Legal Blog
Why Owners, Contractors, & Design Professionals Need a Mass Tort Litigator on Their Team – Part 5
Click here for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
In prior posted blogs, I stressed that a good lawyer needs to know the law, but a great lawyer knows the judge. Because I monitor asbestos cases around the country, I have learned that a great lawyer must also know the jury pool. In my experience, the best way to know the jury pool is to partner with experienced local counsel. Like it or not, many jurors are homers, that is they sometimes resent out-of-state defendants and their out-of-state counsel. My best practice is to have local counsel actively participate in the trial by handling one or more witnesses and not let him or her sit at the trial table like a potted plant. The judge will also appreciate the use of local counsel. Often the judge has his or her customary practices that cannot be identified in any other way. When you are a mass tort litigator, you enter your appearance in many different jurisdictions. You need to make the most of your preemptory challenges to seat a fair and open-minded set of jurors and alternates.
Questions about this topic or any other construction law issue?
Contact John Scaldara at jscaldara@offitkurman.com or 443.738.1581.
ABOUT JOHN SCALDARA
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Mr. Scaldara is chair of the firm’s Construction and Commercial Claims Practice Group, and a member of the Business Litigation Practice Group. Mr. Scaldara brings to the firm more than 50 years of experience in advising clients on various legal issues regarding commercial litigation, alternative dispute resolution, insurance, and other commercial matters. He is a member of both the Business Litigation Department and the Business Law Department of Offit Kurman.
ABOUT OFFIT KURMAN
Offit Kurman is one of the fastest-growing, full-service law firms in the Mid-Atlantic region. With over 170 attorneys offering a comprehensive range of services in virtually every legal category, the firm is well positioned to meet the needs of dynamic businesses and the people who own and operate them. Our twelve offices serve individual and corporate clients in the Virginia, Washington, DC, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York City regions. At Offit Kurman, we are our clients’ most trusted legal advisors, professionals who help maximize and protect business value and personal wealth. In every interaction, we consistently maintain our clients’ confidence by remaining focused on furthering their objectives and achieving their goals in an efficient manner. Trust, knowledge, confidence—in a partner, that’s perfect.
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