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The first time you try a case shouldn't be in front of a real jury. Geoff Hamby, a partner at Oliver Law Firm, rehearses jury selection and opening with mock jurors — two rounds a day across two days — in the trial venue before pulling the trigger. His firm even starts wearing suits 30 days out to get into the right mindset. Hosts Caleb Miller and Eleanor Aldous unpack the preparation behind Geoff's $5.3 million verdict against First Student in Portland, Oregon, in only his second first-chair trial, and how he passed a Sharpie-marked brain around the jury box. Tune in to learn how relentless preparation can turn trial nerves into readiness. Learn More and Connect☑️ Geoff Hamby | LinkedIn ☑️ Oliver Law Firm | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X | YouTube ☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous ☑️ Aldous Law ☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram ☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Produced and Powered by LawPods, a podcast marketing agency for law firms

Jury trial consultant Jesse Wilson built his victim-to-victor framework not in a courtroom, but in a prison theater program, where removing judgment became the key to authentic communication. A former Julliard-trained actor turned full-time trial consultant for nearly 15 years, Jesse now travels the country helping lawyers reach record verdicts, drawing on his two books. He joins host Charla Aldous to explain why a witness is not her pain but the strength of trying to overcome it, why joy functions as courtroom evidence, and why choosing the victor story over the victim story reshapes case strategy. Tune in for his approach to witness preparation and opening statement. Learn More and Connect☑️ Jesse Wilson | LinkedIn ☑️ Tell the Winning Story | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube ☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous ☑️ Aldous Law ☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram ☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Produced and Powered by LawPods, a podcast marketing agency for law firms

Most lawyers build their case around closing argument — but the trial is already decided long before that. Shane Read, jury consultant, trial trainer, and author of six books on trial advocacy, joins host Charla Aldous to break down the brain science of trial storytelling. A former assistant U.S. attorney who tried more than 100 jury trials in 30 years, Shane explains why modern juries — digital natives and digital immigrants — process information differently, why pictures outperform word-heavy slides, and how the "curse of knowledge" blinds lawyers to their own case's weaknesses. He reveals the three questions every winning story must answer and his WIN acronym for keeping the jury's needs front and center. Learn More and Connect☑️ Shane Read | LinkedIn | YouTube ☑️ Shane Read LLC | LinkedIn ☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous ☑️ Aldous Law ☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram ☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Produced and Powered by LawPods

Private investigation isn't just for criminal law — it's how plaintiff attorneys win before they ever file. Caleb Miller hosts Mike Thompson, founder of Ideal Intel, a Texas-based investigation firm. A former Liverpool police officer turned surveillance specialist, Mike now works exclusively with plaintiff law firms on personal injury and wrongful death cases. The conversation covers evidence preservation windows — video footage disappears after 30 days — and Mike's "discovery before discovery" approach. A background check on a truck driver in a death case exposed incomplete employment records and a dishonorable discharge the company didn't know about. Mike identifies where lawyers most commonly fall short: reactive fact-finding and failing to vet witnesses and experts. Learn More and Connect☑️ Mike Thompson | LinkedIn ☑️ Ideal Intel | Facebook | LinkedIn ☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous ☑️ Aldous Law ☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram ☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Produced and Powered by LawPods

The key to winning a big verdict in a wrongful death case often lies in showing jurors the opposite of big money: scarcity. What is it that the decedent didn’t have? It could have been the last lick of ice cream. Or getting their affairs in order. Whether they were 20 or 80, they lost valuable parts of life. Dirk Vandever suggests that the job of the plaintiff’s lawyer is to put a value on that scarcity. In this conversation with host Charla Aldous, he explains how he’s done it in his successful wrongful death practice over the past 50 years. Tune in as he unpacks his "two oaths" approach to unlocking honest panel responses and his two-word advice for young lawyers. Learn More and Connect☑️ Dirk Vandever | LinkedIn ☑️ Popham Law Firm | X | Facebook | LinkedIn ☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous ☑️ Aldous Law ☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram ☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Produced and Powered by LawPods

Here’s the scenario: Jarrett Stone and counsel for a major insurance company are emailing each other. One of them is sitting in a massive high-rise. The other is in his sweats in a converted attic office space. If you guessed that Jarrett is the second one, you’d be right. “It’s kind of trippy…” he says in this conversation with hosts Caleb Miller and Eleanor Aldous. The founder of Law Venture and author of Win the PI Game, Jarrett pulls back the curtain on how he built a thriving solo firm on word-of-mouth referrals, zero advertising, and disciplined case selection. He challenges the myth that you need hundreds of thousands saved before going solo or that more cases means more success. And if you’re starting out, tune in for Jarrett’s list of tools that you need. The internet ranks high. Learn More and Connect☑️ Jarrett Stone | LinkedIn | Instagram | X | Facebook | Book: Win the PI Game ☑️ Law Venture | YouTube ☑️ Stone Firm, PLLC | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook ☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous ☑️ Aldous Law ☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram ☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Produced and Powered by LawPods

"The best advice for a trial lawyer is: this is not about you," says Meg Simonian, a medical malpractice trial lawyer practicing in Alaska who has navigated some of the most challenging trial conditions in the country. Meg joins host Charla Aldous to discuss building a career in a state with restrictive caps on non-economic damages — and how she pushes past those limits. She shares her hard-won strategies for trying cases in remote Alaska communities — including how to understand the "personality" of the community you're in. She also opens up about balancing a career with raising five children and the lessons she’d pass on to younger lawyers. Tune in for Meg's insights on exhibit organization, deposition strategy, and why getting out of your own way is the most important skill a trial lawyer can develop. Learn More and Connect☑️ Meg Simonian | LinkedIn ☑️ Dillon Findley & Simonian, P.C. on LinkedIn | X ☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous ☑️ Aldous Law ☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram ☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Produced and Powered by LawPods

