By Dr. Ken Broda-Bahm: Though the mistrial in the Lindsay Clancy case was last month’s news, the drama continues. The Massachusetts mother, accused in the deaths of her three children, rested her defense on claims of bipolar disorder and untreated post-partum depression. The defense convinced 11 of the 12 jurors to favor an acquittal, while
A Jury Isn’t (Completely) a Black Box Read More »
By Dr. Ken Broda-Bahm: It’s a familiar scenario: As the case moves toward the mediation stage, the two sides start staking out positions with an eye toward compromise. The plaintiffs make a big ask with the expectation of coming down. The defense offers a low number with the expectation of coming up. Before and through
Mediate on Merits, Not Math Read More »
By Dr. Ken Broda-Bahm: Mediation is often guided by predictions made by each side, as well as by the mediator: if this case went to trial and faced a jury, what would that jury likely do with it? Naturally, each of these three actors will have a belief about that, and those beliefs may be
Consider Involving -Both- Sides in the Mock Trial Read More »
By Dr. Ken Broda-Bahm: Sometimes in civil cases, the plaintiff’s liability claim is opportunistic, wishful, or factually weak. Other times, it is real. Someone didn’t do their job, a danger was missed, or — in that Olympic champion of passive-voice phrases — “mistakes were made.” In this situation, the question of whether to contest or
When You Concede Liability, Make Sure You Concede With Benefits Read More »
By Dr. Ken Broda-Bahm: At a national conference I spoke at earlier this week, one of the other presenters was Anne Marie O’Brien of Smith Pauley LLP, a very experienced litigator and mediator working out of Omaha, Nebraska. During her talk, she asked a room full of defense attorneys how many of them routinely made the
Defendants, Don’t Automatically Avoid the First Move in Settlement Read More »
By Dr. Ken Broda-Bahm: Trial lawyers arguably wear two hats. The first hat is that of the advocate — zealous, convinced, and laser-focused on their client’s best case. The other hat, though, belongs to the counsellor who assesses the case and advises the client — sober, grounded, and realistic. It takes the advocate’s hat to
Case Assessment: Check Your “Myside Bias” Read More »
Sometimes a chess player sacrifices a pawn to improve their position in the game. And sometimes a defendant concedes liability in order to focus the case on better ground. What are the considerations that go into that decision? In this post, I propose four questions.
Pick Your Battles: The “Should We Concede Liability?” Checklist Read More »
By Dr. Ken Broda Bahm: It can be a common experience during a mock trial. You have a mock juror who ends up being way too focused on what they don’t know. They understand that there are limits to how much detail you can get into within the constraints of a shorter trial simulation, but
Combat “Partial-Picture Paralysis” in Your Mock Trial…And Your Real Trial Too Read More »
By Dr. Ken Broda Bahm: When jurors are awarding damages in a civil case, the law looks at what they’re doing in a binary way: They are either compensating the plaintiff for what they have lost, or they are awarding additional amounts to set an example. In short, anything outside of “making the plaintiff whole”
Ask What Jurors Are Trying to Do with Damages Read More »
By Dr. Ken Broda Bahm: When the parties in litigation come together to talk about settlement, that might be seen as the “posturing phase.” Each side is trying to convey the strength and unassailability of their case, while predicting an inevitable victory in trial. Some of that might be considered the rational “puffery” that puts
Settle Your Case Honestly: Top 4 Ways to Make the Truth Work for You in Negotiations Read More »