Heels In The Courtroom

Don’t fall into the TV trap of coming in hot on every witness. You could burn your own case if the jury remembers you were mean to a witness and forgets the key points of their testimony. But you don’t want to be a pushover either, so how do you temper your approach? Amy, Liz, Megan, Mary, and Elizabeth share trial-tested tactics on when to pivot your attitude, how non-verbals can telegraph your f...

In Part Two of our analysis of a $10 million dollar medical malpractice verdict for our client, Amy Gunn and Liz Lenivy discuss witness prep, damages, and defense tactics that didn’t seem to land well with the jury. Amy also reveals the toll this massive case and an extremely hectic return to the courtroom have taken on her resolve, and how she plans to get everything “back on the rails” after cel...

Most med mal cases aren’t decided for the plaintiff, so when a verdict of this magnitude is ruled in your client’s favor, it’s something to celebrate and learn from. In this episode of Heels in the Courtroom, Amy Gunn and Liz Lenivy share their pre-trial and courtroom strategies and discuss the concepts of agency, bifurcation, and some little-known facts about medical records. It’s a great story f...

Want to know what the interviewer really wants to see on your resume? What’s the biggest opportunity to sell yourself most interviewees miss? Should you talk about your hobbies? How about using a cover letter template? What questions do interviewers hate to hear? Is it important to send a thank-you note, and if so, how and when? This episode answers these questions and more and will help you make...

Be honest. Underneath your steel facade that always looks poised and perfect, you’re drowning in a sea of deadlines, demands, and sleep deprivation. Are you suffering from everyday stress or chronic burnout? And is there a cure? Give yourself the grace to take a breath and listen to some great burnout-busting advice from the Heels in the Courtroom attorneys. We’re feeling the burn too!

Young lawyers often stress about where to take their careers. But St. Louis attorney Shamon Moss is shining a light on a new path…letting the journey take you. Shamon shares her philosophy on self-motivation and giving back, and describes how she turned an empty space without a stick of furniture into a thriving satellite office for a major national firm. No matter what is in her future, Shamon Mo...

Court is back in session with a variety of COVID protocols in place, and that brings additional stress to your trial prep. Get an update on our first face-to-face trial in a while and hear the challenges of reading masked jurors, working out of town, and trying to stay focused with more distractions than ever. Tune in and dial down your pre-trial stress….we survived, and you will too.

Feel like you’re drowning in a tidal wave of escalating work responsibilities, COVID-occasion catch-up, and every single thing in the world piling on right now? Yup, we are too. If being back in the saddle feels more like being dragged with one foot in the stirrup right now, tune in to share your stress and remember it’s ok if you fail small and know you did your best. So saddle up, sister, and le...

Ellie Krug was the first Iowa lawyer to transition gender. She lost her practice and for a while, her family, to become her authentic self. Today, Ellie Krug is a wildly popular speaker and advocate for Otherness, teaching all of us to break down the walls and reach out to those around us who choose a different path. Tune in for a truly life-changing podcast with Ellie Krug and open your heart and...

Is your practice a revolving door of ever-changing paralegals and assistants? Maybe it’s not a people problem… it could be a process problem. And if you’re delegating too much of this critical task, you could be part of the problem too. This week’s podcast offers honest advice on how to interview, train and monitor new hires to help ensure their new job is a win-win for them and for you.

Ever think you aren’t good enough or smart enough and it’s only a matter of time before you’re found out? Or do you secretly believe you’re just lucky and not talented at all? It’s called “imposter syndrome” and professional women are its most common victims. Megan, Elizabeth, Liz, and Erica reveal their own vulnerabilities and talk about how we can identify this evil inhabitant in our heads, diff...

Opposing counsel is leading his witness, again. You’ve pointed out speaking objections but he just won’t stop. What do you do? This instructive discussion features verbatims from actual depos where the objections were effective. Learn new strategies to regain control of your depo, and learn when, and when not to push the nuclear option of calling the judge.

