Walking away from this week’s conversation I have a new theory:

If time-machines existed, a lot of attorneys would still be trying their first case.

We’ve talked before about how perfectionism runs deep in the legal profession, but the concept of Anxious Advocacy as a root cause for this trait is something I hadn’t run across until preparing for this latest episode.

It’s also the reason for my time-machine theory.

No matter if you win or lose, as a trial attorney, you are always doing a post-mortem on a case.

Why didn’t something work?

What can be done better?

What did we miss?

And while those are valuable questions to ask, all attorneys, but especially young attorneys, can get so worried about what they might do wrong that they suddenly believe they can’t do ANYTHING right.

And while these are my words, not her’s, I think Anxious Advocacy might best be described as a self-induced imposter syndrome.

To talk about this and a whole lot more, I’m joined this week by Renée Pardo.

A practicing attorney with over 25 years of trial experience in both the public and private sectors, she has been an Assistant District Attorney in both Texas and New York.

And as of February 2024, she is also the founder of Renée Pardo Coaching which provides coaching for attorneys, particularly women, struggling with anxious advocacy, helping them to navigate new spaces and advocate for themselves.

We talk about the challenges (both old and new) faced by women in the law, Renée’s skeptical embrace of self-improvement models, and why lawyers in particular seem to fall for the illusion of control.

Enjoy the Show

The line between zealous representation and being an obstinate ass is often said to be a fine-line to walk as attorneys.

After all, if the OTHER side is playing hardball, the temptation to fight fire with MORE fire can almost seem like a responsibility.

But as my guest today so eloquently puts it, “lawyers that fight over every issue do it because they don’t know the issues that actually matter.”

This week I was lucky to be joined by veteran trial attorney and founding partner of The Champion Firm, Darl Champion.

Consistently recognized in the National Trial Lawyers ‘Top 100’ in the State of Georgia, he has represented clients in every federal district court in Georgia, the Georgia Court of Appeals, Georgia Supreme Court, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and numerous state and superior courts throughout Georgia.

In our conversation we discuss the slow erosion of civility on both sides of the docket, how lawyers of impact, be they defense or plaintiff, have more in common than not, and why more of us need to approach our cases with the mindset of problem solving, not winning.

As always, enjoy the show.
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SHOWNOTES:

Mindset - Carol Dweck
The Slight Edge - Jeff Olson

There are few things more stressful as a trial attorney than the jury selection process.

Even if you’re confident in your case, your arguments have been tested and refined, and every piece of evidence is on your side, picking jurors is a stark reminder that so much is out of your control.

And because the ways in which all of us receive and retain information is changing, it’s up to attorneys to adapt the ways in which they approach jurors.

From the effects of polarization,the expectations around evidence, and generally shorter attention spans, there is so much to unpack about the way juries continue to evolve.

Thankfully, I’m joined by Jury Consultant and Strategic Advisor, Dr. Christina Marinakis to help me do just that.

With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Marinakis is the CEO and Founder of Immersion Legal which specialize in jury research, jury study, and applied practice in law and psychology.

Dr. Marinakis has assisted trial counsel with jury selection and daily trial monitoring across the country on some of the most substantial cases of our time, including her assistance to the prosecution with jury selection in State of Minnesota v. Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd.

This is definitely a conversation for the trial attorneys out there, but anyone with a passing curiosity in jury-trials will enjoy this peek behind the curtain.

Enjoy the show.