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Firm News

Levinson Gives Lecture at ATLA Deposition Clinic

February 22, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

In recent firm news, Ken Levinson gave a lecture at the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association‘s Next Level Deposition Clinic, a virtual panel event held on February 19th.

“The goal of the event is to make sure trial lawyers obtain all the necessary information during the discovery process to either get the best possible settlement for their clients or succeed at trial,” Levinson said. “A missed question or issue during sworn testimony can be harmful for our clients.”

Levinson’s lecture was titled, “Using Focus Groups to Develop a Discovery Plan,” and discussed the importance and benefits of using focus groups ahead of trial.

“Focus groups are oftentimes only considered if the case isn’t settled on the eve of a jury trial,” Levinson explained. “I’m hoping trial attorneys will consider employing focus groups far earlier in their case preparation. These early focus groups can help tailor your discovery plan to what a jury would like to hear or learn. A focus group after depositions are completed can reveal that you didn’t obtain all the necessary information a jury needs to decide key issues in the case.”

Other lectures included “Deposition Preparation Strategy: Finishing your Case in One Deposition,” given by Mark Kosieradzki of Kosieradzki Smith, “Mastering Zoom Depositions” by Zoe Litlepage of Littlepage Booth Leckman, and “Depositions: Getting Everything the Witness Has to Offer” by Chris O’Brien of O’Brien and Ford. Heidi DiLorenzo of Alexander Shunnarah and Sach Oliver of Bailey and Oliver also gave lectures regarding their deposition process specialties.

“In all honesty, I was excited to learn from all the speakers,” Levinson said. “They are truly top notch and each of their topics will be extraordinarily helpful for my cases and to best help my clients.”

Levinson also knew he would have a variety of takeaways from the virtual event, and believes everyone who tuned in must have had a similar experience.

“After attending the program, all the trial attorneys will be able to better prepare their clients’ cases,” he explained. “Obtaining vital information at depositions, often from reluctant witnesses, means the difference between winning and losing.”

Levinson to Give Keynote at Auto Negligence Seminar

February 12, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

On February 15th, the firm’s own Ken Levinson will serve as the keynote speaker at the Maryland Association for Justice’s 2021 Auto Negligence Virtual Seminar.

This seminar–held virtually this year–aims to provide attendees with examples of the best possible trial-tested practices to win their cases and maximize their verdicts, whether or not they are seasoned attorneys or newcomers in their fields.

Levinson’s keynote is entitled, “Enhance Your Case with Focus Groups,” and will focus on the benefit of utilizing a focus group in preparation for a trial. He plans to detail his highly successful methods in using focus groups to understand what would persuade a jury most easily.

“Focus groups help trial lawyers understand the best way to present their client’s case,” Levinson explained. “They’re a great way to see what would resonate with a jury. Oftentimes, attorneys get so deep in the weeds of the case that we need an objective outsider’s perspective. Focus groups can also reveal how jurors would respond to an insurance defense lawyer’s excuses about how an auto crash occurred. This helps make sure our clients’ cases are presented in the most effective way at trial.”

Because the key to a successful case is to test ways of framing and messaging, Levinson also dedicates time to reading, publishing, and, of course, employing the latest decision-making methods within cognitive science in regards to focus groups and their usefulness in any given case.

Other speakers at the seminar include MAJ President Amy Orsi and her partner, Stephen Markey of Markey and Orsi, who will be explaining the basis of bad faith claims through tutorials and real-life examples, and will demonstrate how they can be used to boost overall case value. Additionally, David Tompkins and Sharon Tompkins of Lewis & Tompkins, PC will discuss insurance coverage in regards to ride-sharing services and the best ways to get a client the compensation they deserve.

Finally, a panel of trial judges will be sharing their perspectives on courtroom damage presentations and what arguments and techniques they find the most effective. Moderating the seminar will be Jon Everett of ChasenBoscolo Injury Lawyers and David A. Muncy of Plaxen Adler Muncy, PA.

Levinson said he is honored to be presenting at this event among “such an outstanding panel of trial lawyers and judges,” noting that they are all “top-notch.” He’s also thrilled to be sharing the passion that drives the work he does for his clients.

“Many people are killed or seriously injured as a result of a car crash,” he explained. “Large insurance companies and their corporate lawyers have unlimited resources to deny survivors the justice they deserve. It is vitally important we trial attorneys help each other combat the unfair insurance tactics so we are able to best represent our clients. Sharing the latest ideas and legal methods to counter corporate maneuvers is what helps us get justice.”

To register for this virtual seminar, click here.

Jay & Dan Speak at Chicago Bar Association Tech Review

January 12, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Managing partner, Jay Stefani, and associate attorney, Dan Terleckyj, were panel speakers for the Chicago Bar Association’s Law Practice Management and Technology Committee & Solo/Small Firm Committees’ Annual Tech Review on December 17, 2020.  The webcast focused on new technology to assist firms during COVID, as well as recommendations and looking forward to 2021 and beyond.  

Jay is the vice chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Solo & Small Firm Committee.  Dan is the current co-chair of the Law Practice Management and Technology Committee.

Ken Levinson named Top 100 Illinois Super Lawyer for 2021

January 9, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Levinson and Stefani’s own Ken Levinson has been named not only a Super Lawyer–but a Top 100 Illinois Super Lawyer for 2021.

Super Lawyers, a rating service branch of Thomson Reuters, rates outstanding lawyers “from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement,” according to Super Lawyers’ website. The service uses peer nominations, peer evaluations, and its own independent research for selection.

