TLC Blog

September 2020 3-Week College July 2020 College applicants do not have to resubmit an application to be considered for the September 2020 College. We will roll those over for you. September 2020 College applicants have until May 26 to fill out and submit an application. There is no time like [...]

As we work to do our part to keep you all safe and healthy, TLC has canceled the following spring and summer courses: Regional Constellation on Cross-Examination: March 27-29 in Santa Fe, NM and Anchorage, AK Regional Seminar on Closing Argument: April 24-26 in Newport Beach, CA Indigent Representation Seminar: [...]

Public defender and TLC graduate Regan Williams spent the last two weeks of January in Bethel, Alaska, trying a homicide case with Andrew Dunmire. Their client, a young Native Alaskan, had shot an unarmed man with a high-powered rifle. Regan's role included cross-examination of a young man who witnessed the [...]

You have accomplished so much and you have so much respect across the nation as a lawyer.  What is it that you do that has made you so successful?   I started out with the fear that if I was ever caught lying I would lose all respect and integrity [...]

So you won this case for you client -- great!  Can you give use the background of the case? We did, yes!  The case was Marsha Jones vs. AMC Theaters.  It was a straight forward situation. My client, Marsha,  and a friend walked into a movie theater to see a [...]

You won! Congratulations! Would you mind giving me some background on the case?   Sure. There are a few players in this case. There is the grandmother who is the legal guardian of her 11 year old granddaughter and the granddaughter has a friend who's the same age.  The two [...]

Originally sentenced to 30 years for a crime he never committed, Maureen finally got him freed! Read the full story to learn about what it took to get the verdict.

When a local construction company and its owner contracted to perform a construction contract for a national outfit and the United States Army Corps of Engineers, his agreement to perform evolved beyond the original scope of work - and even into the "request" that he finance the additional services, all based upon the supposed promise that he would be fairly paid and reimbursed upon completion of the now much larger project. Once the small business owner had performed, the larger corporation overseeing this federal job took THEIR large profit and left the small business owner/subcontractor "holding the bag." Baton Rouge, LA TLC Grad Christopher Suba (Class of 2013) convinced a federal jury that was wrong. Credibility was the key in this betrayal story presented within a "dry" breach of contract case...

TLC grad Jessica Jackson-Barrows loves criminal defense and the world is a better place for it. Her TLC-inspired voir dire led to a not-guilty verdict and checked a few biases at the door.

The Trial Lawyers College changed the way Atlanta Trial Laywer Joe Fried practices law. He became a better human being in the process.

With no villain to show in court, TLC Grad David Thorn, became the villain and brought clarity to the jury for the win!

TLC grad, Dan Kramer (Sept '15), used what he learned at TLC to get real justice for his clients in a slip-and-fall case. Once the conversation with his jury started, "everything else just fell into place."

When Milton Grimes Came to TLC and Found His Power in the Truth, Everything Changed.

The mistreatment of this prisoner during her birthing process is enough to make you physically ill. Opening Statement Seminar Faculty member Joy Bertrand won her justice.

Betsy Greene Faculty Co-Leader, Nelson Tyrone Faculty Co-Leader, Joe Fried Faculty Co-Leader, Zaki Ali, Jerry Bosch, Jeff Chapdelaine, Rafe Foreman, Don Malarcik, Corinne Mullen, Frank Mungo, Marj Russell, Eddie Schmidt, Debbie Taussig, Render Freeman F Warrior Ambassdor, Josh Schiffer F Warrior Ambassador, Don Clarkson Psychodramatist, Louise Lipman Psychodramatist, John Rasberry Psychodramatist, Mike Traynor Psychodramatist

In this video, TLC founder, Gerry Spence, talks about the sacrifices that trial lawyers make to serve their clients.

Message from President Sloan about new Education Center on Thunderhead Campus!

After more than 6 years of legal conflict, cancer, and the death of a partner, TLC graduate Kristopher Ahn's client finally got his day in court. And there, Kris obtained a verdict for his client in excess of $8 million dollars.

David Humphreys and Luke Wallace are on the faculty at the Trial Lawyer’s College and are trial lawyers who specialize in consumer law at Humphreys, Wallace, Humphreys in Tulsa, OK. They have an incredible record of multi-million dollar verdicts, while bringing important justice to their clients. Every day, David and Luke apply what they teach at the Trial Lawyer’s College in preparing their client’s cases. The goal is to find, and then present, the human element of the case that the jury can connect to. Since their graduation from law school, it was clear to David and Luke that law school never trained them to listen to their clients and develop a case in this way. There was no class that showed them how to look for the message that will resonate with a jury. In their search for a better way, David discovered the Trial Lawyer’s College. He had been trying cases at the time, but it wasn't going great and they didn't turn out right. What he learned at TLC, back in 1994, was life changing. At David’s urging, Luke attended the College as well and today they use the TLC methods in every case, at every opportunity, and with every jury. I was able to sit down with David and Luke to talk with them about what has made them so successful over the years.

Accused of murder... Self defense? Harris County, TX Public Defender and TLC Faculty member Eric Davis fought for his client and won his freedom. The Jury freed his client IN LESS THAN 40 MINUTES.

An active young woman's body was permanently disfigured and her life was irreparably changed. Luckily, TLC graduate Michael Carter (Class of Sept '14) specializes in understanding her rare disorder and was able to use the TLC methods to get a record breaking verdict.

TLC graduates Blake Lynch (Sept '15) and Brecken Wagner (July '16) had to tiptoe around false accusations, mental and physical handicaps, and poor detective work in order to win justice for their client.

Congratulations on your win, Jim. Can you tell us about the case? The case involves a 15 year old Hispanic boy. I received a call from his mother telling me her son was charged with a felony of deadly conduct, that he didn’t do it, that a surveillance video proves it and that his court-appointed attorney was not helping him.

