040: Guest Interview Michael Neff: Client Deposition Preparation in Premises Liability Cases

There are a lot of emotional landmines when it comes to premise liability cases. For instance, summary judgment is an issue in just about every premise liability case. A lot of lawyers have this mental shortcut that if they beat the summary judgment, then the case is going to settle. 

But in premise liability cases, damages are not enough. You’re going to need to navigate through that, especially because insurance companies will always try to look for opportunities where they can take advantage of them. 

Now, we can’t stress enough that the preparation of the clients for deposition is key in these cases. The client has to be prepared to tell his or her story clearly so there's no ambiguity, no landmines, and no rabbit holes. There are no missing pieces to it. That is why having multiple focus groups and investing time in preparing your clients is crucial to the success of the case.

In this episode, Michael Neff joins us to talk about premises liability cases, which he has been doing for 15 years out of 30 years that he has been in practice. Michael emphasizes the lawyer's responsibility to eliminate the legal risks where they can, and that means anticipating where problems may arise. Remember, the trial is not about the trial lawyer, but about what the jury wants to do for these parties.

In this episode, you will hear:

• The importance of client preparation in premises cases
• Factors that can derail premises liability cases
• Minimizing additional harm to your client
• Why damages are not enough in premises cases
• The importance of working with a consultant
• Being efficient in how you present your case

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Supporting Resources:

https://www.premisesliability.org/

Email [email protected]  for a 1-year free membership to the National Association of Premises Liability Attorneys. 

Premises Liability: https://www.trialguides.com/products/premises-liability 

Advanced Premises Liability:  https://www.trialguides.com/products/advanced-premises-liability

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know I sent you.