Trial Practice & Arbitration

The death of trial practice has been bemoaned for years. Trials remain a cold reality, however,  and it is essential that you have a lawyer who has been in the arena before. I am Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Lawyer.   

There are typically two types of trials: bench and jury. Bench trials (trial to a judge) rely heavily upon quality writing for persuasive briefs, knowing the evidence (good and bad), and framing the issue based upon the law.

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Jury trials are different because they focus heavily on what will persuade 6 (or 8) disinterested jurors that the right thing to do is to rule in your client's favor. 

Having first-chaired hearings in New York, New Jersey,  Florida, London, Bermuda, and elsewhere over the last 30 years, I have learned how to communicate with judges from different walks of life as well as from jurors.   

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I have tried cases for both plaintiffs and defendants.  In my view, having experience of seeing trial practice from both perspectives provides insight into what opposing counsel may do and how the court may perceive both sides.    

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I have used these skills as first-chair in insurance policyholder claims and am an elected Member of the American College of Coverage Counsel (ACCC). I have also served successfully as Class Counsel in class action, and more recently as legal counsel to legal counsel for the lawyers engaged in multi-district litigation and class action practice.