What’s Your Superpower?

Orange County Super LawyerSuperman’s powers included flight, super-strength, super-speed, x-ray vision, super-hearing, super-intelligence, and super-breath, which enables him to blow out air at freezing temperatures, as well as exert the propulsive force of high-speed winds.

Wonder Woman is a masterful athlete, acrobat, fighter and strategist, trained and experienced in many ancient and modern forms of armed and unarmed combat, including exclusively Amazonian martial arts. She even uses her Amazon bracelets to stop bullets. Don’t get me started on what she can do with her golden lasso.

The Flash is capable of running faster than the speed of light creating vortexes charged with electricity and, at times during the Silver Age, is described as faster than the speed of thought. When he tried really hard, he could even run ten times the speed of light.

So what’s your superpower?

Truth be told, every single trial lawyer I’ve met has their own and very unique superpower. The problem is that most trial lawyers don’t know this or, they never spend time to find out what it is.

Instead, they focus their attention on duplicating what everyone else is doing. By do so, they never really give themselves a chance to fly, use their Amazon bracelets, or run faster than the speed of light.

So why does this happen? Why are most trial lawyers afraid to tap in to their superpowers?

I think the answer is that they’re afraid. They’re afraid to make a mistake or afraid that the judge, jury or their client will not like what they see or hear. They’re afraid of losing the case.

It’s kind of sad when you think about it.

You see, you already have the ability to be the best trial lawyer in town. All you need to do is be brave enough to discover and focus on your own unique superpower and then use it for good and to battle evil.

Not sure what your Superpower is? Ask a close friend. He’ll tell you. Ask what it is about you that has earned his friendship over the years? What qualities does he see in you that he doesn’t see in anyone else? Why would he trust you to protect him during trial? You might just be pleasantly surprised at his answer.

Once you figure out your superpower, focus with laser precision on doing all you can to improve your superpower. Do what needs to be done to make a small 1% improvement in your superpower each and every day. At the end of the 6 months, you’ll be flying faster than Superman, fighting better than Wonder Woman, and running faster than the Flash.

With your new found confidence and superpower, not only will you be better equipped to fight evil in the courtroom, you’ll also enjoy the experience of being a trial lawyer much more because you’ll be yourself. And that my friend is the greatest superpower of all!
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Mitch Jackson has been a trial lawyer for 27 years and is a 2013 California Litigation Lawyer of the Year (CLAY Award) and 2009 Orange County Trial Lawyer of the Year. When he’s not trying cases, Mitch uses social media to help attorneys become better trial lawyers and to show everyone (not just lawyers) how to communicate more effectively. His law firm website is JacksonandWilson.com and his communication tips blog is MitchJackson.com

Learn Trial Counsel’s Dance Moves…

This approach works both during litigation and trial. After all, while litigation is a dance, some trials can be a boxing match. Just as a professional boxer studies the moves and tendencies of his opponent before stepping in to the ring, you too should take the time to learn as much as you can about exactly how opposing counsel tries his or her case.

Click the image or here to listen to the podcast…

Trial Lawyer Expert and Trial Lawyer Communication Tips

 

Click here to read the written blog post (also make sure to get on my free newsletter for updates and more tips)

How To Make Your Point During Motions, Oral Argument and Trial

I’m getting ready for a wrongful death jury trial but wanted to get this quick smartphone video off to you. I use these 5 steps all the time. Hope you find them useful.

 

New York Times Bestselling Author, Chris Brogan, Interviews Mitch Jackson

New York Times bestselling author, Chris Brogan, recently interviewed me about how I communicate as a trial lawyer. Several topics included how I truly try to interact with people and some of the approaches I use to get large verdicts for our clients. During the podcast, I shared my honest thoughts with Chris and I truly hope you find value in the interview.

Please feel free to share this link with young trial lawyers who are still trying to figure things out.


 

P.S.- The above picture shows Chris Brogan on the left and on the right in an unrelated event, yours truly and California Supreme Court Chief Justice, Tani Cantil-Sakauye, during last month’s CLAY Awards in San Francisco.

Video Interview- “What’s the Mindset of a Successful Trial Lawyer?”

