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Tips to Prepare for a Jury Trial

November 29, 2024/in Litigation /by taulersmith

A lot of lawyers don’t take their cases all the way to trial, so they never get the experience in front of jurors that is needed to actually win at trial. It’s very possible that your previous lawyer developed the case without the expectation that it would go to trial. It’s also likely that an inexperienced attorney won’t be ready to argue your case to a jury. The truth is that some lawyers could use tips to prepare for a jury trial. The Los Angeles trial lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP have extensive experience handling jury trials in both state and federal courts, so we know which arguments are most likely to persuade jurors.

For tips on how a trial attorney can prepare your case for a jury trial, keep reading this blog.

How an Experienced Trial Lawyer Can Prepare Your Case for a Jury Trial in California

These are some of the things that an experienced trial lawyer can do to prepare for a jury trial in a California courtroom:

Communicate to Judge and Jury: Trial lawyers should be ready to argue complicated legal points in support of a motion before the judge and communicate the facts of the case to laypersons on the jury.
Keep the Story Simple: A good trial lawyer will be able to simplify a complex legal matter and weave together the evidence, transcripts, testimony, and arguments to build a compelling and persuasive narrative for the jury.
Ask Witnesses the Right Questions: The best trial lawyers know which questions to ask their own witnesses, as well as which questions will weaken the opposing witnesses.
Strong Closing Argument: The story that a trial lawyer tells in their closing argument needs to be backed up by the facts that have already been communicated throughout the trial. This requires a great deal of anticipation and foresight by the attorney.
Preserve the Record for Appeal: A good trial lawyer will also keep an eye on the trial record so that there will be an avenue for filing an appeal later if the case does not go the way they hope.
Communicate with the Client: Open communication between the attorney and the client is critical in the days and weeks before trial so that there is no chance of a misunderstanding that could damage the chances of success once the trial begins.

An Experienced Trial Lawyer Can Communicate Your Story to the Jury

In many ways, jury trials are preferable to bench trials because a jury trial doesn’t leave the decision in a single person’s hands. But this also means that your lawyer needs to be able to persuade multiple people at once. This can be tough in complex cases such as business fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, or employment defense.

With jury trials, it is important to recognize that jurors are human beings. This means that they may consider the law, but they will almost certainly factor in real-world human elements. If the jurors don’t believe you or your witnesses, they are not likely to find in your favor. This is why it is important to maintain credibility throughout the trial, and one way to do that is by telling a coherent story.

Our California Litigators Know How to Win in Court

The unfortunate reality is that far too many litigators simply don’t know how to win a case in the courtroom. They may understand the applicable statutes, but they never learned the technical skills of preparing a case for a trial. The Los Angeles trial attorneys at Tauler Smith LLP take pride in our ability to uncover buried evidence, develop strong arguments, and prep witnesses to take the stand. Even when the odds are stacked against you and the other side’s evidence seems insurmountable, we will do whatever is needed to give you a real fighting chance to win the case.

Additionally, we are often called upon to take over a case at the last minute. This is when a litigator is truly tested: in the days and weeks leading up to trial, when someone has to get ready to show up to court and actually present the case. In many ways, this is the toughest part of being a lawyer. Our last-minute trial team is stacked with attorneys who know how to effectively argue a client’s case in the courtroom and achieve the desired result. Significantly, we also know how to prepare cases quickly so that you never have to worry about whether we will be ready to win your case at trial.

Contact the California Trial Team at Tauler Smith LLP

The California trial lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP provide high-level service to our clients throughout the entire legal process, from the moment we begin reviewing the evidence in your case all the way through trial. We represent clients in California, New York, Texas, Florida, and everywhere else in the U.S.

Call or email us now to schedule a free consultation about your case.

Trial Preparation: What Can the Client Do Before Trial?

November 17, 2024/in Litigation /by taulersmith

As experienced Los Angeles last-minute trial attorneys, we know how to quickly prepare a case for trial when we take over in the 11^th hour. But this doesn’t mean the client is uninvolved or has nothing to do as we get ready to argue the case before a judge or jury. So, what does the client do before trial? The Tauler Smith litigation team believes that clients can play a very big role in helping us to prepare cases for trial, whether that involves providing us with valuable information about the case, communicating during settlement discussions, or being involved in strategy conversations.

