Trial Lawyer Nation

Like crashes, luck is predictable. If you want to get “lucky” and get multimillion-dollar settlements regularly, then you have to put in the time and do the work.  And it also helps to have the right mindset and strategy for your case. In this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation , host Michael Cowen is joined by his partner Sonia Rodriguez. Tune in as Sonia explains the shift in mindset that led t...

For trial lawyers seeking to level up in their trucking law practice, Cowen’s Big Rig Bootcamp is an unmissable opportunity. In this bonus episode of Trial Lawyer Nation , host Michael Cowan is joined by Isabella Santellan, marketing director at Cowen Rodriguez Peacock to preview Big Rig Bootcamp . At Big Rig Bootcamp, you’ll take a deep dive into the trucking industry’s intricacies, including how...

“In order to be a good trial lawyer, you have to have that innate sense of ‘ let’s go, I’m ready to go .’” In this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation , host Michael Cowen talks to seasoned trial lawyer Lara Brock of Espinoza & Brock, PLLC about her sports-oriented, competitive mindset that has influenced both how she practices law and serves as a leader within her law firm.  Tune in as Michae...

The road to success is paved with failure, but if a trial lawyer can learn from those failures, they will ultimately become a more effective advocate. In this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation , host Michael Cowen sits down with trial lawyer Sach Oliver of Oliver Law Firm to discuss how lawyers can continually hone their skills by learning from their own failures, learning from other attorneys, and t...

Once you start getting big results, then people give you more opportunities to do bigger cases. But as a new lawyer, how do you begin getting big results? In this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation , host Michael Cowen welcomes Odalys Lopez, an up-and-coming lawyer at Cowen Rodriguez Peacock, who shares insights on being a new lawyer.  Tune in as Michael and Odalys discuss the firm’s strategies t...

Build “top mind awareness” for your law firm to get the PI cases you actually want. Then focus on what’s-in-it-for-the-jury to win them.  In this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation , host Michael Cowen welcomes Alex Begum, the founding shareholder of Begum Law Group Injury Lawyers. Alex shares his journey towards mastering the business side of law, emphasizing the importance of financial acumen a...

Just focus on your biggest PI cases. Afterall, that’s where you make the most money and the biggest difference, so it should be easy. Right? Wrong. Before you know it, you’ve spent the majority of your time working on cases where you’re just trying to get your expenses back, and not working enough on your big cases. So how do you make sure you actually focus your attention on where it is needed th...

Can lawyers really get cases from their podcasts? Robert Ingalls built a business banking on just that. In this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, host Michael Cowen welcomes LawPods CEO and Founder (and recovering lawyer) Robert Ingalls to discuss how lawyers are using podcasts to fuel their businesses and personal brands. Podcasts have the ability to create an immediate connection between the hosts...

Marketing a law practice is different from other types of businesses, due to things such as unique ethical considerations and the referral aspect. On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation , Michael Cowen is joined by Gyi Tsakalakis, President and Co-Founder of AttorneySync, a digital legal marketing agency. A former trial lawyer from Southeast Michigan, Gyi is also the co-host of the Lunch Hour Lega...

Empathy is an emotion not commonly associated with lawyers. But harnessing it can provide valuable insight. On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation , Michael Cowen is joined by colleague Robert Disque who focuses his practice on 18-wheeler and commercial vehicle cases.  Tune in to hear Michael and Robert discuss Robert’s path to law, the difference between a litigator and a trial lawyer, and h...

Lawyers aren’t necessarily great business people, or even good law office managers for that matter. That’s because running a business requires a different type of skill set than the practice of law. However, if you have a firm that is run well, you will have more time to be a good lawyer. On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation , Michael Cowen is joined by Anthony Vessel, a lawyer from Houston, Tex...

It’s that time of year again. What do we want 2024 (and beyond) to look like and how are we going to make it happen? At Cowen | Rodriguez | Peacock, it all starts with goals. But, as we’ve all learned by now, all goals are not created equal. How do you identify your goals? Are they long-term or short-term and how do they align with your existing circumstances? Are they specific or general? How do...

