The Jury Is Out

COVID has changed the way every attorney works. Trial and appellate attorney, arbitrator and professor Ron Norwood joins John and Erich for a positive discussion on how firms of all sizes have adapted and often improved their practices under pandemic restrictions.  Tune in and share some virtual camaraderie as we continue to record from home offices.  

Ronald A. Norwood, a native of Chicago, and 1986 MU Law graduate, joined Lewis Rice in 1988 after serving as a law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge Scott O. Wright in Kansas City from 1986 to 1988.  He was named an equity member of Lewis Rice in 1997.

Throughout his legal career, Ron has acted as a trial attorney and appellate attorney in state and federal litigation matters throughout the United States, with primary concentrations in Missouri and Illinois. His wide-ranging practice includes representing national and regional banks, mortgage companies, and other financial institutions; health insurers, health maintenance organizations, and health care providers in health care litigation disputes; and manufacturers in product liability litigation, consumer fraud claims, and disputes arising under the Uniform Commercial Code. He has also served as counsel to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Louis Career Education District, and currently serves as trial counsel for the St. Louis Public Schools District.

Focus groups are powerful legal tools, but they should be used strategically. John and Erich discuss how and when to do a focus group, suggest ways to use the data for trial and negotiation, and point out pitfalls to avoid. 

Why guess how a jury might respond to your case when you can actually test your position before trial? John and Erich examine the value and structure of online and in-person focus groups and illustrate how focus group insights can strengthen your case from voir dire to damages.

What are the courtroom standards for voir dire in Missouri law? John and Erich discuss current interpretations of the legal statues based on their experience in the courtroom.

So you’ve identified a potential juror you don’t want deciding your case. How can you effectively remove them? John and Erich share thoughts on how to expose bias and get jurors off for cause.