How to Recognize an Experienced Trial Attorney

You will recognize how polite he is.

You will see how professional he acts in the courtroom.

You will see he does NOT have a chip on his shoulder.

The best trial attorneys are NOT arrogant.

The most experienced trial attorneys are NOT cocky & condescending.

The best trial lawyers don’t use a script; instead, they rely on outlines.

The best trial lawyers are not out to prove they are great.

Instead, they focus on getting results for their clients. They have an obligation to show that they are more likely right than wrong that what they are claiming is true.

The best trial attorneys in New York are the most prepared for trial.

They know their file and the facts of the case better than their own clients. They know the facts of the case better than their experts. They live the case. They breathe their case. The case becomes second nature to them.

You cannot be a great trial attorney without massive preparation and planning.

You cannot try a case without creating strategy and tactics that will help you every time you stand up to object or to question a witness.

In civil lawsuits involving accident cases, medical malpractice cases and wrongful death cases, much of an attorney’s success and the results he achieves are dependent upon how well prepared he is for trial.

An experienced trial attorney comes to court with a legal brief ready to present to the judge about all of the anticipated contested legal issues. He provides the judge with a legal overview about why his position is right and the defendant’s position is wrong.

An experienced trial attorney will take the time to provide copies of the exhibits he will introduce, to his adversary prior to trial. This will eliminate the need for constant interruptions and objections to discuss the admissibility of evidence.

A truly experienced trial lawyer rarely focuses on the faults of the defense attorney and rarely resorts to calling him names.

Unlike some presidential candidates who take pride in hurling insults at their opponents, really good trial attorneys have no need for resorting to insults upon their opponent.

You will notice that the best trial attorneys will often hold the door open for their opponent. They will say “Thank you.”

He will be exceedingly polite both in the courtroom and outside. Some attorneys still gaining experience think that being polite is a farce only to create the perception that they are polite in front of the jury. However, truly great trial lawyers are ones who are polite all the time and don’t simply put on a show for the jury.

A hallmark of really great attorney is being honest and truthful with your client.

A truly great trial attorney knows when to shut up and sit down. Most young novice attorneys don’t.

A truly great trial attorney knows that you don’t have to cross examine every witness the defense puts on. Young novice attorneys don’t understand this.

Really great trial attorneys recognize the benefit of pushing forward with your best evidence in an effort to try and obtain the best settlement result possible. They also recognize that taking a verdict is the riskiest part of any trial.

A really great trial attorney will honestly tell his client that even with the best case and the best evidence and the best damages and the best experts, it is still possible that the jury will throw you out of court without a dime.

The best trial attorneys know how to ask short leading questions on cross-examination. They know how to control the witness.

They know when to use righteous indignation to show how outraged they are with a particular witness.

Other times, they know when it’s appropriate to quietly and politely conduct their cross examination. You can achieve more with honey than you can with vinegar.

For a consumer who is trying to find the best trial lawyer to help you solve your legal problem, the biggest concern you have right now is learning how to find the best trial lawyer.

If you don’t know an excellent attorney and you don’t know someone who can refer you to an excellent trial lawyer, then you’re often left to scour the Internet to see who might be the best one to represent you and help solve your legal problem.

You obviously want to find an attorney who has significant experience handling the exact type of case that you have.

However, among the hundreds and thousands of lawyers in New York who have similar experience, how do you truly know which one is right for you?

You have to dig a little deeper and see what type of information the attorney provides to you before you ever pick up the phone to call or walk into his office.

Does he provide you with helpful, informative articles? Does he give you free reports? Has he written consumer-oriented books to help you understand how your specific type of case works?

Does he provide you with hundreds of free videos that teach and explain how your case works here in New York?

If the answer is no, you might want to ask “Why not?”

We live in the Internet age and lots of great information is available online. However, you as a consumer, searching for the best attorney to solve your problem now has to filter through all those attorney websites and advertisements to try and find the best lawyer for your case.

As you search for the best trial attorney to help you, keep in mind why you want someone to help teach you, educate you and help you understand how your case works before you ever commit to making an appointment and see an attorney in person.

Only then can you become a better informed consumer about your choices and options on how to solve your legal problem.

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Gerry Oginski is a New York medical malpractice & injury lawyer and is the founder of “Lawyers Video Studio”