Shows
Picking JusticeKeith Mitnik – What Package Are You Delivering to Jurors?“How many of you care if the Amazon guy that delivers your package struts up like a pretty peacock?” asks Keith Mitnik. “All you care about is what's inside the package.” Pretend you’re the Amazon guy, and jurors are expecting the package. Keith, the author of “Don’t Eat the Bruises,” the definitive book on jury selection, tells you how to deliver in this episode. Visiting with hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer, Keith reveals his voir dire techniques — some “hot off the presses.” Tune in for his "evidence plus reality" framework to reframe bias, his "dignity of damages" concept to gr...
2026-03-091h 18Picking JusticeKeith Bruno – The Jurors Seem to Like You? Get Over ItIf the juror’s laughing at your dumb jokes but their answers scream “danger zone!” – don’t bask in the laughter. Watch out for the danger. With 200 jury trials on his resume, trial lawyer Keith Bruno breaks down the critical difference between being seduced by good vibes and focusing on your job: picking the best jurors. With hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer, he recalls an incident when he called out two jurors who were overheard in the bathroom giving opinions on the case. “It was uncomfortable. And I don't mind uncomfortable moments in court.”Learn More and Connect
2026-02-231h 00Picking JusticeJude Basile – Two Goals that Win Juries From the StartWhen he stands up at voir dire, Jude Basile has two goals: to empower the jury and get them involved in the case. With results that include a $150 million wrongful death verdict, Jude reveals how he achieves both goals in this conversation with hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer. If this has ever happened to you – a juror asks if you’re “in it for the money” or a juror discloses a sensitive experience like the loss of a child – tune in for Jude’s strategies. And if you still call your client a “client” at voir dire, drop that word from y...
2026-02-0953 minPicking JusticeChristian Morris – Getting into Jurors’ Minds, One Scenario at a TimeA woman browses in a knick-knack store that has a sign: “You Break It – You Buy It.” Sure enough, she accidentally breaks a figurine – and it has a $78 price tag! The woman protests: “That wasn't worth $78! And your shelf sticks out too much!" Christian Morris presented that scenario to jurors in a case where her client was injured in a low-property damage incident. Tune in to hear what Christian learned from juror reactions to the story. And stay tuned as shares her voir dire playbook with hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer, including how she navigates damages, peremptory challenges, and notes...
2026-01-261h 00Picking JusticeJesse Wilson – Why Jurors Root for "I Can" Over "I Can't"Everybody loves an underdog story - so why do lawyers often tell the opposite in the courtroom? Juilliard-trained actor and jury trial consultant Jesse Wilson developed a “victim-to-victor” approach that capitalizes on the universal appeal of “I can” instead of “I can’t.” In this conversation with hosts Dan Kramer and Harry Plotkin, Jesse explains that jurors respond more powerfully when they see strength rather than just suffering. Tune in for his insights about treating yourself as "the most important juror" to transform your courtroom presence and ditching performative "good morning" pleasantries to create genuine connection.Learn More and Conne...
2026-01-121h 02Picking JusticeHarry and Dan – Celebrating 12 Months of Helping You Pick 12 Jurors"Voir dire is the scariest thing to do for a lawyer," Dan Kramer says as he reflects on the first year of “Picking Justice” with co-host Harry Plotkin. This special episode celebrates a year of exceptional guests: Ibiere Seck, Ricardo Echeverria, Steve Vartazarian, Gary Dordick, Claire Plotkin, Arash Homampou, Joe Fried, Bob Simon, Lourdes DeArmas, Khail Parris, David Ball, Randi McGinn, Craig Peters, Kurt Zaner, Pat Salvi, Sean Claggett, Kathleen Nastri, Rahul Ravipudi, and Mike Alder. Tune in for their insights about everything from biases, questionnaires, and creating authentic courtroom connections.Learn More and Connect☑️ Ibiere S...
2025-12-1549 minPicking JusticeMike Alder – What I Learned about Jury Selection after 9 Trials in 10 MonthsAfter completing nine trials earlier this year, Mike Alder describes lessons learned about jury selection with hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer. Tune in for his insights about how being practiced makes you conversational rather than aggressive, why he starts with easy questions before diving into hot-button issues, and how asking "I need your help" invites jurors to participate authentically in the selection process.Learn More and Connect☑️ Mike Alder | LinkedIn | Email | Instagram | YouTube | Telephone ☑️ AlderLaw on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram☑️ Harry Plotkin | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram☑️ Dan Kramer | LinkedIn ☑️ Kramer Trial L...