“He has threatened to commit a mass shooting.” An Army reservist texted those chilling words to the commanding officer about Robert Card, a fellow reservist. Tragically, Card followed through on his threat at a Maine bowling alley. Today, Ben Gideon is leading claims against the U.S. Army and Army Reserve for failing to take steps to stop the risk that Card presented. “Part of our thinking in this case and our presentation is: If we can't stop this, we're hopeless,” he explains to host Charla Aldous. Tune in to hear Ben reveal how he’s approaching this high-profile case and how he’s approached others – including one where he secured the largest med-mal and PI verdict in Maine – to confirm his reputation among the nation’s elite med-mal lawyers. Learn More and Connect☑️ Ben Gideon | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram ☑️ Gideon Asen on LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram ☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous ☑️ Aldous Law ☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram ☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Produced and Powered by LawPods

How do you go from prosecuting a fish snagger (yup, it’s a crime) in your first jury trial to becoming a personal injury trial legend? Rick Friedman reveals all in this candid discussion with the host. The author of influential books, including “Rules of the Road,” shares hard-won wisdom about building a successful plaintiff's practice. You don’t necessarily need to be the smartest one in the courtroom, he says, but you do need resilience and authenticity. Therapy helps, too. Most of all, get in the courtroom. Even if it’s to prosecute a fish snagger.  Learn More and Connect☑️ Rick Friedman | LinkedIn ☑️ Friedman Rubin Trial Lawyers | LinkedIn | Facebook ☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous ☑️ Aldous Law ☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram ☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Produced and Powered by LawPods

Sach Oliver and his team were taking depositions on a mega-trial when it hit him: “Oh, my gosh. This is not a discovery deposition! This deposition is what the jury will watch someday!” The game-changing breakthrough led to his transformative approach to trial and his book “Depositions Are Trial.” Tune in to learn how Sach puts insights into practice, in this conversation with host Caleb Miller. Stay tuned for his winning strategies, from focus groups to dress rehearsals to taking Fridays off. Learn More and Connect☑️ Sach Oliver | LinkedIn ☑️ Oliver Law Firm | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X | YouTube  ☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous ☑️ Aldous Law ☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram ☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Produced and Powered by LawPods

“The neat thing about studying lots of cases is you see what works and what doesn't,” says John Campbell in this visit with host Charla Aldous, where he and his wife, Alicia Campbell, reflect on their journey pioneering the use of big data jury reports. Fresh from their 1,300th study, the Campbells share trends they’ve documented along the way. As Alicia explains, big data helps attorneys by showing how different variables could affect the outcome of their case. And if you think your case doesn’t demand “big” data, check out big data’s “little brother” called “Fred.” Learn more on “The Fred Files,” Alicia’s podcast available on TrialPods. Learn More and Connect☑️ John Campbell | LinkedIn ☑️ Alicia Campbell | The Fred Files Podcast ☑️ Campbell Law LLC ☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous ☑️ Aldous Law ☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram ☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Produced and Powered by LawPods

Mark Mandell was winning lots of cases in the 1970s and ‘80s. Then came the ‘90s, and he noticed he had lost some cases he should have won. As he studied the “why” behind his losses, he experimented with different models until he came upon one that worked: case framing, a system that coordinates every element of trial preparation and presentation. He has since written two groundbreaking books about this model, "Case Framing" and "Advanced Case Framing." Visiting with longtime friend Charla Aldous, Mark unpacks how he frames each case, starting with his best issue, then the second-best, then the third. As he explains, at their essence, case frames are filters through which the lawyer presents the case to the jury. Learn More and Connect☑️ Mark Mandell ☑️ Mandell Boisclair & Mandell | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook ☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous ☑️ Aldous Law ☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram ☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Produced and Powered by LawPods

“If you're not doing live focus groups before you do your trials, I think you are committing malpractice.” Sean Claggett, founder of Claggett & Sykes and co-author of “JuryBall,” didn’t say that when he launched his organized focus group program in 2010. He says it now. In this conversation with hosts Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, and Eleanor Aldous, Sean explains why. Big data has revolutionized his practice, allowing him not only to predict verdicts – but also to predict the future for plaintiffs’ lawyers. Defense lawyers are already getting on the big data bandwagon, so plaintiff’s lawyers who don’t will get “smoked.”  Learn More and Connect☑️ Sean Claggett | LinkedIn ☑️ Claggett & Sykes | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X ☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous ☑️ Aldous Law ☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram ☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Produced and Powered by LawPods

No job, no money, no future. It seemed like a common chapter in Jim Perdue Sr.’s life at the time. But that was after graduating from law school, and Jim’s story would change. Six decades later, the "Father of Texas Courtroom Storytelling” reflects on his remarkable journey from poverty to becoming one of America's most celebrated trial attorneys with host Charla Aldous. Tune in for his insights about his childhood hardships, groundbreaking storytelling techniques, and belief in hard work and humility. Learn More and Connect Jim Perdue Sr.  Perdue & Kidd | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X | YouTube Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous Aldous Law Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Produced and Powered by LawPods

This in-house episode features hosts Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, and Eleanor Aldous, who expand on a CLE presentation Charla gave to the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association earlier this year. In that CLE, Charla shared six essential tips for young lawyers; here, the trio broadens the focus to all lawyers. Tune in as they explore each lesson in depth: 1. be authentic, 2. be bold and confident, 3. keep it simple, 4. pick up the phone, 5. try cases, and 6. clients first. Learn More and Connect Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous Aldous Law Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Produced and Powered by LawPods