i like to help people and i like to
solve complicated problems early on when
i was growing up
my mother told me i’d be an excellent
lawyer because i can analyze and i can
argue
now after high school i didn’t go
directly into college i worked
instruction but after a while i thought
what am i doing here my mother said i’d
be a great lawyer so i went to college
went straight a’s through college and
law school
and then became a lawyer in a large firm
i went to two large firms and i found i
could really help the clients even more
if i had my own office so my objective
is to find out what the needs are of a
given client and try to find a creative
way to satisfy those needs
and make the client pleased with the
service
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well the philosophy that guides my work
as a lawyer is rather simple
hard work and preparation
i don’t put things off until tomorrow
that i can do today because you don’t
know what’s going to pop up tomorrow
that you have to deal with and i’m a try
a lawyer right so i get prepared for all
trials uh in advance i will do all of
the
depositions the summaries the
interrogatories i will summarize them or
prepare the opening statement the
examinations both direct and cross
and my closing argument in draft before
i even walk into the courtroom i also
prepare my notes for jury selection so i
can find
the best jurors for my given case
not all jurors are good for all cases so
you have to
be careful in the selection process and
really to be honest when you’re picking
a jury what you’re really trying to do
is make friends and establish a
relationship
you do the opening statement
and my opening statement is almost more
like a closing argument i try not to
cross the line too much but by the time
i’m done with my opening statement that
jury is going to vote for me
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what it takes to be successful in a
courtroom
is
preparation
and respect for the jury by example a
jury gets a juror gets a notice to come
he comes but he or she doesn’t really
want to be there they’re just ordered to
be there so you want to thank them for
their service in advance recognize it’s
hard on them
to be present and then be respectful of
them one thing i do
is i will memorize all the jurors names
before i ever get up
the jurors come in usually there’s 18
you initially will examine
and i will while the judge is talking to
him i’m just telling the jurors what’s
going to be happening i’ll be memorizing
their names then when i get up i will go
and ask mr schwartz how do you feel
about this and ms ramirez how do you
feel about that you heard what mr short
said you agree or disagree but now i’m
calling them by their name
and first it amazes them because how did
i memorize all the 18 names in such a
short time
but
it’s respect when you call a juror by
their name so from the moment you walk
in that courtroom you’re on stage and
even in the parking lot you have to be a
gentleman wherever you are because you
don’t know
where the jurors are and you sure as
heck you don’t want to cut off somebody
in the parking lot or be rude in any way
shape or form and only find their jury
right there you are looking at them in
the jury i truly enjoy what i do i enjoy
the practice and i believe to be
successful yet for the jury you have to
be personable respectful
polite and you have to also ask them
questions that will get them to give you
responses so you can really assess
whether or not they’re biased or not
some people just ask routine questions
get yes or no’s and sit down
and that’s terrible i don’t do that