2025-12-011h 09Picking JusticeRahul Ravipudi – Pick One Voir Dire Philosophy and Commit“You've gotten just tons of jurors off for cause, but you do it in the most polite way,” host Harry Plotkin says of longtime friend Rahul Ravipudi, who stops by “Picking Justice” to share his philosophy of voir dire that has helped him secure eight- and nine-figure verdicts. As Rahul explains to Harry and co-host Dan Kramer, his core philosophy is to stick with one voir dire approach. His is identifying juror biases and guiding biased jurors to excuse themselves for cause “or at least allow me to get the cause challenge established.” Tune in for Rahul’s insights about breaking...
2025-11-171h 03Picking JusticeKathleen Nastri – Mastering Connecticut's Unique Jury SelectionPicture your voir dire happening in a private room where it’s just you and the potential juror. It’s called “individual sequestered voir dire,” it’s guaranteed in Connecticut’s constitution, and it’s an approach that Kathleen Nastri has mastered – as evidenced by her $58 million med-mal verdict, a state record. It can be exhausting, she admits. It can be like speed dating. But it reflects the importance that the state places on the right to a trial with a fair jury. In this conversation with hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer, Kathleen shares her strategies for breaking the ice with dif...
2025-11-0358 minPicking JusticeSean Claggett – From "Colorado Won't Give That" to “They Did” – $145 Million“It is shocking how many times lawyers undervalue their cases,” says Sean Claggett, a pioneer in the use of big data and co-author of “JuryBall.” Coming off a $145 million workers' compensation bad faith verdict in Colorado – where a mediator told him, “Colorado juries don’t give the type of verdicts you’re talking about” – Sean shares how he uses big data and focus groups to determine true case value. In this conversation with hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer, he explains why anchoring themes early matters more than anchoring numbers and why conservative jurors can deliver the biggest verdicts when you push the ri...
2025-10-201h 05Picking JusticePat Salvi - Winning Even When the Defendant is Everyone's HeroEveryone loves doctors. Pat Salvi’s firm sues them. When you know how to pick a good jury, he says, you can overcome the inherent likability factor. In this conversation with hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer, Pat reveals his strategies, starting with how he makes a connection with potential jurors. Tune in for his tips on exposing juror bias and focusing jurors on a doctor’s behavior, not personality. “It’s not about whether he's a good doctor or a nice guy,” he tells them. “It's whether or not he was reasonably careful under these circumstances.”Learn More and...
2025-10-061h 07Picking JusticeKurt Zaner - Making Every Minute Count in 15- to 30-Minute Voir DireIn Colorado, Kurt Zaner typically has 15 to 30 minutes for voir dire, so he makes every minute count. In this conversation with hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer, he explains how. “Even though you’ve got 15 minutes, the big points for me: I want to build a little rapport. I want them to trust me. I want them to feel empowered,” he says. From memorizing juror names to building credibility before discussing damages, Kurt describes strategies that he’s leveraged to secure victories like his $16 million premises liability verdict in Colorado, the state’s largest. Learn More and Connect
2025-09-2257 minPicking JusticeCraig Peters – “Give Me Two Days to Voir Dire the Whole Panel”As a public defender, Craig Peters focused his voir dire on getting jurors to assure him they’d follow the law. Turns out that jurors can promise they’ll follow the law; it doesn’t mean they will. Now one of California's leading plaintiffs' trial attorneys with multiple eight-figure verdicts, Craig joins hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer to share what he’s learned about jury selection from practicing on both sides. He advocates, for example, for the opportunity to voir dire the entire jury panel rather than the traditional six-pack. “You're one of the only attorneys who I think I've...
2025-09-081h 06Picking JusticeRandi McGinn - From Personal Loss to Powerful Voir Dire"Has anyone here suffered profound grief?" Randi McGinn began asking jurors that question, particularly in wrongful death cases, after she suffered a personal loss. “It made me realize that people who've experienced that would be wonderful jurors,” she tells hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer. As she explains, savvy plaintiffs’ lawyers should identify jurors who have experienced grief and who can share their experience with other jurors. The first female president of the Inner Circle of Advocates, founding partner of McGinn Montoya Love Curry & Sievers, and author of “Changing Laws Saving Lives,” Randi reveals this and other jury selection strategies...
2025-08-2555 minPicking JusticeMaking Every Second Count: To Voir Dire 35 Jurors in 20 MinutesTwenty minutes to voir dire 35 jurors? “Hey, what’s your favorite ice cream? OK; I ran out of time.” That’s how host and jury consultant Harry Plotkin describes the challenging scenario – one of his favorite things to teach because “it can be done.” Host Dan Kramer, who soon goes to trial with Harry under these very rules, guides this discussion about how it can be done. Harry explains how he prioritizes individual questions over group questions to ensure that every juror is heard rather than focusing solely on cause challenges. He also outlines the top two or three questions he’d...