Read this blog for more information about what clients can do to get ready for trial in a California courtroom.

How the Client Can Help Their Lawyer Win at Trial in a California Courtroom

The client has an important role in the lead-up to trial. Although you won’t be involved in the actual legal work or technical trial preparation, you can still contribute in very meaningful ways.

Provide Case Information

For starters, you are an invaluable resource because you will know the facts of the case as well as anyone. Your attorneys may have questions for you as they research and get ready for trial, and you may be asked to fill in gaps in the fact pattern, provide background information on potential witnesses, and offer insights into the case.

Clients are often the best source for evidence since they will probably know the location of relevant documents, in addition to gaining access to those documents once they are located. This can be particularly helpful in business litigation cases and employment defense cases where discovery may cover a lot of evidence, as well as late-notice cases where the trial date is quickly approaching and time is limited.

Settlement Discussions

The client also needs to be involved in any settlement conversations, providing guidance to the attorney. Ultimately, you will have to make the call about whether you find a settlement offer acceptable, and you certainly should not let anyone else sway you because you are the one who will have to live with the decision. Sometimes, it’s better to take the financial settlement being offered and be done with the stress of litigation. Or you might be so personally invested in the case that getting your day in court and seeking justice is most important to you.

Witness Prep

While attorneys typically take the lead when it comes to preparing witnesses to testify at trial, the client is also very helpful in this regard. That’s because the client will probably have some kind of relationship with the witnesses, which can make it easier to encourage their testimony. The client’s familiarity with the other witnesses can also provide insight into how they might react to certain types of questioning.

Additionally, if expert witnesses are needed for the trial, the client may be helpful when it comes to helping prepare the expert. After all, the client will still know more about the particular facts of the case, and the expert can probably benefit by learning the specifics before testifying.

In many cases, the client will also take the stand to testify at trial. Before this happens, the client should be prepared by their attorneys so that they know exactly what to expect and how to frame their narrative while on the stand. Moreover, the client should be prepared for cross-examination so that they won’t be caught off guard by aggressive questioning from the opposing side.

Trial Strategy

Strong communication between the attorney and their client is extremely important. The client should always feel comfortable asking questions about the case. Your lawyer works for you, not the other way around. Your last-minute trial counsel should keep you informed at all times about what is happening. Additionally, if you are unsure about the direction that your attorneys are taking the case, you should definitely speak up and voice those concerns. Clients should always play a role in the trial strategy.

Client feedback can also be extremely helpful. Sometimes, the litigators get so caught up in the legal arguments that they forget the human element at play in a trial. Cases are presented to jurors, and those jurors typically don’t know much about the actual law or the applicable statutes. They need to be persuaded at a human level, and this is where feedback from the client can provide valuable insight: how the client reacts to a particular argument, trial tactic, or theme may be some indication of how the jury will react.

Contact the Experienced Los Angeles Trial Lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP

The Tauler Smith LLP trial lawyers handle cases in California, New York, Texas, Florida, and across the United States. We go to great lengths to ensure that our litigators are in frequent communication with clients throughout the legal process because we want clients to stay informed. We also want our clients to be involved in any important decisions that need to be made before trial.

We will do everything in our power to maximize your chances of winning in court. Call 310-590-3927 or email us to schedule a free consultation.

Lawsuits: What Happens Before Trial?

November 14, 2024/in Litigation /by taulersmith

If you are suing someone, or if you are being sued, you may be wondering: “In lawsuits, what happens before trial?” Our California litigators have experience representing clients in civil suits, and many of them want to know what they can expect in the month before their trial starts. The truth is that your life is going to change considerably – at least for a little while. Trials can be stressful and time-consuming. But they can also be incredibly rewarding when your lawyers are able to secure a favorable verdict and help you achieve justice. That’s why you need to make sure you have the right attorneys on your side and handling your case, especially if the trial date is quickly approaching. The Los Angeles civil litigation attorneys at Tauler Smith LLP know how to prepare for trial and win in the courtroom – and we can help you win your case.