Ceola McDonald's entire life was changed after attending the Trial Lawyers College. Now she changes the world, one child at a time. What a story you have to tell, Ceola.

This case is about a 45-year old man named Cosme, living in Blythe, a small town in California near the Arizona border. Cosme developed an infection in his left arm that he thought was from a spider bite.

The class president of a high school was asked to be involved in a pep rally to get the students excited. It was the afternoon before their championship game, the coach was a couple of years new and he was getting ready to set a new record, and on top of that the coach from USC was there to see the game and interview some of the kids for scholarships.

A negligent cop, a DUI suspect, a 27 year old driving home from work, and a StopStick -- they all came together one fateful night. Three years later, 2007 TLC graduate Lyle Gregory, won justice and a

When an angry 12-year old child made rape accusations against her mother's boyfriend, she started a multi-year spiral of pain, drama and suffering. Before he discovered the true story, Haytham refused

When the Jury is Emotionally Involved, They'll Help McDonald's offered $2000 to TLC grad Scott Callahan's 15-year-old client, who they called "that boy".  The jury saw it differently and awarded 100

TLC Sept '13 grad, Bobby DiCello, obtained a $22 million jury verdict for his client, Arnold, who was brutally beaten by an East Cleveland police detective, locked in a storage closet with no toilet

THE UNLIMITED POWER OF YOU! [GERRY SPENCE VIDEO]

After years of immersing himself in the lives and emotions of his client, the verdict came in. And it came in HUGE.

May 16, 2016 With the help of local working groups and TLC methods this team found magic with each other. They changed their client's life. - An Interview with Adam Balach & Debbie TaussigAdam:   Our

Listen to Gerry's compelling video message on the power in the courtroom that comes from self-discovery: - See more at:

Last week, a jury in Long Beach, CA reached a unanimous verdict against the City of Los Angeles for a dangerous condition of an intersection that killed Tom Guilmette, a 58 year old rocket scientist

TLC Grad, Benjamin Cloward (Sept '13) recently won an important case for the required care of society's most needy -- our mentally and physically impaired.  After telling his client's story in the

An Interview with Kathryn on how she used the methods of Discovering the Story to better prepare her case to change lives -- one client at a time. (Methods you can learn at the upcoming Texas

TLC puts you on a path of self discovery. Gerry explains how that translates into being a more successful lawyer.- See more at:

Can you tell me about a time that doing things the TLC way changed the entire outcome of your case?The one that sticks out in my mind is a murder case where a Marine Lieutenant was charged with

Get the tools you need at the Texas Regional Seminar on Discovering the Story and Opening Statement http://goo.gl/8lCZTK

Incredible final verdict of $650,000 by TLC 2000-2 Grad, Gary Hazelton, on a very  low- impact collision - - only $500 of property damage. With a previous wreck causing similar symptoms, liability was

Then she found her story. Join us in Texas on April 14-17 to learn to find the real story of your cases.Michigan Trial Lawyer, Keeley Heath (now Keeley Blanchard) (TLC-1 2011), recently obtained a

It only gets better. An Interview with Paula Estefan, Texas Regional Seminar Faculty Co-Leader: Discovering the Story and Opening StatementHave you had a case where discovering the story changed the

March 11, 2016 Because their life is in the hands of their criminal defense lawyer, your client must know and believe that you are a great trial lawyer who can win their freedom.

March 4, 2016  An Interview with Ron Estefan, Texas Regional Faculty Co Leader on: Discovering the Story and Opening Statement (coming up on April 14-17!)Ron, great to learn that you will be

February 24, 2016  An Interview with John Zelbst, TLC Faculty Co-Leader: Discovering the Story and Opening Statement: Texas RegionalJohn, it's so great that you will be joining TLC's President John

Charlie, Congratulations!  This is really an incredible victory for your client!   Can you describe that case for me?It was a rear-end, soft tissue, under-insured motorist case. The person who hit my

So glad to know that you will be co-leading this upcoming Seminar on Voir Dire!  Thank you for that.  As students consider whether to attend or not, thank you for sharing your thoughts about TLC's

Is there a particular case you think of when you think of a really effective Voir Dire?I think it would probably be the voir dire I did in my first medical malpractice case. The defendant was a doctor

What is an experience that you've had where the voir dire really stood out to you?I had a trial about two, maybe three weeks after going to the college in 2006. I was doing my best trying to be myself

Details of the case: Our client was charged with capital murder for being involved, aiding and abetting, and being an accomplice in a robbery of 'Krystal'. The shooter was 19 at the time. Our client

What is it that makes the closing argument such an important part of the trial?From the moment you meet the client you always envision yourself standing before a jury giving that closing argument. It

Gerry Spence speaks with Tavis Smiley about his new book, "Police State", and how jailhouse snitches and other abuses of power by our police forces jeopardize freedom in America.

Every one of you can beat Gerry Spence in a courtroom if you become a more credible person, speaking your own truth, in your own voice.Gerry Spence speaks about being true to your own individuality in

Mike, Congrats on that win!  Can you describe how the TLC methods helped you win this case for your client? Sure -- the first part of this case, and any case really, is using the TLC methods to

How did you hear about the College?Initially I heard about the college when it first started. I was just starting as a lawyer back then so it was sort of a happenstance thing. I knew somebody who went

What first brought you to TLC? I first came to TLC as a student in 2002.  I had applied that year at the instigation of Eddie Schmidt, who was a 1998 alum.  He stayed on me every year after '98,

Nelson, how did you first get involved with Trial Lawyers College?I went through the school in 2000 and have been on staff since 2001. It has been continuous, it has been unbroken. I have been going

What is the measure of an excellent trial lawyer?"You don't judge a trial lawyer by the big verdicts that he or she gets. You judge a trial lawyer by what they do on behalf of ordingary people."