Levinson has been named a Super Lawyer every year since 2010, and has also been named a Top 100 Illinois Super Lawyer for 2012, 2016, 2020, and now, 2021.

“Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators” of achievement and recognition, says the Super Lawyers site. “Selections are made on an annual, state-by-state basis. The objective is to create a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys that can be used as a resource for attorneys and consumers searching for legal counsel.”

Not only does Levinson continue to be named a Super Lawyer and Top 100 Illinois Super Lawyer out of around 95,000 attorneys throughout Illinois, but Levinson was the only Top 100 Illinois selection who concentrates nearly exclusively on truck and auto crash injury cases–which make up over 95% of the firm’s overall cases.

After evaluating research and peer evaluation, Super Lawyers uses a patented selection process to recognize top Illinois Lawyers who receive the highest point totals. These particular lawyers are then further recognized throughout the lists of Top Illinois Super Lawyers.

Nominations for Super Lawyer candidates come from either a managing partner survey, a peer nomination, third party feedback, or Super Lawyer Research Team identification. 

Then, through independent research, a candidate’s professional achievement and peer recognition are evaluated based on 12 indicators– including transactions, experience, awards, scholarly lectures, and pro bono and community service.

Then, candidates with the highest point totals from these first two steps serve on the Blue Ribbon Panel for peer evaluation–Blue Ribbon Panel members proceed to evaluate other candidates within their own primary areas of practice.

Finally, a representative number of small, medium, and large firm attorneys are chosen for final selection, with only 5% being selected as Super Lawyers. These lawyers are deemed to be the “best of the best” attorneys, and Super Lawyers limits lawyer ratings to those who can be hired and retained by the public, as the entire Super Lawyers system is meant to be a helpful lawyer-selecting tool.

Levinson and Stefani Help With Publication of New Edition of Auto Injury Case Litigation Book

January 9, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

The 2020-2021 Edition of Litigating Major Automobile Injury and Death Cases has just been released, and Levinson and Stefani have contributed to the book.

Litigating Major Automobile Injury and Death Cases is divided into two separate volumes and aims to give plaintiff attorneys proper guidance in regards to major automobile injury and death case representation. It also provides specific strategies for using the least expenditure of effort in order to win the largest damage awards as possible.

Volume 1 of the book, Law and Forms, explains how an attorney can build the best possible case by “incorporating litigation strategies that undermine expected defense strategies and affirm [the] case.”

Volume 2, Forensic Science, is medical reference-based and offers data regarding injury mechanism topics. These are meant to “prove causation and damages for a variety of crash types and crash injuries, including epidemiology, injury risk by crash type, injury pattern analysis, biomechanics, and more.”

Levinson and Stefani took the initiative to contribute a section written by Louisville-based attorney Jay Vaughn, who specializes in remote depositions. Vaughn was able to add guidance on this topic in an effort “to help practitioners during the pandemic working remotely,” which will also be “for use even when things get back to normal,” explained Ken Levinson.

In this particular contribution, Vaughn details certain technology basics, a ‘Best Practices’ checklist, court reporter instructions, the sharing and usage of exhibits, and deposition notice samples for Zoom.

The book also features tools such as focus group, trial consultant, and juror interview guidance; ways to construct the best visual aids and prepare effective presentations for a jury; procedures that give step-by-step guidance from a client’s first meeting all the way to a winning judgment; legal resource references for litigating a case to a favorable verdict; air bag, seat belt, and other auto safety-related technical articles; and scientific articles to help attorneys obtain expert and opposing expert critical testimonies.

To purchase an individual volume or the full set of the latest edition of Litigating Major Automobile Injury and Death Cases, click here.

Ken Levinson Organizes Strategic Planning Webinar

January 4, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

In current Levinson and Stefani firm news, our own Ken Levinson has organized a prominent upcoming event for small law firms.

“As Co-Chair of the Chicago Bar Association Solo and Small Firm Practitioners Committee, I planned and put together our next meeting and speaker,” Levinson explained.

On January 5th, the lunchtime virtual lunchtime program titled “The One Page Strategic Plan: Business Planning Made Simple” will take place.

“Strategic business planning is a key component to growing your firm,” said Levinson in regards to the program description. “Unfortunately, it can be time-consuming to create and can become obsolete as situations change.”

The webinar will detail the One Page Strategic Plan as a way to help viewers learn to utilize strategic planning in a manner to help their firm grow more quickly and more effectively.

The overarching goal of this online event is to give participants tools in order to: determine their particular areas of focus for the next year-to-18 months; create a solid foundation in regards to firm marketing; identify their firm’s weaknesses, strengths, opportunities, and potential threats; and to understand what can make them really stand out as attorneys.

Levinson’s chosen speaker for this event is Alay Yajnik, a law firm growth expert who specializes in aiding solo and small firm lawyers in learning the best possible business strategies and practices for their firms. In doing so, Yajnik believes that implementing these techniques will allow lawyers to work fewer hours, have more free time, and make more money on top of it all.

The first book to be written on hiring for lawyers, Staffing Up: The Attorney’s Guide to Hiring Top Talent, is written by Yajnik, who has also run a 100 million-dollar business and has built, from the ground up, an additional five million-dollar business. 

Additionally, Yajnik, who holds an MBA in finance and marketing, currently serves as Hoge Fenton’s Business Development and Marketing Advisor–Hoge Fenton is a San Francisco-based firm employing 40 attorneys. Yajnik also founded Lawyer Business Advantage and hosts the Lawyer Business Advantage podcast.

For information on attending this webinar, click here.

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