. Judy has been a senior lecturer at the University of Washington's School of Drama since 1990.
Here are Judy's top suggestions for more effective speaking...
Read MoreToday, someone does something that really ticks me off. Actually, two someones do.
Inside, am gnashing teeth. Mumbling non-swear words. Like Elmer Fudd aims at Bugs Bunny.
Outside, do nothing. Other than email one word to staff: Lame. Then go about business as if nothing is ticking me off at all.
Read MoreThis showed up in my email today. At first I hoped it was a bad joke. It wasn't. This wins my award for Most Tacky & Gross Lawyer Advertising Scheme 2012.
Read MoreReid is my daugher Alysha's boyfriend. He comes bearing gifts. An ornament for the tree from Denmark where he was studying abroad. And this poem that he wrote last night on his way to see The Elf musical.
Read MoreWe are packed in his former office building. Reminiscing. Rubbing elbows. Smiling and sometimes shedding tears. Marveling over the career of this brilliant man.
Born over a gas station in rural Washington. Becoming one of the best plaintiff trial lawyers the state has ever seen. President of the trial lawyers. President of the state bar. And finally Supreme Court Justice. We are here to honor Tom Chambers.
Read MoreThe Velvet Hammer blog won its category last year as the top Trial Law Practice Blog. Am in the running again this year.
Me: Alysha, did you you vote for me
A: Yes
Me: Well, those kids from Philadelphia are on the hunt. They are going to catch me.
A: Just post it on your blog
Read MoreWe have been in trial for a month. Many times he's told me to back off. We have been Going. At. It.
He is one of the best defense lawyers I've tried a case against. Nick started as an associate with his law firm when I was in the 8th grade. But he's not old fashioned. He used powerpoint in opening and closing. All of his trial exhibits were projected just like ours - electronically via a 70" LCD screen.
Read MoreLawyers love rules. Lawyers also tend to be OCD. Rules + OCD = an intricate, layered, never ending monstrous pile of rules that becomes increasingly difficult to navigate. The legal profession calls this - job security.
We are equal opportunity OCD rule creators. We even create rules to govern ourselves. Some of them are breathtakenly overbroad and impossible to humanly adhere to.
Read MoreMy mother brought a 73 year old palm reader to Thanksgiving dinner.
Mom: I want to bring my friend Ed. He is really bright. He is an attorney and a palm reader and I share my energy with him.
Me: Mom, I have already set the tables for 27. We do not have room. I don't have any plates left and had to get extra silverware from the office.
Read MoreNo matter how hard I tried to sweet talk her out of it, Alysha wanted to be a toad.
What about a witch – no.
Simba the lion king – no.
Ariel the little mermaid– no
A ghost – no. no. no.
But honey, toads are gross.
Don’t care. I want to be a toad.
My parents had a pretty good strategy on how to keep the five of us out of trouble. Both of them worked. We had various babysitters (one of whom ripped us off but that's another story). This was in the days when neighbors kept a lookout for us kids as well. Still, mom and dad left nothing to chance.
Read MoreToday is our last day to file motions. For the third time since the trial has been continued twice. Motion after motion, instructions, declarations, orders, notes. We have been working like crazy to get them all done. Garth and I have been doing all the briefing. Anne and Jody are scrambling to format and get everything filed.
Read MoreI first tried a MIST case (Minor Impact Soft Tissue) fifteen years ago. Glenn Phillips (he of the billboard/tv/bus/cab advertising fame) was the defense lawyer.
I was going to be speaking in the country’s first “How to Hammer Allstate” seminar conceived by my then law partner Pat LePley. So I needed a sample case. One of my existing clients was involved in a zero property damage car strike. I took it on to see what Allstate would do. They hired Glenn, his associate, a biomechanic expert and an orthopedic surgeon who wrote a 35 page report. Our side had a chiro who had never testified before even in deposition. And the husband (a Boeing engineer) to counter the defense biomechanic. Well, we beat the zero offer. And got over a grand in sanctions because Allstate refused to admit fault until the first day of trial. My love affair with MIST cases was born.
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