You are making a difference. Be a torch passer. Change the destiny. The results are eternal. Bill Trine discusses restoring our criminal justice system"You're making a difference just by being a trial

How has TLC changed the way you prepare for a cross examination?The TLC method doesn't discount the amount of preparation required for a case. If I am representing a client with a medical negligence

TLC teaches students to be in tune with the judge, the jury and the witness - can you elaborate on that?Students often think that cross examination is primarily the art of destruction. The problem is

How did you hear about TLC?I went to a training session in Colorado and Josh Karton was there. I watched him transform the most awkward looking person in the room. He did not go after the people who

I have never been free of fear. Ever.  -Gerry Spence Gerry Spence speaks about the fear, sleepless nights and the value it holds. [5:19 min]- See more at:

Gerry Spence's 18th book "Police State: How America's Cops Get Away With Murder", was recently reviewed by Laurie L. Levenson of the Los Angeles Review of Books. Levenson is a former Prosecuter

Betsy Greene attended her first TLC class in 2004 at the urging of her former boss. After that program, she returned home, quit her miserable job of 16 years the following Monday, and has had her

Cheryl, you are going to be a Faculty Co-Leader at the upcoming TLC Regional Seminar in Chicago in October.  What do you think is the most valuable learning tool from the Direct Examination Seminar in

When two young Arab-American men Adeeb Sobh and Ayman Wazne thought they were putting together an business deal to export some equipment from the United States to South Sudan through Dubai that would

Originally published June 3 2015 By Bill Trine in the Prison Legal NewsWhat is the cause of the spiraling increase in police assaults on people whom they should help to protect --- not brutalize or

Congratulations to Mike O'Connell (TLC-I '11) from Evergreen, CO who was recently elected to become Alumni Club President in August 2017 (shown with current TLC President Debbie Taussig, Executive

Emily Detoto Hazelwood and Patrick DiBenedetto at the Thunderhead Ranch.Keep Your Tools Sharp and The Passion Fired Up at a TLC Grad ProgramEmily Detoto (now Hazelwood!) has attended a TLC graduate

Gerry Spence speaks on the courage it takes to be a trial lawyer in a negative, media-driven climate.- See more at:

Why is the Opening Statement such an important part of the trial?"Social sciences tell us that at the end of the opening statement, 80-90 % of jurors have made up their mind. Which doesn't mean they

Did you notice a change in your practice after attending TLC?"It was a giant shift. Part of the practice of law is very lonely, or it can be very lonely. It's easy to let yourself think that no one

Rachel and her legal team recently won $19M for a woman paralyzed in a car accidentIs what you've learned from TLC a big shift from what you were doing before you went to TLC?"Oh, huge. I felt like

We had the chance to sit down and talk with this seminar's Faculty Co-Leader, Greg Westfall from Fort Worth, TX about his years with TLC and specifically why criminal defense lawyers should come to

Two graduates of the Trial Lawyers College Death Penalty Seminar, Joette Keene (2008, 2009 and 2013) and Terri Moore (2013), successfully obtained a life without parole sentence for their client, who

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The Madison County Sheriff's Department has settled for $625,000 with Robert Bryant, the Tennessee mechanic who claimed he was savagely beaten by several deputies and falsely

I’ve never before tried a civil insurance fraud case where the trial is about insurance coverage, money, and the reputation of an honest citizen. I’ve also never represented a client who believed more

Kofoed ordered to pay $6.5M to 2 men wrongly jailed after '06 slayingsBy Cody Winchester / World-Herald staff writer Two Nebraska men who have been awarded a nearly $6.5 million judgment in a civil

For years, when she’d walk into her downtown St. Paul office, criminal defense lawyer Deborah Ellis would see a photo of Louisiana death row inmate Glenn Ford perched at eye level on the reception

TLC Grad Bob Vogel (July '13) writes the following.  Congratulations to you Bob, and to your client.  He was very fortunate to have you as his counsel. I had a rape trial over the last two days. My

TLC Trial Fires matter:  Major oil field worker safety case won by Colorado Trial Lawyers Randal Kelly (July ’10) and Mike O’Connell (July ’11)     A $10.7 million verdict was delivered by a Greeley,

Ellen’s Story: by Ron Estefan ('05) and Gene Shioda ('08)It is December, 2005.  Ellen lives in Florida and works as a sales representative for a bridal designer store there.  A friend calls Ellen to

A Day in the Life of a Public Defender:  Met TLC Faculty member Eric DavisEric Davis graduated from TLC in 2005 and has served on our faculty for the past several years.  He is a Public Defender in

TLC grads Bryan Ulmer ('99) and Tyson Logan (Sept '10) in the Spence Firm worked with grads across the country to bring TLC-style justice in the form of a $28.3 million verdict from a federal jury to

TLC grad Emily DeToto ('01) fights for justice and the life of her client in a capital murder case. Emily's client was the gunman in a home-invasion gone bad. He was holding a sawed off shotgun and he

Attendee of TLC's "Experience The Magic" Seminar in June 2013:"I just tried my second jury trial since attending the 1-week program at the Trial Lawyers College last summer.  The cases were small so

A brief synopsis of how TLC’s methods to Discover the Story behind Health Insurance Denials for Autism led to justice for numerous families of autistic children.  (The full story about this case

Learning & Presenting the “Why”: Effective Mitigation in Criminal CasesBY: Victoria Rusk, Mitigation Specialist  and graduate of TLC’s Death Penalty Seminar in 2011 and 2013rusk.victoria@gmail.com  

A recent grad of the 3-week program tells an inspiring story of how the TLC methods are helping him connect with his clients, judges, and juries, and how he is consequently getting more justice for