Keep reading this blog to learn more about what you and your attorneys can do to get ready for trial.

Are You Confident in Your Current Attorneys?

As your trial date gets closer, you may feel an incredible amount of stress – which can manifest itself both physically and emotionally. And since you don’t know what the outcome of the trial will be, you may also feel intense pressure during the trial. Managing this stress and pressure is an important aspect of getting through the trial, and one of the best ways to do this is to let your attorneys take care of the legal matters while you focus on yourself. Of course, this requires you to have the utmost confidence in your attorneys.

Cases are usually won or lost in the weeks and days leading up to trial. The side that best prepares everything for trial is likely to prevail at the final verdict. If your current attorney is not doing enough to get the case ready, your chances of defeat go up substantially. That’s why you should consider hiring a lawyer who specializes in late-notice cases and last-minute trials.

How Your Attorneys Should Prepare for an Upcoming Trial

There are a number of things that both you and your attorneys can do to make sure that you are ready for an upcoming trial in a California courtroom, whether it’s a criminal case or a civil case involving business fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, or employment law. Some of the most important prep work that your trial lawyer must get done either just before trial or shortly after the trial starts includes:

Filing pretrial briefs and motions if they have not already been filed with the court.
Prepping your witnesses for direct examination so that the main themes come across to the jury. Your witnesses should also be fully prepared for cross-examination by the other side.
Reviewing evidence that supports your case and making sure that it can be properly introduced at trial. This includes reviewing depositions so that the opposing side’s witnesses can be cross-examined.
Writing an opening statement to be presented to the jury at the start of the trial, and preparing a closing argument that succinctly summarizes your story and cogently explains to the jury why you should win the case at the conclusion of the trial.
Making sure the record is prepared for appeal in the event that you do not win at trial.
Communicating with the client so that they are fully informed about what is happening with the case, and also so that they can provide valuable information about the facts, witnesses, evidence, etc.

Pretrial Briefs and Motions

Your attorneys need to be extremely well-versed in the law, and they must have extensive experience handling cases that go to trial because they are going to need to follow court procedure and rules every step of the way. A single mistake during the pre-trial stage can be fatal to your case because you may not have the ability to remedy that mistake later. This includes filing all necessary briefs and motions by the required deadlines. A lot of judges will insist that you cannot go back and file certain motions once the deadline for doing so has passed, which means you may be blocked from introducing crucial evidence, deposing certain witnesses, or even getting the case dismissed before trial.

Witness Prep

Your attorneys will need to make sure that all your key witnesses are available for the trial date, and that those witnesses are fully prepared to testify. You may also want some witnesses on call to counter the opposing side’s arguments, and this means that your attorney will need to be adept at anticipating every possible argument and legal issue that might come up.

The amount of time needed to get the client and other witnesses ready for direct examination on the witness stand varies, depending on the particular case. You should expect to commit a good chunk of time to practicing testimony with your legal team. And you should expect preparation for cross-examination to take even longer.

Evidence

A strong trial lawyer will need to prepare every aspect of your case with the expectation that it will go to trial. This means having a complete list of all evidence that may be relevant in the case, including any documents that were obtained during discovery. It will also be necessary to have the depositions of any witnesses that could be called at trial. Basically, anything that will be needed to prove your case at trial should be available.

Depending on what happens at trial, it may be necessary to impeach a witness. This is when knowing the depositions inside and out will prove crucial because your attorney must immediately recognize inconsistencies in the witness’ testimony.

Opening Statement & Closing Argument

Your lawyers need to be able to communicate your story to the jury in a way that is easy to follow. The opening statement should capture the jurors’ attention, and the closing argument should intelligently articulate to the judge and jury why they should find in your favor.

Preparing the Record for Appeal

If the verdict does not go your way, your attorney might also want to file an appeal. This actually requires some foresight from your lawyer because they will need to make sure that the record is prepared for appeal.