Enlisting men as allies is a great way to expand awareness of women’s issues and level the playing field for inclusion and understanding. Tune in to this eye-opening discussion and learn how, and why, you should actively engage in treating men as allies instead of adversaries.

With courts closed for over a year, even the most experienced attorney may have lost the edge in their courtroom conduct.  Tune in for a quick refresher on courtroom etiquette and get a few tips on what to wear, what benefits you can gain by never looking at opposing counsel and what non-verbals are appropriate. And one more tip…..never, ever poke the judge.

Lost wages. Medical bills. Potential earnings.  Is it in your best interest to present these issues in trial, or will they negatively anchor the jury and open the door to unwanted discovery? This episode follows up on a previous discussion on non-economic damages and offers expert advice on organizing, presenting and developing strategy regarding economic damages in your case.

Did you know that the Missouri legislature has put limits on how much you can recover if you are a victim of medical malpractice?  Why is this the only area of injury that has limits? And is this entry into the judicial system the first step in other changes that could affect you?  This timely episode raises awareness about the impact of legislative decisions on the courts, your rights and your ab...

Congratulations, you’re having a baby! But are you carrying guilt, anxiety and fear about maternity leave too? In her first podcast after a 12 week maternity leave, Erica Slater leads the discussion about how to set maternity leave expectations, why men should be encouraged to take family leave time and why you should embrace the policies that enable you to put your life and your baby first. Just...

Saying “No” often brings feelings of guilt, overload and FOMO. But it can be a carefully considered decision-making tool that advances your life goals. This episode explores strategies that take the guilt out of saying “no” by setting priorities, evaluating the favor being asked of you from different angles and understanding how and when to explain yourself. Say “Yes!” to this episode and use your...

If you’re a plaintiff attorney, you might want to consider these examinations Defense Medical Examinations, because by definition, the defense is requesting them for a reason. Should you always fight IMEs or can they actually help your case? What strategies can you use to protect our client’s interests if an IME is requested? Today’s discussion may make you look at IMEs as a tool you can use on yo...

Pain, suffering and loss of independence are not numbers on a page. Every witness, from family members to physicians, can become a damages witness if you know how to elicit emotional stories that help jurors empathize with your client. Learn how you can paint a picture of what was taken away from your client and strengthen your argument for non-economic compensatory damages in this instructive har...

Do you measure your success with dollars and wins? Nationally recognized plaintiff attorney John Simon, founder of The Simon Law firm, one of the winningest firms in the country, argues there is much more. Tune in to learn how the power of a positive upbringing, the wisdom of hard work and the joy of a generous heart helped John Simon become one of the top attorneys in America.

Yeah, losing sucks and nobody likes to talk about it. But loss offers profound opportunities for insight and inspiration once we get past the bruise to our ego.  Amy, Mary, Liz and Megan share stories about big losses that won’t go away, and how they turned those experiences into more positive mindsets that helped build deep foundations for long-term careers.

Please excuse Mary’s audio on this episode – connection was poor.  Topic is Great! Corporate rep depos can open many doors in your case if you know how to use the rules. Does your notice limit the scope of questioning? Should you record the depo? And what do you do if the corporate rep just won’t give you the answers you need? Amy, Elizabeth, Mary, Liz and Megan discuss the importance of prep and...

Please excuse Mary's audio on this episode - connection was poor.  Topic is great! INFJ? ESTP? What does that mean and why should you care? The Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory can reveal a lot about innate personality traits which rule how you perceive, judge and respond to situations. This can be extremely helpful in understanding what motivates and inhibits you and your coworkers, partners an...

Expert testimony can be key to your case. But when do you need an expert? How do you find the right one? What do you say in your initial communication? And what materials do you send for review?  How you handle these nuances early in the case will help you or haunt you. Get expert advice about onboarding experts from Amy, Liz, Mary and Megan in this pro-tip packed episode.