I represent June and Carolyn. Sisters. Salt of the earth people. Quiet. Reserved. They had married, worked, raised children, buried family, and they found themselves at 76 and 79 years of age, living

Antonio recalled:This particular case involved 66-year-old B. L., who went into the hospital with a urinary tract infection, was overdosed with a blood thinner, suffered a massive abdominal bleed,

Since I last saw Laurie at the 2012 Death Penalty Course, quite a lot has changed. I am now practicing law only sparingly. This past Thanksgiving my Mom was diagnosed with Stage IV Ovarian Cancer and

The Fall 2012 issue of The Warrior magazine (pages 10-14) included an article on the litigation surrounding The Crowley Prison Riot and the evils of the private prison system.  I described the

Ken Turek attended TLC in 1998 and has been on the TLC Faculty since 1999.  Earlier this year, TLC alum Howard Kitay asked Ken to help on the case of Dan Bean, a 42-year-old man who was rear-ended at

I don't like war and, therefore, didn’t pay attention to it. I went to the Death Penalty Seminar at TLC and I felt as though I experienced war through my eyes and emotions and lost my best friend on

Congratulations to TLC Faculty Member and 2002 alumni, Andy Vickery, for a receiving a plaintiff's verdict for his clients in a negligence case against a pharmaceutical company that knew people were

Coming to TLC has been an amazing, eye-opening experience. First of all, the ranch is beautiful. The surrounding mountains, trees and fresh mountain air make for a wonderful place to put aside our

I applied to the TLC 3-week course while I was co-counsel with Assistant Public Defender MeLisa McNeil, a graduate of the TLC Death Penalty Seminar. I shared with her how nervous I was about my first

Yesterday, the Delaware state Senate approved the bill to repeal their state's death penalty. The approval came only after they removed the provision that the sentences of the 17 inmates currently on

After 35 years practicing law, surprises are infrequent.Pleasant surprises even less frequent.My recent attendance at the Closing Argument Regional was a pleasant surprise and one worth summarizing.I

Kurt Kerns first became involved with TLC in 1999 after reading Gerry Spence's first book, "Gunning For Justice."Kurt shared, “It was clear to me that Gerry felt growing one’s talents and

Colby Vokey is a July 2010 graduate of the Trial Lawyers College. He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps, having served over 20 years on active duty, to include a combat tour as

A TLC Faculty Member since 2005, Greg Westfall will join us in May at the TX/OK Regional Seminar, sharing his insightful teachings with seminar attendees. After working 100% criminal defense since

Progress is being made toward eliminating the death penalty in Delaware, as last week State Senator Karen Peterson introduced a bill to repeal the death penalty and replace the punishment with life

No one has extra time during the holidays. Nonetheless, twice this past December, TLC alumni came forward to help me on the case that keeps me up at night. December is my favorite month of the year.

An interview with David Sullivan - TLC's California Regional SeminarWhen I first went to the psychodrama I was a little apprehensive because I didn’t know what to expect. I had heard a lot about it

The Florida Regional for Trial Lawyers College was outstanding. We got a chance to learn how to “discover the story” of our clients and their cases while learning a little more about ourselves. We

We, as human beings, are "programmed" genetically to process our human experience through the telling of stories. Since man first wandered out of the trees and onto the savanna, our history, our

Mistrial declared as jurors disavow verdictsThe case for damages for wrongful imprisonment takes a surprising turnAn article from the Des Moines Register(December 15, 2012) A federal judge on Friday

Happy Holidays fellow Warrior for Justice!May you all reflect on the past year, feel proud for all you have done to fight for justice for the poor, the injured, the forgotten, the voiceless, the

Receiving her 8th "non-guilty" on a criminal charge since her graduation from TLC, Colorado Warrior Lynda Carter (July 2010) has freed another innocent man. After a year in jail on a charge he never

I have heard a lot of arguments since 2000. I have heard a lot of "stuff" about what works and what does not.This Thursday and Friday, I heard the real deal.I will be the first to admit that my ego is

Lawyers: Men were framed for murder, seek 'justice'An article from the Des Moines Register(December 7, 2012) Two men wrongly convicted of a 1977 murder who spent “25 years in hell, where there is no

( Kristin with fellow TLCers on top of Spence Mountain)As our time at the Ranch began to come to an end, I had more and more classmates approach me about being class representative. I was honored and

Dear Friends:I think most of you know that the current President of the American Association for Justice (the plaintiffs’ bar) is our own 2004 Trial Lawyers graduate, Mary Alice McLarty. In this

Recently Maren Chaloupka (TLC '99 Grad & Faculty Member) represented a man, a religious man, a pastor of the church against the allegations of "rape" brought against him by his wife of 30 years.The

Nationally recognized trial lawyer stands up against corporate greed and government bullies BY STEPHEN ELLISONPlaintiffmagazine.com - October 2012Basile       Nothing gives Jude Basile more

Nelson singing & teaching to the TLC 2012 September Class Nelson Tyrone, TLC '00 Grad & TLC Faculty. 9/26/2012 On September 14th , TLC Alum Richard Jones (‘03) and I obtained a substantial verdict on

We are proud to report that 1997 TLC Grad Patrick A. Mullin took on and beat the IRS! Here is the PRNewswire article that circulated on the web and is featured in the Bloomberg Businessweek.NEW YORK,

Haytham Faraj, TLC '09 Grad & Faculty Member. My recent jury trial victory in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia did not involve huge sums of money, at least not if measured by some

Sam McGee, 2011' Grad. Mike was 24 when he was hit from behind while waiting at a light to let a fire truck clear the intersection. The light had turned green but he did not go because of the fire

Some thoughts... I've been on staff since 1998.... I don't remember a group of students so willing to come out of the chute running full speed like this class did...The first small group I sat with

