John G. Balestriere
Above the Law
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Past articles by John:
Trial Lawyers Take The Time To Win
Time feels like it is always of the essence but, sometimes, you need to go slow and give your case the time it demands. → Read More
The Attorney-Client Relationship Is Exactly That: A Relationship
It’s trite but true; you need to give the attorney-client relationship the respect it deserves. Start with the Golden Rule. → Read More
Always Be Learning
The cliche about being a lifetime learner has to be true for the trial lawyer if she wants to keep winning for her clients. → Read More
Meet Your Deciders Where They Are
What matters is not what you consider is important and relevant; what matters is what your deciders -- the jury, the judge, the arbitrator -- think is important and relevant. → Read More
Evolve
I finally realized that there was no One Way To Rule Them All when it came to closings. → Read More
Use Your Network To Win
Get out there, meet other lawyers, share your thoughts with them, and they will want to share their thoughts with you. → Read More
A Systematic Trial Lawyer Wins
We would serve our clients better, be more efficient, win more for them, and likely enjoy ourselves more if we had systems to do what may seem like unsystematic work. → Read More
Work At A Real-Life Pace — Not Simply A Lawyer Pace — To Serve Your Clients
Just as justice delayed is justice denied, advice too long delayed is stress created. → Read More
Don’t Plan The Work Too Much; Just Get To It
Make the plan, but still try to make it one that moves the case along. → Read More
Always Mind Your Surroundings
Trying a case is about a lot more than just law and facts. → Read More
Act Prudently For The Long Term
Don't wait forever to respond to emails. But take care to act prudently. → Read More
Legal Writing: Write Like A Potato
Anything else fries your credibility. → Read More
What You Can Learn From Frogs About Legal Research
Any angle you miss can be disastrous. → Read More
Don’t Manage The Litigation; Win The Litigation
Too many lawyers don’t creatively come to the case with a focus on the strategic goal. → Read More
There Is Always A Solution. Always.
It will take lots of work, as any good result by a trial lawyer always does. → Read More
Once You’re Engaged, The Fee Should Not Matter (To You, At Least)
If you’re a private lawyer, you need to make a living -- you deserve to get paid. But once you’re actually fighting for a client, you’re supposed to do what’s best for the client, not focus on the fee. → Read More
Always Remember The Federalist Critique Of The Bill Of Rights
Be careful with nonexclusive lists. → Read More
Talk About What Your Audience Cares About, Not What You Care About
If being a trial lawyer is right for you, you probably like particular ins and outs of the work that makes each day fun. But don’t expect the judge or jury or arbitrator (or client) to care. → Read More
All The Unethical Lawyers
The role of Trump’s lawyers in this election underscores that solutions to promote democracy lie at home, not abroad. → Read More
When On Trial, Give Your Mind A Break
Trials are the most fun we have as lawyers and require near-constant focus -- for weeks. But to win, focus on something else sometimes. → Read More