Stephen Williamson · Nathan Werksman
Appearances can be Misleading – Lessons learned from a jury that appeared pro-defense but rendered a substantial plaintiff’s verdict
December 16, 2024 6:30 PM||TLU n Demand
This webinar will recount lessons learned from a recent slip and fall trial that resulted in a verdict of $5,889,714.00.
Last month, Steve Williamson tried this spine injury case to verdict in Queens County Supreme Court, in New York City.
During the trial, Steve and his team became concerned about the demeanor and reactions of the jury.Many of the jurors showed expressions and body language that seemed to suggest skepticism toward the plaintiff’s case, while appearing to be receptive to defense counsel, even when he pointedly attacked the plaintiff as dishonest and characterized her damages as exaggerated.
This seeming dynamic was apparent to most courtroom watchers, including the defense team, and it continued through summations, suggesting to all that the verdict would tilt toward the defense.However, the result was a big win for the plaintiff.
In post-verdict discussions, the jury explained some of the reasons why they reached a different decision from what their demeanors suggested.Our post-trial analysis, which focused on jury selection, the role of leaders and followers, and the importance of witness preparation, shed some additional light on how this result was reached.
In this webinar, we will explore all these topics and others that arose during this trial, such as cross examination of the defendant’s doctors, owning your weaknesses, and finding issues that resonate with jurors.
If you can't attend Live, Watch On Demand