2025-08-1142 minPicking JusticeDavid Ball - Stop Dreading Jury Selection, Start Enjoying ItIs this you before voir dire: “You're nervous, you've got a million things on your mind, you've lost 14 motions you wanted to win, and now you've got to question these people to find out who's going to kill you.” That’s the scenario that many lawyers find themselves in, suggests influential trial consultant David Ball, whose groundbreaking books like "David Ball on Damages 3" revolutionized plaintiff advocacy. In this conversation with hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer, David shares his strategies for putting aside fear and instead embracing “the privilege that you should enjoy having.” Tune in for his insights about why...
2025-07-281h 07Picking JusticeThe Best of the First 12 Episodes: Insights That Could Change Your Next VerdictFrom Ibiere Seck's approach to making jurors feel valued, to Steve Vartazarian's mantra to “choose topics wisely,” to Gary Dordick's strategy for timing bias discussions, this episode of “Picking Justice” compiles the best moments from the podcast’s first 12 episodes. In addition to their wisdom, tune in for insights from Lourdes DeArmas, Ricardo Echeverria, Joe Fried, Arash Homampour, Khail Parris, Claire Plotkin, Bob Simon and the hosts themselves: Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer. And come back for future episodes with conversations that could change your next verdict.Learn More and Connect☑️ Ibiere Seck | LinkedIn | Instagram | X | Facebook
2025-07-1434 minPicking JusticeKhail Parris – Getting 50+ Cause Challenges and Winning"The most important cause challenge is your first cause challenge," says Khail Parris, who holds the record in Van Nuys with 53 cause challenges in a single trial. Fresh off a $58 million slip-and-fall verdict and a $7.1 million win against LAUSD, Khail joins hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer to reveal his systematic approach to jury selection. He breaks down his "warts mini-opening" strategy, explains why he fights for questionnaires in every case, and shares his unconventional method for anchoring damages when judges won't let him mention specific numbers. Learn More and Connect☑️ Khail Parris | LinkedIn☑️...
2025-06-161h 06Picking JusticeLourdes DeArmas – Is Your Jury Selection Technique Stuck in a Pre-COVID World?In a post-COVID world, jurors respond to different questions – and smart lawyers will adapt to account for the change. Lourdes DeArmas, lead trial attorney at Omega Law Group, shares this observation with hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer. “They want to see a lot more.They don't want generalizations,” she explains. Tune in for Lourdes’ strategies for handling "normal-looking" plaintiffs, addressing juror concerns that non-economic damages are a “payday,” and leveraging individual rather than group questions to get jurors talking.Learn More and Connect☑️ Lourdes DeArmas | LinkedIn☑️ Omega Law Group | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X☑️ Harry Plot...
2025-06-0256 minPicking JusticeBob Simon – Winning Disc Injury Cases When Bad Facts Abound"Don't run from your bad facts but embrace them," says Bob Simon, whose book “Trying Disc Injury Cases: Defeating the Degeneration Defense” reveals how he’s embraced cases where clients were injured in light rear-end crashes. “The book is how to diffuse all those bombs, from intake through discovery through trial, and how to reframe the case,” he explains to hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer. Tune in for Bob’s insights about why addressing negative facts head-on during jury selection creates credibility with conservative jurors and how anchoring your damages number early pays off. Learn More and Connect
2025-05-1951 minPicking JusticeJoe Fried – Are You Losing the Game of Psychology in Jury Selection?"Trial law is a game of psychology at some level," says Joe Fried, renowned as the "Godfather of Trucking Cases" who's litigated in 43 states. Regardless of the venue, he focuses on universally shared values in jury selection. “The magic of doing what we do is to build a case around the things that make us the same, not the things that make us different. That’s what jury selection is,” he explains to hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer. One shared value: Keeping your oath. “When that juror says, ‘I'm going to follow my oath even if I have to hold my...
2025-05-051h 02Picking JusticeAre You Saying the Right Things in Voir Dire?“What are your thoughts?” jury consultant Harry Plotkin is fond of asking potential jurors. He likes that question because it’s not “yes or no.” But it’s just the beginning. Tune in for Harry to explain the “hard part.” And learn a technique from Dan Kramer that helps jurors express where they fall on a spectrum rather than forcing binary choices. The hosts also describe why saying "uphill battle" works better than asking if someone is "biased" and offer practical approaches for identifying jurors who might undervalue claims from elderly plaintiffs, immigrants, or those with preexisting conditions. Learn More and...
2025-04-2154 minPicking JusticeArash Homampour – Get Jurors to Spew the Poison Now, Not Later"I do not reject good cases," says Arash Homampour, responding to a joke from hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer that he seeks only the toughest liability situations. Known for winning eight-figure verdicts in cases other attorneys might avoid, Arash breaks down his authentic approach to jury selection. He explains why he addresses bad facts head-on, avoids over-selling his case during voir dire, and believes in creating an environment where jurors feel comfortable sharing their honest opinions. "You want people to spew the poison now, not later," Arash advises, reminding attorneys that identifying biased jurors early is crucial to...
