"It's not rocket science," says Brian McKeen about trial advocacy. His record-breaking verdicts may suggest otherwise. The Detroit med-mal virtuoso shares with hosts Ben Gideon and Rahul Ravipudi how he transformed from a sports-obsessed student into one of Michigan's powerhouse plaintiff attorneys. From a $130 million med mal judgment to a $96 million trucking verdict, Brian reveals how deep medical knowledge and relentless case development unlock extraordinary outcomes. Most compelling are his...
Jun 23, 2025•51 min•Season 5Ep. 12
In a personal injury case, the plaintiff’s lawyer must rely on witnesses to perform. In a bad-faith case, their job is educating the jury about the rules that insurance companies must follow. That’s how Ricardo Echeverria describes the two areas of his practice at Shernoff Bidart Echeverria . With hosts Ben Gideon and Rahul Ravipudi , he explains that he started his career focusing on PI but that evolved over the years to litigating bad faith cases. “They are definitely different kinds of cases ...
Jun 09, 2025•55 min•Season 5Ep. 11
When FDA guidelines failed their client, trial partners Austin Dana and Karen Zahka flipped the script by arguing for clinical judgment, typically a defense position. Hospitalized with an epileptic seizure at age 13, their client was old enough to receive an adult dosage of an anti-seizure medication, according to the FDA – but she weighed only 61 pounds, the weight of a child. That adult dosage led to their client getting Stevens-Johnson syndrome. “Our position was that the defendant should hav...
May 26, 2025•41 min•Season 5Ep. 10
Spare Terry Garmey the old joke about ambulance chasers. “I'm defensive about being a plaintiff's lawyer. I like what I do,” says one of Maine's most respected plaintiff's lawyers. His daughter Alexis Garmey Chardon , who left a high-paying corporate law career to practice with her father, also describes the profession’s nobility: “It’s almost like a civic duty for us lawyers that we keep trying cases, including small cases.” Tune in to this conversation with host Ben Gideon for an inside look a...
May 12, 2025•51 min•Season 5Ep. 9
"AI knows what absolute truth is," says Darryl Williams , whose military career solving "strategic surprise" led him to create algorithms that dive deeper than conventional AI. Speaking with host Ben Gideon , Darryl explains how his cognitive AI system, grounded in foundational sciences, achieves near-perfect accuracy where generative AI can falter. From identifying juror biases to uncovering hidden fraud, Darryl details how his platform reconstructs reality from sparse data points, helping lawy...
Apr 28, 2025•47 min•Season 5Ep. 8
"Attach yourself to the right people. Anything great that you ever accomplish is almost certainly accomplished by a team," says Kimball Jones , who's on an incredible winning streak with verdicts of $550 million, $105 million, and others in quick succession. Fresh off these victories, Kimball joins host Rahul Ravipudi to break down his teambuilding philosophy, inspired by the 1980s Detroit Pistons. He shares how his losses taught him to "don't agree to anything the defense wants" and why calming...
Apr 14, 2025•52 min•Season 5Ep. 7
Trial lawyer and consultant Elizabeth Larrick brings her expertise on focus groups to hosts Ben Gideon and Rahul Ravipudi . With experience conducting over 1,000 focus groups, the founder of the Trial Lawyer Prep Podcast explains how she helps attorneys make critical decisions at various stages in a case. Sharing success stories, Elizabeth details how her streamlined Zoom focus groups identify blind spots, test liability theories, and gauge damages. The dominant theme: preparing your case for ou...
Mar 31, 2025•47 min•Season 5Ep. 6
When Brad Cosgrove got the case of a woman who died during elective cosmetic surgery, his first thought was, “Is this rare?” During his investigation, he discovered that the plastic surgeon had been linked to other deaths but never disciplined. Tune in as Brad recaps his $54 million verdict against the doctor with hosts Ben Gideon and Rahul Ravipudi . Brad also discusses how to eliminate the “worst” jurors for a med-mal plaintiffs’ attorney: those who won't award damages because they feel that “...
Mar 17, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Big data doesn’t stymie a lawyer’s creativity in the courtroom; it actually informs smart decisions. So argues John Campbell , who co-authored “Jury Ball: The Big Data Revolution Is Here” with his wife, Alicia, and Sean Claggett. Big data is no substitute for creativity; it can't capture the lawyer’s biggest weapon: authenticity and heart. So argues Josh Koskoff , a leading personal injury trial attorney. Tune in to this friendly debate moderated by hosts Ben Gideon and Rahul Ravipudi to hear wh...
Mar 03, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 5Ep. 4
“I say the theater is a safe place to be dangerous. I firmly believe that the courtroom is a dangerous place to be safe.” That’s why Jesse Wilson teaches lawyers and witnesses how to be dangerous in the courtroom. A Juilliard-trained actor, he prepares witnesses and helps lawyers with trial strategy through his Tell the Winning Story consultant business. Following a workshop for host Ben Gideon ’s team, Jesse joins “Elawvate” to share tips with listeners. Tune in for his lessons about masks, ima...