Communicating with the Client

You can expect the days and weeks before the trial to be extremely time-consuming. Your attorneys will be doing everything possible to prepare the case, but you may also be called upon for last-minute gathering of documents, locating and contacting potential witnesses, and preparing for direct testimony at trial.

Additionally, if the client is open to a pre-trial settlement, then they should be on call to provide input when last-minute settlement discussions gain traction.

Contact the California Trial Lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP

The truth is that no two cases are the same. That’s why you need experienced legal representation who will work closely with you and who will aggressively advocate on your behalf throughout the legal process, up to and including the trial.

The Los Angeles trial attorneys at Tauler Smith LLP are ready to help you. We represent clients in courtrooms throughout the United States, including California, Texas, New York, and Florida. Call 310-590-3927 or send an email today to discuss your case.

Is It Too Late to Hire a Last-Minute Trial Lawyer?

November 11, 2024/in Rescue Counsel /by taulersmith

How late is “too late” to hire a last-minute trial lawyer for your case? The answer to this question will depend on the facts and circumstances of the case, including how much work your previous attorneys have already done to prepare for trial. Regardless of the circumstances, though, it is important not to delay because you do not want to hire a new lawyer right before you walk into court for your trial. Even the best attorneys need time to prepare, so your chances of success will improve dramatically if you give your attorney as much time as possible to review the evidence and strategize your case.

Keep reading for more information about last-minute trial lawyers.

Quickly Preparing a Case for Trial at the Last Minute

A great deal of work goes into preparing a case for trial, especially with complicated practice areas such as business fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, intellectual property, and employment law. Your new attorneys will need to learn the background information and case facts, write strong opening and closing arguments, prepare evidence and exhibits to be introduced at trial, prepare witnesses for direct examination, depose witnesses who may require cross-examination at trial, and develop an overall theme for the trial. If your previous legal team hasn’t done enough work already, it may be necessary to fill in any gaps in the trial prep.

Factors That Affect How Much Time a Last-Minute Trial Attorney Needs

There are a number of factors that determine exactly how much time is needed to prepare a case for trial.

How Much Work Has Already Been Done?

A major factor is the amount of work that has already been completed by the previous attorneys. If your earlier lawyer was thorough in their preparation and carefully mapped out a trial strategy, then it will be easier for our last-minute trial lawyers to get up to speed on the case. We may simply need to review the evidence, sift through the best arguments, and fine-tune the overall approach. On the other hand, the absence of pre-trial work by your previous attorneys will probably mean that your new attorneys are going to need additional time before the case is ready for trial.

Replacing or Assisting the Previous Attorneys?

Another significant factor in determining the case-preparation timeline is whether the new attorneys are being brought in to assist your current attorneys or to completely replace them before trial. Replacing your attorneys with last-minute trial counsel could require more time.

Type of Case

Certain types of cases may require more preparation and lead time than others. For example, a complex business litigation case that involves a lot of documents and testimony may require more time for discovery, as well as extra time to get depositions from witnesses who could be called to testify at trial.

Replacing Your Attorney in a Complex Legal Dispute

Some cases have extremely complicated fact patterns and involve complex areas of the law, which can certainly affect the timeline when it comes to preparing for trial and getting a replacement attorney up to speed.

A more difficult case might require three (3) months to prepare for trial, while other cases might only require a few days to get ready for trial. There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to trial timelines, so a lot will depend on the particular facts of your case. The California last-minute trial team at Tauler Smith LLP treats each case individually and on its own merits. This means we will handle your case based on its unique circumstances.

Los Angeles Parachute Trial Lawyers Prepared to Take Your Case to Trial

The best last-minute trial representation doesn’t necessarily need a lot of time to get a case ready for court, but it can certainly help. As a general rule, the more time your attorney has to prepare for your trial, the better off you will be.