Judith Mattern Hearn , TLC July 2012 Grad. D.S. came to my office, following my court appointment on May, 2012, convinced he was going to do time.  The State had filed a Motion to Revoke Probation on

Tony Vitz, TLC 99' Grad & Faculty Member.      What is a person’s job worth, especially in this economy? When Walter was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), he knew he was in jeopardy of

Shannon Smith - 2011.2' Grad.I'm on fire, so thankful for TLC and have to report!!!!I am happy to report I got a 7 minute not guilty verdict this morning on a child criminal sexual conduct case in

Tom Metier, '94 Grad. Warriors and Grad II'ers, Pleased to report that Mike Chaloupka (TLC '11) and I obtained a verdict against Auto Owners Insurance last Friday evening. Gary was hit on

Emily Detoto, TLC ’01 Grad. Ranulfo Castro was living with one woman but seeing another woman who had three daughters.  He had three grown children of his own.  He knew it was wrong to be living with

Leo Finucane, TLC '97 Grad. TLC List Serve, 6/12/2012Folks,A little debriefing from last week's trial because I get so much from it when you do it.I settled Linda's case after jury selection and a day

Kenneth Behrend - TLC '08 Grad. This was my FIRST jury trial since graduating from the college in 2008. Wow, what a difference there is in the experience of trying a case after TLC!!!

Anna Durbin - TLC  2001 Grad. I don't know why they chose me for this article, but I am thankful for my TLC sister Joyce Collier, also 2001, and others for saying such positive things about me. I did

Ron Estefan, President - F Warriors Alumni Board - 05' Grad.Warriors,Our TLC brother, Bob Hilliard, from the class of 1995 heard the sound of justice for his client last Friday. A Coca Cola truck

Aida Spahic, TLC ’10 Grad - May 3, 2012On April 27, 2012 I went to trial for a client accused of domestic violence and larceny.  Specifically, he was accused of choking his ex-girlfriend, with whom he

Mike Sand, TLC '02 Grad. TLC warriors Mike Abourezk (TLC '96 Grad) and Daniel Bidegaray (TLC '04 Grad) helped  Montana Jurors hold an insurance company accountable for their mistreatment of an elderly

Nick Rowley, TLC '04 Grad. Defense denied liability, offered zero.  Claimed we could never win in San Luis Obispo because jurors are conservative and would send us packing.  Defense, through the

Phil Stackhouse, TLC '10 Grad. Recently, I had the pleasure of working with two fellow warriors - Joey Low and Colby Vokey - representing 3 Marines in California who were co-defendants in a case

Maren Chaloupka – TLC Faculty & ’99 GradTerry Lenamon (TLC '11 7-Step Grad), death penalty warrior in Florida, saved the life of his client Josh this week - - after a lengthy, graphic and

Ben Dupre, TLC ’11 7Step Grad.  A week or so ago, we obtained a jury verdict in Santa Clara County of $150,000 in pain and suffering with a finding of fraud against a non-dentist who owns a dental

Christopher Youngs, TLC ’10 Grad. I just won summary judgment against CitiMortgage in a case which -- in the beginning -- I did not think we could win.  I proved that CitiMortgage is a greedy cheat. 

Richard L. Duquette, TLC ‘2000 Grad. Attorney Duquette represented a law enforcement officer and three time Iraq war veteran in a .16 blood DUI case.  Pretrial investigation revealed that the MVRS

John Mittelman, TLC ‘10 Grad. Fellow Warriors:I left the Ranch on October 2, 2010.  On Oct. 15 I had an unlawful detainer trial, my first trial after TLC.  I represent tenants only in unlawful

Paul Smith, TLC ’08 Grad. A story and director's soliloquy of the DWI trial;Well, I want to write something about this wonderful experience and must thank Bill and Gilbert for the opportunity to help

Maren Chaloupka – TLC Faculty & ’99 GradAt this time last year, our brother Michael Maddux had received discouraging news from a federal district court in the Middle District of Florida.  In a 1983

Lynda Carter - TLC '10 Grad I have to relay this here as it has been the most fun I have had in trial to date. This case was referred to me by Jerry Bosch from Wyoming. My client was charged with

Todd Kelly - TLC '09 Grad. Thanks to everyone.  Here is what I wrote while waiting on the jury to come back…“Gabriel made me get on my hands and knees. He did something to my butt. He got my back

Robert Robles - TLC '98 Grad. Merle Gile (TLC '98 Grad) was hired to defend Andrew Skeith, a local lobbyist, in Oklahoma City. Skeith, along with Mike Morgan, ex State Senator and prominent high

Marjorie Russell - TLC '94 Grad. TLC Staff member Kim Benjamin has been helping elderly client defend bizarre and ridiculous sex crime allegations for two years. He rotted (literally) in jail for most

Sean Brown – TLC ’11 Grad. This week I traveled down to Dillingham, Alaska, a small fishing town in Southwest Alaska for a Felony DUI/OUI trial.  The District Attorney dismissed a Vehicle Theft prior

California physician assistant wins $168 million in harassment suitAni Chopourian told of sexually inappropriate conduct, bullying and retaliation at a Sacramento hospital. The award is believed to be

Matthew Wright – TLC ’11 Grad. I am pleased to announce that after a short (5 hour) jury trial, my client obtained an excess verdict in an automobile/PI case where Allstate had not made any offer

By Eric Fong - TLC '01 Grad. Yes, it is true, Nick (Nicholas Rowley - TLC '04 Grad)  just got an $800,000 verdict on a soft tissue case.  It may be over $1,000,000 when it is all said and done, as CA

By Haytham FarajWuterich was charged with killing five men who dismounted from a car after an IED exploded and began to run away.  They had been taught by lawyers who are experts in the rules of