Feb 17, 2025•55 min•Season 5Ep. 3
Frank Fratello used to consider money an “evil secret” in jury selection. Then he got a $2.5 million verdict. Fresh off the red-eye to Florida, Frank told his trial partner David Thompson about a strategy he’d learned days before from consultant Sari de la Motte at Trial Lawyers University in Las Vegas. “He was extremely excited. He’s like, ‘I'm doing it.’ … And he went and did it, and it was actually quite effective,” David recalls. Tune in as Frank and David – “problem-solvers” for Farah &...
Feb 03, 2025•55 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Hosts Ben Gideon and Rahul Ravipudi invite trial lawyer Charla Aldous for a conversation about her distinguished career. Sharing stories that range from amusing to poignant, she recalls making corporate defendants wither and juries giggle. She discusses reinventing herself from a defense lawyer to a plaintiff’s lawyer specializing in medical malpractice. She criticizes med-mal caps in Texas and cherishes taking unpopular cases. The dominant theme is her fearless devotion to clients. If she were ...
Jan 20, 2025•55 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Scott Schlesinger has known what it means to be a trial lawyer from his earliest days, growing up in the shadow of his father, legendary Florida trial lawyer Shelly Schlesinger. Scott talks about how the lessons and values he learned for his father shaped his approach. Scott has continued to legacy by becoming a one of the country’s best plaintiff’s trial lawyers in his own right, continuing to fight for clients impacted by the scourge of Big Tobacco, childhood exposure to Juul and many other ca...
Dec 02, 2024•56 min•Season 4Ep. 24
Join Ben and Rahul for a conversation with Spencer Lucas, Partner at Panish Shea Ravipudi, in which Spencer talks about his recent $135 million verdict on behalf of two victims of sexual assault by a teacher at a public school, and his work on the leadership trial teams representing sexual assault victims in claims against the Los Angeles Catholic Diocese and Boy Scouts of America. Spencer talks about how he found a passion for championing the rights of victims of sexual assault and how he has n...
Nov 18, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 23
Join Ben and Rahul for their conversation with Michael Talve, Founder and CEO of Expert Institute, a nation-wide expert search and research firm. Michael talks about how he stared the business in his apartment with a few friends and grew it to hundreds of employees that service more than 5000 plaintiff law firms across the United States. Michael discusses trends he has witnessed in the practice of plaintiff law and what he sees for the future of expert search and the role of AI in the plaintiff ...
Nov 04, 2024•46 min•Season 4Ep. 22
From a young age, Robert Glassman worked hard to perfect his abilities as a public speaker. When he was in high school, his parents enrolled him in a Dale Carnegie program to develop confidence speaking in front of strangers. From high school to law school, Robert was a perennial class president and accustomed to giving planned speeches before large audiences. Join Rahul and Ben as they discuss with Robert the advantages and challenges of transitioning his public speaking skills to success in th...
Oct 21, 2024•54 min•Season 4Ep. 21
Join Ben and Rahul for their in-depth discussion of Ben’s recent three-week jury trial in which Ben represented a little girl who developed cerebral palsy following the development of necrotizing enterocolitis in the NICU. Ben discusses how decision-making guided by big data led to him and his client to turning down an $11 million offer after closing arguments to take a verdict. He discusses what he learned following extensive discussions with jurors following the trial. Ben describes how this v...
Oct 07, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 20
Tampa Florida trial lawyer Steve Yerrid has done it all. He was a boxer in his youth and a fighter for justice in his career as a trial lawyer. Steve was the youngest member of the Tobacco “Dream Team,” which secured a $17 billion settlement from Big Tobacco and numerous changes in their business practices which have saved thousands of lives. Steve has many record setting jury verdicts. He has served as personal counsel to NY Yankees’ owner George Steinbrenner. And he has given back to his commu...
Sep 23, 2024•1 hr•Season 4Ep. 19
Join Ben and Rahul for their discussion with Jake and Tor, breaking down the recent 495 million Dollar verdict in a product liability case against Abbott Laboratories for pre-term infant formula that increases the risks for developing necrotizing enterocolitis. Hear how Jake and Tor navigated this difficult case and won this epic battle. About Jacob Plattenberger https://www.torhoermanlaw.com/team/jake-plattenberger/ Jacob Plattenberger has taken hundreds of depositions, argued in countless hear...
Sep 09, 2024•52 min•Season 4Ep. 18
Join Ben for his conversation with Dylan Ruga, trial lawyer and co-founder and President of Steno, a long-time sponsor of the pod. Dylan updates us on the new functionality and services offered by his innovative court reporting service, Steno. Steno allows plaintiff attorneys to defer costs of court reporting and videographer services until the end of the case. In states that allow it, these deferred costs can be non-recourse. Steno now operates through the Zoom platform but offers an app that i...