The Tauler Smith litigation team possesses the rare ability to prepare cases with little to no advance time. You need a law firm that knows how to effectively brief your case before it reaches trial and then persuasively argue on your behalf in the courtroom at trial. When our last-minute trial attorneys take on your case in California, Texas, Florida, or anywhere else in the U.S., we immediately get to work familiarizing ourselves with the relevant facts and reviewing the evidence so that we can develop winning arguments. We will also prepare both you and your witnesses so that everyone is ready once the trial begins.

Do You Need Emergency Counsel for an Upcoming Trial? Contact Us Now

Whether your trial is in a few months or a few days, the California last-minute trial lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP can help you. We know how to quickly prepare a late-notice case for presentation to a judge or jury, and we know how to articulate your story in court.

Call 310-590-3927 or email us.

What Is a Last-Minute Trial Lawyer?

October 31, 2024/in Rescue Counsel /by taulersmith

If you’ve got a looming trial and no longer have confidence in the ability of your current attorney to effectively represent you in court, a last-minute trial lawyer may be your best chance to win the case and get justice. But what is a last-minute trial lawyer? And how can they get you ready to win your case at a late stage?

Read this blog to learn how last-minute trial counsel can help you win your case.

How a Last-Minute Trial Attorney Can Help You Win Your Case

Trials are difficult to win under ordinary circumstances. A case outcome can turn on a number of different factors, including the opening statement, the introduction of exhibits and supporting evidence, motions made during the trial, cross-examination of opposing witnesses, and the closing argument. All of this is made even more difficult when you hire a new lawyer to replace your current legal counsel who you no longer trust to handle your case. That’s where a California last-minute trial attorney can step in and be most effective.

A last-minute trial attorney is a legal professional who takes over a case during the later stages (e.g., when there is an imminent trial). If your case is headed to trial and you are not fully confident in the ability of your current counsel to represent you in court, you need to seriously consider making a change before it’s too late.

Quick Preparation

Last-minute trial counsel must be able to get up to speed on extremely short notice because there typically isn’t much time to prepare for trial. Additionally, once the trial begins, your attorney needs to possess significant skill as a litigator because they will have to argue your case and persuade the judge or jury that you are on the right side.

Trial-Ready Lawyers

A last-minute trial lawyer specializes in taking over cases with impending trials. If your case is entering the eleventh hour and trial is about to commence, it is critically important for you to be represented by an attorney who has the ability to try a late-notice case in front of a judge or jury. Not every litigator has the ability to handle a case on short notice because there is so much that goes into preparing for trial.

Courtroom Experience

Once the trial starts, your attorney will need to be exceptional at arguing the case. The Los Angeles last-minute trial team at Tauler Smith LLP has extensive courtroom experience and a track record of success in 11^th-hour trials that you can rely on. When time is limited, you want an attorney who possesses all the requisite legal skills to win your case. Our attorneys have been called in to try cases in courtrooms throughout the United States, including California, Texas, Florida, and New York.

California Parachute Trial Lawyers Who Will Prepare a Winning Trial Strategy for Your Case

A good trial lawyer will not just ask questions about the elements of the claim. Your trial lawyer should also be asking questions about the evidence in the case and the witnesses that they plan to put on the stand at trial – and this should always be done with the jury in mind. If the jurors don’t find your evidence believable or your witnesses credible, then they are unlikely to render a verdict in your favor.

The California parachute trial attorneys at Tauler Smith LLP are uniquely suited to being nimble and working as a team. When you hire us, we will immediately get to work reviewing the facts so that we can understand the case quickly and craft a winning trial strategy. And then we will get the job done once the trial starts because we make a strong impression in the courtroom. Other attorneys, judges, and our peers in the legal profession know what to expect when they see us walk into court: fearless, impassioned representation of our clients.

Contact the Los Angeles Last-Minute Trial Lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP for Immediate Assistance

Do you need last-minute trial representation to save your case from certain defeat? The skilled attorneys at Tauler Smith LLP have decades of experience representing clients in cases involving business fraud, identity theft, breach of fiduciary duty, employment law defense, and criminal defense. We also know how to effectively prepare a case for a last-minute trial at the eleventh hour.

Call 310-590-3927 or email us now.

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