Betsy Greene – 05’ TLC Grad I have Ron’s fire lit.  Please throw another log on the fire for Deb Walcott.  We will go to jury tomorrow. I have to give a shout out to my local group.  We had our first

Bernie Cantorna - TLC 94 Grad.  Disclaimer: One addition to the story is the insurance company pulled the defense six months prior to trial because the defendant would not consent to settle. The

Phil Stackhouse. July '10 Grad. Belief in your client?  Why?Back in November 2011, Maren Chaloupka forwarded an email from Joey Low who was describing a overwhelming victory by Johnny Zelbst in a

Carlin J. Phillips.     Have to report on my fellow Massachusetts TLCRs victory last week. Chris and I practice in neighboring towns and confront some real tough juries as our offices are near a dying

James P. Moriarty - TLC 97' Grad, Rainbow Warrior. Hello.Several people have asked for details on the acquittal I got on January 13 in Bremer County, IAMy client Mindy had bought a house that had been

Robert W. Schmidt. Warriors,Tran Trang just kicked some defense lawyer “blur-the-issues-double-talk-bullshit” ass and got our conservative 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to hold an arbitration agreement

TLC Graduate Tom Metier, obtained a $9 million verdict for plaintiffs Louis and Rebecca Prager against Campbell County Memorial Hospital and Brian Cullison, M.D. for medical negligence.

TLC Faculty members Eddie Schmidt (Nashville,TN) and Ann Johnson (Houston, TX) recently sued the school system for violation of Title IX, which prohibits sexual harassment of students. The plaintiffs claimed that school officials had actual knowledge of the harassment and acted with deliberate indifference by failing to institute an appropriate disciplinary response.

TLC's Grads, Brooks Cutter and Eric Ratinoff won a verdict on behalf of a 22 year old woman who was paralyzed from her chest down after the U.C. Davis Medical Center failed to identify a mass on her spine that appeared in her MRI films. $7.6 million is believed to be one of the largest medical malpractice verdicts in Sacramento County history.

We got a not guilty on a public disorderly conduct case in Georgetown, SC today - police testified that our client Teresa was extremely intoxicated and that she continued to curse at the officer after he warned her to stop.

By Jude Basile Reprinted from the Warrior Magazine Back in 1997, I climbed the Grand Teton. I had never rock-climbed before. I had seen the Tetons and often wondered what it would be like to reach the top. So, I decided to do it. After two days of instruction with Exum guides, the premier mountaineering guiding outfit in all of the National Parks, we did an all day hike to the "saddle". The saddle is the "U" shaped area just south of the summit and has long been used as the base camp for the final ascent.

On August 19, Gary Wenkle Smith wrote: “Today the jury acquitted my client of three counts of murder. He shot and killed three people. I argued self-defense. He walked out of the courthouse today a free man. The voir dire, opening statement, cross-examination, direct of our witnesses, and closing were all based upon what I have learned from TLC.”

When a tortiously injured person receives medical care for his or her injuries, the provider of that care often accepts as full payment, pursuant to a preexisting contract with the injured person’s health insurer, an amount less than that stated in the provider’s bill. In that circumstance, may the injured person recover from the tortfeasor, as economic damages for past medical expenses, the undiscounted sum stated in the provider’s bill but never paid by or on behalf of the injured person? We hold no such recovery is allowed, for the simple reason that the injured plaintiff did not suffer any economic loss in that amount.

This is a summary of my trial, what worked and what I thought I could do better. This might encourage some of you to take some risks in the future. I came back from TLC with a big back load and had to jump into a jury trial the following week that was worked up by my associate. The trial was in another county so I stayed in a hotel. My client bought a house through a real estate agent. After moving in my client experienced some water in the basement because there were no sump pump in the sump crock. He put two pumps in the sump crock which eliminated the problem, but these pumps run continuously from February through April. The case was against one of Wisconsin’s largest real estate agencies. The seller (owner) also acted as the listing agent for the house. The agency hired the best trial lawyer in the county where the case was venued.

I attended the July 2011 session of the college at the Ranch. I went into the experience thinking I knew what to expect because I have worked and talked with past graduates about the college. However, I soon discovered that I really had no idea what I was in for. The ranch was simply amazing. I have never in my life been in a place as beautiful and serene as Thunderhead Ranch. People have said the Ranch is “magical” and I have to agree, that is the best way to describe it.

Case tried by Chris Stombaugh, TLC 7-Stepper Grad, and Ted Worthwein From Chicago CBS Local A Cook County jury awarded $40 million to the family of Rhoni Reuter on Wednesday, in a lawsuit they filed against the woman convicted of killing Reuter and her unborn child in 2007.

Case tried by Brian McCallister, TLC 1995 By Donald Bradley The Kansas City Star Ted White stood Friday beneath a crystal chandelier in the ballroom of a posh Plaza hotel. He had just received a $15.5 million court settlement. But he talked mostly about what he had lost.

My client, Rene, was 33 at the time he suffered this injury. He was shooting baskets with a co-worker, Rob, before work. They were on the court for 15 minutes. Rene was jogging after a rebound and slipped on a puddle of water, which Rob described as 6- 8 inches in diameter - the size of a personal pizza. Rene suffered ankle fractures on both sides of his ankle requiring orif surgery with two plates and 21 screws. Nine month later a second surgery removed all hardware but one screw and a third surgery was done to address a painful neuroma that developed at the site of the incision on his ankle. He developed post traumatic arthritis and is projected to undergo at least one ankle fusion in the future, possibly a second based on his relative young age, currently 36.