Jury trials can be notoriously unpredictable, even when the facts are in your favor. To be successful at trial, attorneys need to do more than just rehearse their opening and closing statements. They also need to know how to influence the jury. On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation , Michael Cowen is joined by nationally recognized trial consultant and the author of several trial guides, Eric Oli...

Lawyers constantly receive training in the form of CLE. However, training staff members in the day-to-day running of a law office is no less important to a successful practice. Nobody comes into a law firm knowing everything. Ongoing reminders and documented procedures are needed for employees to learn new things, retain information, and correct mistakes.  On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nati...

Trying cases is an evolving process. And if you’ve been doing the same thing for 25 years, you’ve probably been doing something wrong for the past 24 years. From shorter jury attention spans, to Zooming in experts, to condensing information, and incorporating more visuals, courtroom trial techniques and jury expectations have changed significantly following COVID.  On this episode of Trial La...

Trial is not a law school exam.  Just because you can technically put in evidence of certain elements of damages, doesn’t mean it's in the client’s best interest to do so. It’s up to you–after having the conversation with your client, of course–to make strategic choices on damages. Afterall, the goal is to maximize chances of getting the best possible verdict for your client. On this episode...

Trial lawyers can’t be afraid of failure. It is often by refusing default thinking and defying expectations that a trial lawyer gets the first big win that sets the tone for their career.  On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation , Michael Cowen speaks with Maxey Scherr–a Texas trial lawyer, board certified in truck accident law–who recently started her own law firm and found immediate success...

There’s data going all the way back to the 1970s showing that people have lost a leg while operating a forklift. Not only do these leg crush injuries keep occurring, but it's the most common injury with a stand-up forklift.  It’s a big problem. However, the industry has been able to avoid having to change anything because they've been able to get the standard written to support their design d...

Losing is what helps us develop as trial lawyers. If you quit too early after losing a case, you will never know the success you could have had. On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation , Michael Cowen speaks with renowned trial lawyer and highly influential author, Rick Friedman. Rick has won multiple nine-figure verdicts, including a verdict against Monsanto for $72 million. What is the secret to...

As a trucking trial lawyer, if you are compassionate, people can walk all over you and you won’t get good results, you need to be both fierce and compassionate.  On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation , Michael Cowen and Michael Leizerman discuss the ins and outs of wrongful death litigation. Leizerman draws on his experience as a truck accident lawyer and shares the strategies he used to win...

Being an exceptional trial lawyer requires mastering a lot of skills they don’t teach in school. The same can be said for being an exceptional parent. But, sticking the landing on both? That must be a pipedream, right? On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, Michael Cowen and his new Partner, Natalie Arledge, discuss whether it’s possible to be a successful trial lawyer without being a shitty pare...

Lawyers know their cases backwards and forwards. However, jurors may need help honing in on the most important elements of a case. Visual trial strategy helps create a series of clear, tailored exhibits to present to a jury at trial. On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, Michael Cowen talks to visual trial strategist, Amy Hall. Amy discusses her tried-and-true three-exhibit formula–the anchor, t...

“The relationship between the expert and the lawyer is a lot like a horse and a rider. I don't want you to lead me in a dangerous situation, and I don't want to lead you in a dangerous situation.” On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, host Michael Cowen is joined by his partner Sonia Rodriguez, for a discussion on the dos and don’ts of working with retained expert witnesses. Sonia and Michael di...

Premises cases can be a tough way to make a living. “It’s challenging, like medical malpractice, but with the right experts, with the right research, with the right resilience, you can win these cases.” On this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation, Michael Cowen speaks with Michael Neff, an experienced trial lawyer, about the oft-forgotten yet critically important and challenging area of tort law–premis...

Lay witnesses. Whether you call them eyewitnesses, ‘before and after’ witnesses, or damages witnesses, you need them to help you make your case. And sometimes the most unexpected ordinary people can be the greatest witnesses.  “There's obvious ones like the spouse or the children or family members of your plaintiff. But beyond that, there's coworkers, there's neighbors, there's the pastor, th...