According to the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), around 10% of elders experience some form of abuse. Entrusting a loved one to a nursing home is a weighty decision, driven by the desire to ensure their well-being and receive the care they deserve. Unfortunately, instances of nursing home abuse can occur, emphasizing the need […]

If you’ve been injured at no fault of your own, you likely have a number of medical bills. Naturally you may be curious about who’s responsible for paying these bills if you receive a personal injury settlement or verdict. While the answer isn’t always straightforward, understanding the factors involved can assist you in navigating this […]

Personal injury law involves a wide range of case types. If you have experienced an injury at no fault of your own because of someone else’s negligence, you may be able to bring a personal injury lawsuit. In this post, we discuss a number of different types of personal injury cases. The Process of a […]

In personal injury cases, many clients hope to reach a settlement without having to go to court. But if a fair resolution cannot be reached through settlement negotiations, it becomes crucial to litigate your case with an experienced trial lawyer who cares about you and your case. Litigation refers to the process of resolving disputes […]

Personal injuries can have a serious impact on you and your loved ones. If you’ve been hurt in Virginia at no fault of your own, it’s important to be aware of the time limit within which you must bring a personal injury lawsuit. This comprehensive guide by RVA Personal Injury Lawyers aims to provide you […]

“You can’t get nowhere with a thousand-dollar saddle on a ten-dollar horse.” That line comes from a story that Gerry Spence is known to share: Uncle Slim points to a dude in the corral trying to saddle a beaten-up horse with a fancy saddle, made of black leather lined with silver. Slim turns to Spence and […]

The Courtroom Deputies placed their bets. And they got it right. I found out after a recent trial that the Courtroom Deputies accurately predicted the verdict. Impressive, but not surprising. The Deputies are in court every day. They watch case after case, lawyer after lawyer, and they know what the Judge will do better than […]

There is one thing that separates good from great. Grit. All great trial lawyers have it. “Great trial lawyers did not become great overnight. They are gritty individuals who often lost in their early careers and did not lose sight of the long-term goal of improving and learning from each loss. They were not easily […]

You are standing in the middle of the courtroom. The jury is staring at you. And the judge is waiting. What you decide to do next matters. And it is informed not just by the few weeks of preparation you did for that case, but by that preparation AND who you have become as a […]

If you try cases, only five things matter. Everything else is a distraction. 1. Jury Selection 2. Opening Statement 3. Direct Examinations 4. Cross-Examinations 5. Closing Argument That’s it. Effective trial lawyers approach everything that they do with an eye towards those five things. There really is no need to get lost in the pretrial […]

“You’re doing too much; it’s just a bench trial.” Wrong. A bench trial is still a trial: opening statement, direct examinations, cross examinations, and closing argument. Judges are people too. They make decisions just like jurors, so it is in our client’s benefit to approach bench trials the same way we approach jury trials. As […]

Sorry, ChatGPT. You can’t replace the trial lawyer. There will always be a need for those willing to stand up in a courtroom. For those who advocate on behalf of others. And for those who bring humanity to our justice system. There will always be a need for the trial lawyer. Tools like ChatGPT will […]

“What about the next person?” A few weeks ago, a family member was injured. On the way to get a coffee, they tripped and fell on uneven sidewalk. It did damage: bleeding, bruising, and a concussion. And there is still a scar. It is a highly trafficked area. And, after investigating, we learned that multiple […]

“If a sign at the entrance to a zoo says ‘come see the elephant, lion, hippo, and giraffe,’ and a temporary sign is added saying ‘the giraffe is sick,’ you would reasonably assume that the others are in good health.” N.L.R.B. v. SW Gen., Inc., 137 S. Ct. 929, 940 (2017) (Roberts, J.). That is the […]

Last fall, Ryan Walker and I tried a personal injury case, and when moving an exhibit into evidence, the Judge unintentionally gave us one of the best compliments we have ever received: “Commonwealth (aka, the Prosecution) Exhibit 1” Liability (and the defense’s failure to admit liability) drives damages. Why did a Texas jury come back […]

As Judge Learned Hand explained nearly 100 years ago, “Juries are not leaves swayed by every breath.” Take a second to think about that. Yes, how you frame a case matters. Yes, the evidence the jury hears and sees matters. And, yes, the specific wording you use matters. But, to win at trial, you do […]

Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist, explains: “The mind is divided, like a rider on an elephant, and the rider’s job is to serve the elephant.” The rider represents reason, and the elephant represents emotion. Despite our best efforts in the courtroom, the elephant decides the case: “Perched atop the Elephant, the Rider holds the reins […]

Before I started plaintiff’s personal injury work, I spent a year at the local prosecution office. It was an awesome job. I loved working to make the community safer and helping victims get justice. (And the people I worked with were great: my colleagues, our staff, the police, the defense bar, and the court). And […]

Michael Waddington of Trial Lawyers Notebook interviewed Sharif Gray. Here is the video:

Your mind is made up. You’re going to try your hand at law. I commend you; it will not be easy, but I guarantee you will be better prepared if you follow the below advice. 1. Work for your GPA and master the LSAT to get into a “good” law school. Your GPA represents your […]