Cheryl Carpenter, TLC 2000 and Staff Member, was quoted in the latest edition of Marie Claire magazine, in a story about teenagers who are placed on the sex offender registry.

by Cheryl A. Carpenter, TLC 2000My client R is a 27 year old man. He was criminally charged with sexually assaulting and raping a 14 year old gir. He was recently found not guilty after a jury trial

By Jim McMillen, TLC 2001I was fortunate to be a part of an outstanding TLC session at Ron Estefan, Andy Vickery, Andy Rubenstein, and Todd Kelly’s office here in Houston to help Marinia Douenat

By: Betsy Green, TLC 2005Our own graduate and staff member, Rick Kammen, TLC 2000, was recently named a Distinguished Barrister here in Indiana. No one deserves recognition more than Rick. He works

from the Akron Law MagazineAKRON LAW SPRING 2011Faculty ProfilesLaw Lessons: Dana Cole (TLC Staff and 1995 Graduate)Associate Professor of LawI had planned to go to graduate school in psychology, but

Kurt Kerns, the lead defense lawyer, is a TLC staffer and 1998 graduate.By James C. McKinley, Jr.WICHITA, Kan. — The faces in the jury box are a cross-section of southern Kansas. The judge has a white

By Christopher J. Youngs, TLC July 2010Joe is a lieutenant with the city Fire Department here in Meadville, Pennsylvania. The Department is small - only 15 members. And Joe screwed up bigtime. In

Case tried by Brad Frizzell, TLC 2010I have a client who has had one fusion and needs three more because he fell when the truck step of his rig broke. He has 8 kids and worked around the clock to

Todd Kelly, TLC 2009, is litigating this case.From ABC NewsKBR, company that has been sued repeatedly for alleged sexual assaults and harassment of female employees, has been voted one of the best

Art Lloyd, TLC 2009, writes about a TLC Meeting held in Long Beach.It was TLC at it's best in Long Beach on Saturday. Mark Choate from Alaska, Jane Oatman from Fallbrook and her husband Mark (with the

By Ken Behrend, TLC 2008After 14 months of waiting, this morning I received an order from the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania denying allocator to the defendant insurance company's petition seeking

By Randal Kelly, TLC 2010I took a verdict in my first TLC trial in March. It was a case I inherited from a TV advertiser that I didn’t want from the start. It involved some bad facts on both liability

By Frank Fox, on the 2011 Sleeping Lady Washington SeminarAs tall pines and towering peaks beckon aboveAn owl hoots, a moose calls, a creek talksListening, your spirit lifts in the mistAt the end of a

Case tried by Bill Clanton, TLC 2010On May 1, 2008 my client, an African-American man, was enjoying a motorcycle ride with a group of acquaintances on a road that winds though the Texas Hill Country.

Congratulations to TLC Grad, Jim Girards!DALLAS -- Dallas' Girards Law Firm is pleased to announce that firm founder James E. Girards has earned a spot as one of the Top Attorneys in the Country for

Appealed by Deb Ellis, TLC StafferBy JOY POWELL, Star TribuneSomewhere at Pine Bend Landfill, under 30 feet of dirt and trash, police believe there lies the skeleton of a slain baby, but they can't

By Alice HarrisWhen I learned that TLC was having a conference in Florida, I was immediately interested. Jim Jenkins and Chris Klotz, both TLC graduates, had spoken highly of TLC's impact on their

Congratulations to Morgan Adams, who recently published an article, "The New Rules in Trucking Discovery" in the latest Trial magazine from AAJ. Download it here! You can read Morgan’s blog on

written by James P. MoriartyPeter J. Giovannini, TLC Class of 1997, recently had a good win DUI:Client is a 26 year old kindergarten teacher with no criminal history. Dec. of 2009 had just left Bible

by Bobby Frederick, TLC 2009I went to trial Monday in South Carolina, on charges of a chop shop violation (carries up to five years), and got a completely unexpected directed verdict of not guilty

Case tried by TLC Staffer, Antonio Ponvertfrom the Danbury News-TimesDANBURY -- Dennis Janson of Ridgefield, an acoustic engineer, studio designer and architect, won $1.5 million in a personal injury

TLC President Jude Basile was named the California Central Coast Trial Lawyer of the year once again! He also received the award in 2002 and 2008.from the SLO County Bar Bulletinonline at

by Cheryl Carpenter, TLC StafferI wanted to share the Ambrose Law Group's (Dan, Bill and Aida) new website about their recent murder acquittal. I've never seen a website like this. It's completely

Thanks to Gary Wenkle Smith, TLC 2000, for answering the call and writing this essay on his experience at the California regional!As always, I went to the Big Sur Regional with great anticipation of a

By Michael E. Moore, TLC 2010Be careful what you ask for, because you may get it! I’d been dying to take a case to jury trial. Felt like a bad ass ready to try anything after getting my medicine bag

Written by Travis Black, TLC 2004 Pychodrama Works!I just finished a two week trial in Placerville, CA. This is a real redneck town, in fact its nick name is "Hang Town." The pervasive thoughts are

Written by Maren Chaloupka about Staffer Lonnie Stanga's victory The Grad II 2010 train is still charging forward. This week, Lonnie Stanga won a trial that featured every lousy fact available to

Haytham Faraj's (TLC 2009) recent acquittal has garnered a lot of press. Read about the case here, or in the Washington Post, on NBC San Diego, the Detroit News, or the LA Times. Jan 14, 2011 (Detroit

Case tried by Paul Broschay, TLC 2009! NKSTER, Mich (wxyz) - Inkster Police Chief Greg Gaskin has been found guilty of racial discrimination in a lawsuit filed by a Lt. on the force and the Wayne

Case tried by Henry Sherrod, TLC 2010!FLORENCE - A Lauderdale County Circuit jury deliberated more than eight hours over two days before finding an Anderson man not guilty Friday of assaulting two

This article discusses how important professional friendships are in developing cases. TLC Lawyers Morgan Adams and Ken Levinson are both mentioned.Auto law attorney Steven M. Gursten can identify

TLCers Rafe Foreman, Susan Hutchison, Todd Kelly and Kern Lewis are all working on developing this case! FORT WORTH -- Texas Christian University officials should have known that two athletic recruits

Case tried by staffer Nelson TyroneClick here to read the article in the LA Times!

