The discovery phase is where most cases are won or lost. Before you ever reach pretrial, you need a defensible fact record, clean evidence, credible damages support, and a plan for what will and will not come into evidence. Below is a practical, litigation-focused walkthrough of what must be done
Case value rarely changes because of a single dramatic moment. More often, it shifts because someone spots, or misses, an early signal that changes how a judge, jury, carrier, or mediator will view litigation liability and damages. Below are the intake-stage indicators that most reliably move value, plus a practical
Depositions can feel like a sprawling conversation, but the best ones are engineered: you know exactly what you must prove, who must say it, and which documents will make the testimony stick. When you approach the deposition of case witnesses with clear goals, a deliberate order, and a tight exhibit
When a vendor touches your case file, they are not “just a tool.” They function as a litigation partner in the most literal sense: they can influence deadlines, strategy, discovery posture, and (if you get it wrong) privilege. This guide is a practical, time-efficient way to vet litigation support vendors,
“Discovery on discovery” happens when the real fight is not just what is being produced, but how the other side searched, collected, reviewed, and withheld information. Done right, targeted discovery into the discovery process can reveal gaps, prevent trial surprises, and move settlement. Done wrong, it burns budget and judicial
Trial litigation is rarely won on the courthouse steps. It is won in the weeks and months before trial, when you turn a messy fact pattern into a tight story, a provable damages model, and a clean evidentiary record. Below are the pretrial tasks that consistently “move the needle”, meaning
Depositions rarely go “off the rails” because someone forgot a rule. They go off the rails because the last hour before you walk in is chaotic, fragmented, and focused on the wrong things. A tight 60-minute depo prep routine helps you show up calm, consistent, and ready to control the
Depositions are rarely “won” by a clever question. They are controlled by documents: what exists, what is missing, what the witness has already said, and what they cannot plausibly deny once you put paper in front of them. Discovery deposition prep is the process of turning your production, responses, and
“Winning a case” is rarely about having more information. It is about having a proof plan that turns your information into a story jurors can follow, remember, and repeat in deliberations. A proof plan is not a trial binder or a witness list. It is a simple, explicit map from
Litigating a case is rarely slowed down by a single “big” issue. More often, it is death by a thousand cuts: a missing record, a poorly tagged exhibit, a rushed deposition outline, or a demand that takes two days longer than it should because the file is not organized. Below
Litigation rarely fails because a lawyer “didn’t work hard.” It fails because the case story is built too late, key facts are buried in documents, and deadlines force reactive decisions. A tight litigated case prep timeline fixes that. The goal is simple: move from raw intake materials to a
A strong deposition starts long before anyone hits “record.” The best litigators treat deposition prep like a timeline: gather the right materials early, refine themes as facts sharpen, then lock in exhibits and objectives close to the date. This guide breaks down what to review and when, so you can