Personal Injury Law

What It Takes to Be A Great Trial Lawyer - Part 7

By John A. Day

Great Trial Lawyers Learn the Facts.

I was in a deposition several months ago in a case that  involves an intersection wreck.  There are  several different plaintiffs represented by several different lawyers, several defendants, and counsel for a UM carrier.

My conversation with one of the lawyers caused me to wonder to ask if he had ever been to the intersection where the wreck occurred.  I asked him if he had. He had not.

The intersection is less than five miles from his office.

Great trial lawyers understand that the devil in is the details. Great trial lawyers know that all of the facts will not be presented at trial, but great trial lawyers learn the facts and determine which facts will be presented at trial.

Great trial lawyers know that it is important to get a feel for the scene of an event. Sometimes that means traveling to an intersection, visiting an operating room, or standing in a ditch along the interstate. It may mean going to the scene of a hotel rape or visiting the plant where your client’s limb was amputated. It means taking the time learn.

Great trial lawyers don’t need to look at every piece of paper in a commercial case – that task can be delegated to other competent people. But great trial lawyers know the key documents inside out.

The "What It Takes To Be A Great Trial Lawyers" Series

Full post as published by Day on Torts on February 04, 2008 (boomark / email).