Litigating your first case is terrifying. Are you prepared? Will the judge and jury take you seriously? Will you ask the right questions? Will your witnesses do well on the stand? Will you win? Here, more than 45 veteran attorneys give new litigators advice on how to handle their first trial.

Glenn Forbis, Metro Detroit Patent Attorney and Litigator:

“A trial is like a Broadway play and your role as lead trial counsel combines the duties of writer, producer, director and one of the lead characters. Your case should have a theme and your presentation should be a concise and simple ‘story.’ Juries are not good at understanding the nuances of complex technologies and arcane patent claim language, but they are great at understanding a good story. Most importantly, maintain your poker face and never let them see you sweat. When unexpected things happen at trial — and they will — you should look like whatever happened was totally part of the original script. From the moment the jury walks into the courtroom, the curtain is up. And juries see everything.”

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