Published: December 28, 2010 in the Lawyer USARead full article here!By the time Holly Averyt called solo attorney Jeffrey Hill, every other lawyer hadturned her case down.Even Gerry Spence saw little

Written by Nelson Tyrone, Staff Member and 2000 TLC GradScroll to the bottom to read an article published on this case in the Daily Report.Thanks to everyone for the kind words and thanks to all the

Is anyone surprised?! Moving up two places, Dubois (home to the Thunderhead Ranch) earned the No. 2 spot on annual list. By: Christine Smith Editor, Dubois Frontier

How the 2009 Advanced Seminar helped me tell Helen's storyBy Greg Eiesland, TLC 2004Last fall I had the opportunity to tell Helen's story to a South Dakota jury. Helen graduated from college in 1929.

Poetry by: Gary Wenkle Smith, TLC 2000ABSENCE OF LIGHTI have seen dark placesand peoplewho still dwellin that worldwith misery and suffering.I have been there.I shall not return.There is still an

Case tried by Rosemarie Paine, TLC 2000DANBURY -- After living under a cloud of suspicion for nearly two decades and facing the possibility of a long imprisonment, Donald Krauth walked out of state

TLC Class of 2011 Graduate John Gomez, just sued Starbucks & won! Fellow classmates recall John working on this case throughout their work at the Thunderhead Ranch. Read below for all the details on this case: Cup of woe: $7.5 million award to man who fell at Starbucks

Case tried by TLC Staffer, Antonio Ponvert!! The maker of Skoal and Copenhagen smokeless tobacco has agreed to pay $5 million to the family of a man who died of mouth cancer in what is believed to be the first wrongful-death settlement won from a chewing tobacco company.

The journey back to TLC for the Death Penalty College (a.k.a. Ninja Camp) began at the ungodly hour of 4 a.m. some 12 years after my last visit. When I arrived in the Jackson Hole airport, I headed for the rest room. Events in rest rooms played an important role in my experience at The Ranch.

Jose Garcia was an hispanic male living in a very rural town and was arrested based on the word of his "friend" who was the actual killer, for the murder of a former Marine at a well known bar in Angleton called the "Railhead" bar. The evidence the State was relying on was the "friend's" testimony, a drop of blood belonging to my client at the scene, a scratch on my client's face, and my client's videotape statement, wherein he denied knowledge of the crime, and lied about his whereabouts.

Tried by TLC Staffer, Deb Ellis! FAIRMONT - Jurors only took an hour Thursday to find a former Watonwan County deputy not guilty of possessing stolen property. Jose A. Lopez stood accused of having a stolen skid loader on his property. But Lopez's attorney, Deborah Ellis, argued Lopez bought the Bobcat in good faith, having no idea it was stolen.

Tried by TLC lawyer, Jeffrey Hill! A self-employed truck driver from Cheyenne who suffered spinal injuries while delivering frozen food to a Wal-Mart in Greeley has won a $15 million judgment against the chain.

Tried by TLC grad, Emily Detoto! ANGLETON — After hearing the words that made him free Friday, Jose Garcia immediately reached over and hugged his attorney with tears in his eyes.

TLC Grad Mark Choate represented Julia Hanweck in this case. A jury awarded a woman $148,000 in a negligence case against Bartlett Regional Hospital heard Tuesday in Juneau Superior Court.

TLCer Mark Bennett represented Shawn Roberts during the trial. HOUSTON - A Houston jury passed a not guilty verdict for a disbarred attorney accused of delivering drugs to his now-deceased girlfriend on Thursday.

Killer Timothy O'Reilly is spared from execution by federal jury Read more: Killer Timothy O'Reilly is spared from execution by federal jury Rick Kammen, a TLC grad and his team worked tirelessly for their client Tim O'Reilly. By DAVID ASHENFELTER AND TRESA BALDAS FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS In the end, jurors couldn’t unanimously decide whether Timothy O’Reilly actually pulled the trigger that killed an armored car guard. That was the key factor today that spared the 37-year-old Detroit man from a federal death sentence for murdering Total Armored Services guard Norman Stephens, a 30-year-old married father of six, during a 2001 robbery at a Dearborn Federal Credit Union. The verdict, which came after six hours of deliberations and a six-week trial, brought tears of joy to O’Reilly’s parents and disappointment to Stephens’ grieving family members.

August 15, 2010 In Koua Fong Lee case, justice delayed was justice denied Litigated by TLC grad, Bob Hilliard. By Jon Tevlin, Star Tribune On Thursday afternoon, Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner stood in front of the courthouse in St. Paul and delivered this message just before Koua Fong Lee was released from prison: "I believe the system worked, and this is a very good day for the criminal justice system."

A case tried by the Leeseberg & Valentine firm. Anne Valentine, '98. MARYSVILLE, Ohio - No matter what he does, no matter how hard he tries to forget, Shannon Legge still hears the screams.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - (Business Wire) A San Jose, CA jury late yesterday afternoon awarded a former foster care child $30 million in damages for sexual abuse the child endured due to the negligence of the private company that licensed the foster home in which the child was placed for four years.

Ann Johnson of the 2009 Class just won a case at the Texas Supreme Court. Here's the majority opinion and the dissent.

Sheridan County has agreed to pay $100,000 to a grieving mother and improve suicide-prevention policies at its jail as part of a settlement over deaths there, an attorney in the case announced Thursday.