The Jury Is Out

The Simon Law Firm’s clerks discuss what to expect in your clerkship, overcoming the fear of failure and tips on being a good clerk.

Class action trends are changing, and novel privacy and antitrust claims are on the rise. Join us as Jer Nixon outlines the power and purpose of class actions and how the protect individuals from exploitation.

In recent years, court rulings have made major changes to class action law. Simon Law Firm attorney Jer Nixon joins the podcast to discuss the requirements to file a class action case and the impact of arbitration clauses and class action waivers.

When you love what you do, you are already standing on a solid work/life balance that works for you. Listen as successful attorneys at different stages of their lives and careers reflect on what has helped them find that stability.

Three generations of attorneys discuss what it’s like teetering on the factors that affect work/life balance, how it changes depending on your profession, what you’re working on and the stage of your career.

When you are in trial, your support staff can and should be doing more than just ordering lunch. Hear how the Simon Law Firm staff handles logistics and builds valuable rapport with courtroom staff.

Does your support staff see the big picture or are they trapped in old ruts? The Simon Law Firm support team discusses the importance of empowerment, autonomy and trust when organizing details and logistics for trial.

Big trials are keeping our TJIO team away from the mic, so the support staff hijacked the podcast to share their insights on office dynamics. Learn how to improve your own office with candid comments from our paralegals and IT team members, and find out how you can help them help you.

Nitrous oxide is primarily used to make whipped cream, so why is it being sold in smoke shops? That’s what Johnny Simon wanted to know…and his winning argument will help remove this insidious poison from many communities. Hear the dramatic trial story, the personal toll on the victim’s family, and the landmark verdict in part two of our story.

This tragic death case was originally approached as a workplace safety issue. But when Johnny Simon heard the story, he took another approach….contending that the defendant was impaired while under the influence of nitrous oxide, which had been sold in a local smoke shop. By going after the nitrous oxide manufacturer with this novel approach, Johnny won one of the largest verdicts in Missouri hist...

In part two, we share our mentor’s most impactful lessons and talk about the benefits of building long lasting relationships through mentorship. No matter if you are the mentor or the mentee, taking time to share experience and expertise elevates our profession.

Mentorship improves competence and confidence. John brings his daughter Attorney Mary Simonto the mic to discuss the power of mentorship for personal and professional growth.

We continue our discussion on jury nullification with examples we’ve encountered in recent cases and offer tips on how you can address possible nullification issues through argument, motions in limine or jury instructions. Our best advice is to keep your eyes open through every step of the case and be prepared to take up the issue with the court.

Can a jury render a verdict that is outside the law? And if so, can you encourage them to do so? We’ll discuss the history of jury nullification, how some attorneys try to suggest that jurors can or should ignore evidence, and ways you can use voir dire to try to identify jurors who may consider nullification.

Management expert Angela Louis discusses the unique challenges facing plaintiff’s firms and suggests key traits every successful office administrator should have. She also offers tips on how to continuously support the firm’s “brand” of excellent work by putting long and short-term processes in place.

Are you spending more time running your firm than handling your cases? That’s the tipping point when you should hand off those responsibilities to a qualified legal office manager. Angela Louis, the Simon Law Firm’s award-winning Director of Administration, lends insight into this critical multi-tasking role.

We are seeing more deadlocked juries in which jurors refuse to discuss the facts of the case. Today’s discussion addresses not only the legal implications of a refusal to engage in productive discourse and compromise, but the implications to our government’s function if verdicts cannot be reached in the courtroom. What can we do?

Our final episode with Ferne Wolf of Silverstein Wolf covers your ethical obligations during document discovery, how to respond to a document dump and when to ask for documents in native form.

In Part Two of our discussion with Employment Law Attorney Ferne Wolf, we take an in-depth look at rule 30B6, issues regarding designating corporate witnesses and how to handle refusals to disclose insurance coverage.

Have you noticed more attorneys objecting to written discovery? Why? In this three-part discussion, Employment Law Attorney Ferne Wolf examines how the rules of professional conduct overlap with the civil rules regarding written discovery, and offers rules you can use to keep the process moving.

Are you satisfied when your firm is “good enough”? Professional development coach Elise Holtzman challenges you to strategically examine your workplace and your personality to improve your business, create more successful communication and develop the leadership skills you and your firm need to succeed.

Would you like to generate more business? Elise Holtzman is founder of The Lawyer’s Edge, a leadership development firm that helps attorneys become more proactive about business development and career acceleration.

Koon v. Walden is still making an impact on opioid prescribing in America, but insurance companies and legislatures are putting higher hurdles in place to limit damages and restrict the patient’s ability to have their day in court. In this update, Johnny Simon and Tim Cronin discuss the impact of the case on prescribing behavior, nationwide medical training, and potential opioid litigation.

In Episode Five of Results Don’t Lie, defense experts take the stand. But a few things aren’t adding up, and Tim and Johnny discover missing records that could derail the entire defense. Hear the stunning multi-million dollar verdict, the definitive appeal decision, and the positive impact this case made upon the American medical system.

What would you be thinking if you were on the jury when attorneys tried to blame an upstanding physician for his patient’s opioid addiction? Johnny Simon and Tim Cronin knew they had to find an open-minded jury to consider their side of the story, and jury selection could make or break their case. Tune in for a discussion of their voir dire strategy and opening arguments in this landmark trial.