Mitch shares his thoughts about success and having the right mindset to practice law and win jury trials…

Closing Argument in $5.5M Wrongful Death Jury Verdict (actual transcript)

Keep your closing argument in complicated cases simple and easy to understand. Don’t try to cover everything. Focus on the important points.

 

Here’s a copy (PDF) of the actual transcript of my $5,500,000 closing argument in a police misconduct wrongful death case…

 

Tap and Transport- How to Get Your Jury Interested in Your Client’s Story

Normally when you conduct voir dire, you spend a couple of minutes sharing the general facts of your case so that your potential jurors have some idea about what the case is about. In your opening, you also talk a bit about the facts and what evidence you believe will be introduced during trial.

In closing, you argue the facts in a persuasive fashion to hammer home the case for your client.

The problem is, most lawyers don’t know how to go going the above in an effective fashion. Learn how to “Tap” and “Transport” and you’ll be well on your way to success!

 

 

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My friend, Craig Valentine, is the 1999 World Champion of Public Speaking. His home study course explaining exactly how to tell an effective story is one of the best I’ve seen. Click here to learn how to persuasively tell stories.

 

Are You Winning Your Jury Trials?

I believe that with the right tools and approach, almost any attorney can learn how to become a good trial lawyer.

First of all I’d like to share a short (and soon to be obvious) disclaimer with you. I’m a trial lawyer. I’m not an actor nor do I sound or look like one. I’m also not a professional director or video producer. I’m just a lawyer trying to share his almost 3 decades of trial experience and tips with others. 

So I hope you find the resources at my blog useful. If you like what you see and hear, please share my blog and links other other lawyers who you feel may find this information useful. I’ve also put together a “Google Plus Trial Lawyer Tips Community” that is designed to compliment this site. With 400+ lawyers from around the world sharing trial tips, I think we’re off to a good start with the new Google+ Community for 2013! If your practice is focused on helping consumers and you do not represent corporations or insurance companies, then you’re invited to join us.

Now back to the purpose of this trial lawyer tips blog…

I started this trial tips blog because of what I hear and see each day in court. The fact of the matter is that many well-meaning and hard working lawyers (and their clients) are not getting the trial results they’re looking for. They don’t know the “game changing” answer to this critically important question…

What’s the single most important “thing” you need to know and do to consistently win trials?

 

Any way you slice it or dice it, trying a case can be a nerve racking experience. Even a bit scary at times. I know because that’s the way I felt when I tried my first jury trial back in 1986.

Now for the good news. It doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, let’s “fast forward” 27 years. Today, when it comes to practicing law and helping clients, there’s nothing I enjoy more than answering ready for trial.

I don’t pretend to have all the answers and truly appreciate the fact that the experience of trying a case is different for everyone. Having said that, I have noticed and learned over the past two decades that there is definitely a right way to try your case and consistently get good results for your clients.

So, here’s my plan for 2013. In my free weekly tips (mostly videos), I’m going to show you exactly how I’ve been winning difficult cases for more than 27 years. I’m also going to reveal some of my best trial techniques and also some of the best that I’ve observed other lawyers use to win big verdicts.

In return, all that I ask is that you share this link and your comments and feedback with others.

If you have a particular point or trial technique you would like to share, please do so at our Google Plus Trial Lawyer Tips Community. Also share your thoughts in the comments section at this blog.  Information is power if shared and acted upon. By sharing your comments, you’ll be empowering others. That’s what this this site is all about!

Make sure to get on my email update list using this link or the box to your right. In return, I promise not to waste your time and I’ll make sure to let you know when a new trial tip or video comes out. Also please feel free to “connect” and join me on social media.

Now the answer to the above question.  The one common “secret’ all good trial lawyers share is that they’ve learned how to effectively be themselves and speak from the heart. Sure, much more is required to win your case but if you can master this one thing, you’ll be light years ahead of everyone else. FYI, I discuss this critically important issue, and more, in the above video.

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“…trial by jury…the only anchor ever yet imagined by man by which a government can be held to the principles of its constitution….”
Thomas Jefferson, letter to Tom Paine, 1789

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