2025-04-0748 minPicking JusticeClaire Plotkin - Are You Striking Your Best Jurors?In jury selection, many attorneys focus solely on getting cause challenges. But jury consultant Claire Plotkin brings a fresh perspective on framing "bias" to the conversation with hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer. She explains that telling jurors they're "biased" can backfire – especially in cases where potential jurors' strong feelings might actually benefit plaintiffs. "In today's society, jurors are so ready to be inflamed that they're actually better for plaintiffs," Claire notes. Tune in to learn why sympathy isn't bias, how to protect your good jurors from defense challenges, and why Claire believes voir dire is about learning, not ju...
2025-03-2457 minPicking JusticeGary Dordick – Bias Isn’t Bad; Not Finding It in Jurors IsGary Dordick wanted to know why the sole juror voted against him, so he asked her after trial. Turns out, he reminded her of her ex-husband, so she didn’t believe a word he said.“Okay, but, Ma’am, why didn't you tell me that when we were picking the jury?” Gary wondered. “Oh,” she responded, “you never asked.”Gary tells this cautionary tale to hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer in an episode devoted to jury selection tips and lessons gained through his winning career. The founder of Dordick Law Corporation, Gary shares stories from the courtroo...
2025-03-101h 09Picking JusticeSteve Vartazarian – Keeping Jury Selection SimpleTo keep jury selection simple, Steve Vartazarian turns to simple tools: paper and pen. In this visit with hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer, he explains why.“It occurred to me, ‘Oh, my God!’ I was, like, one day: ‘Jury selection is the only time where we're only relegated to words, and we can't show the jury anything,’” says the founder of The Vartazarian Law Firm. “Why is that?’ I'm like, ‘Let me try to break that mold.’”Tune in to watch Steve demonstrate his simple methods for revealing potential bias and asking about non-economic damages. “You’re never...
2025-02-241h 43Picking JusticeRicardo Echeverria – Picking Jurors: Common Sense Approaches“Folks, I know you're here because you have to be, and we appreciate that. And I want to tell you right up front that you don't owe me anything…”So begins Ricardo Echeverria’s typical introduction to prospective jurors. In this conversation with “Picking Justice” hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer, Ricardo guides plaintiffs’ lawyers on jury selection from start to verdict. Tune in for this winning trial lawyer’s insights on identifying bias, establishing credibility, and getting rid of the “really bad haters.” And for young lawyers who are listening, Ricardo explains why the art of picking juries is ex...
2025-02-1052 minPicking Justice“Picking Justice”: A Trial Lawyer’s Guide to Picking Better JuriesIn the first episode of "Picking Justice,” jury consultant Harry Plotkin and trial lawyer Dan Kramer invite lawyers on a journey to heightened jury selection skills. Using real-life lessons learned, they discuss the importance of considering different types of jurors and crafting questions that will yield better answers. They also set the stage for future episodes, where guests including Arash Homampour, Gary Dordick, David deRubertis, and Natalie Weatherford will share unique strategies for jury selection “that may blow your mind and change your approach,” Harry says.Their mission is to help lawyers be ready for any scenario. “We've al...
2025-01-2749 minPicking JusticeIbiere Seck – Turning Bad Facts Into StrengthsThe injured plaintiff can’t have children. One potential juror says, “No big deal. Adopt.” Another says, “That’s not what I signed up for when I got married.” If she were trying the case, Ibiere Seck would approach jury selection with curiosity and a non-judgmental conversation like this: “Okay, where do you fall? Let's talk about that...” “That's it. It's that simple,” Ibiere explains to hosts Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer. The founder of Seck Law, Ibiere tries cases with other firms. When it comes to jury selection, she acknowledges that she leans more on art than science. Tune in...
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Just VerdictsNo Such Thing as a Good or Bad Juror, with Harry PlotkinDon’t ask prospective jurors if they hate lawsuits; you won’t learn anything about them. Don’t talk about damages early on; you’ll only rub them the wrong way. And don’t make rules like, “I never have ‘X’ on a jury”; you could waste a peremptory strike on a potentially great juror.Renowned jury consultant Harry Plotkin, of Your Next Jury, has seen plaintiffs’ lawyers make these mistakes and others through over two decades of mastering the art of jury selection. In this conversation with host Brendan Lupetin, Harry offers solutions and insights on everything from an e...
2025-01-091h 06Picking JusticeWelcome to Picking Justice: A Jury Selection PodcastReady to take your verdicts and jury selection to the next level? Jury consultant Harry Plotkin and trial lawyer Dan Kramer are your ticket to tipping the scales before trial begins.You’re not just picking a jury; you’re picking justice.Have a jury selection story to share? Email us at Podcast@PickingJustice.com, and we may address it in a future episode.Produced and powered by LawPods
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