Aug 26, 2024•44 min•Season 4Ep. 17
Join Ben and Rahul for their interview of famed Los Angeles trial lawyer, Arash Homampour. Arash has perfected the ability to trial difficult liability and damages cases to outlier high verdicts. Arash explains how he channels his innate connection with his clients and abilities as a trial lawyer to achieve these results. Arash discusses his upbringing as the child of first-generation Iranian immigrants and how he went from failing the bar examination to being one of the most accomplished and su...
Aug 12, 2024•51 min•Season 4Ep. 16
Join Ben for this conversation with John and Johnny Simon and Tim Cronin of the Simon Law Firm. This episode covers discussion of two fascinating recent cases in which the Simon firm obtained more than $ 1 billion in combined verdicts on behalf of a client killed by a driver high on nitrous oxide and a rape victim in a psychiatric hospital. Learn about John, Johnny and Tim expertly built these cases around themes of corporate malfeasance, greed, neglect, and punitive damages. Both verdicts are h...
Jul 29, 2024•44 min•Season 4Ep. 15
When Conal Doyle started his plaintiff’s practice, he faced long odds and daunting obstacles. But as one born without one of his legs who went on to become a ski racer, long odds and obstacles were nothing new to Conal. Join Ben and Rahul for their discussion with Conal about how he bet on himself and his clients time and again, achieved monumental verdicts and changes to the legal system on his way to becoming one of California’s most successful trial lawyers. About Conal Doyle https://conaldoy...
Jul 15, 2024•51 min•Season 4Ep. 14
Before he became a trial lawyer, Colorado lawyer Kurt Zaner wanted to be an actor. But rather than just play a role, Kurt decided that he wanted to be a real-world champion and decided to become a trial lawyer. Now, Kurt applies lessons about presence, storytelling and drama from the stage to help achieve landmark verdicts for his clients. Join Ben for his wide-ranging discussion with Kurt that covers how a trial lawyer can use acting skills to enhance courtroom impact; strategies that have enab...
Jul 01, 2024•52 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Join Ben and Rahul for their discussion with top Alaska trial lawyer, Meg Simonian. Meg shares her journey from growing up as one of seven children with parents who did not graduate from high school to attending law school and becoming one of the nation’s best trial lawyers. After graduating from law school, Meg worked as a Federal public defender and then joined the practice of legendary trial lawyer, Rick Friedman. Meg shares lessons learned during her time working with Rick before leaving to ...
Jun 17, 2024•45 min•Season 4Ep. 12
With 37 verdicts of more than a million dollars, few lawyers in America can match the track record of success of New York trial lawyer Judy Livingston. What’s more, many of Judy’s verdicts came at a time when few women were trial lawyers. Join Ben and Rahul for their in-depth interview with Judy in which they explore the sources of the courage and fortitude that fueled her success. Judy shares accounts of her early trial practice, where she literally had to create a new mold as a woman in the co...
Jun 03, 2024•43 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Join Ben for his conversation with legendary Kentucky trial lawyer, Peter Perlman. Peter talks about how his upbringing, as the son of a 5 and 10 cent store owner, shaped his values and taught him the importance of finding ways to help others. During his long and successful career as a trial lawyer, Peter applied these lessons in cases that helped his individual clients and led to larger industry-wide changes that have helped countless others. These cases span a wide range of practice areas, fro...
May 20, 2024•46 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Join Ben for his discussion with attorneys Taylor Asen and Trevor Savage about their recent $2.4 million verdict in Bangor, Maine in a case involving a surgical mal positioning that caused an arm injury and CRPS. Taylor and Trevor explain how they worked closely with the client to get her to the right specialist who could diagnose her medical condition. They talk about the challenges of presenting a CRPS injury at trial. They discuss how they resisted the defense effort to stipulate to liability...
May 06, 2024•45 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Join Rahul and Ben for their conversation with Canadian trial lawyer, Paul Miller, who shares the fascinating account of his effort to find justice for Canadian diplomats impacted by Havana Syndrome. Paul explains the mounting evidence showing that Canadian and American diplomats posted in Cuba, England, Russia, Vietnam, and China have been targeted by weapons that use microwave or similar technology that is invisible but can cause brain damage, leading to a variety of life-long injuries and sym...
Apr 22, 2024•32 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Join Rahul and Ben for their discussion with Indiana trial lawyer Lee Christie and Trial Lawyers for Justice Attorney, Karen Zahka, as they break down their recent trial against Tesla. Although the case started out as a simple pickup truck vs. motorcycle accident involving a left turn, the personal involvement of Elon Musk led to an unusual investment of resources on the defense side and high drama in the courtroom. To get to verdict, the plaintiff had to navigate a series of landmines and obsta...
Apr 08, 2024•1 hr•Season 4Ep. 7
