Ken and Jay recently spoke at the New Jersey Association for Justice’s2019 Boardwalk Seminar. The seminar, held annually in Atlantic City, New Jersey, is consistently one of the largest educational gatherings of trial lawyers in the country, drawing over 2,000 attorneys. Ken and Jay, while always seeking to hone their skills by learning from some of the top trial lawyers in the nation, pride themselves in their commitment to speak at these seminars themselves.

“We really feel a responsibility to helping not only our clients, but all the people affected by the carelessness of others. With that, Jay and I try to help teach other lawyers whenever we have the opportunity,” said Ken.

Trying the Truck Case

Ken first presented at the “Trucking 2019: Big Rigs, Big Wrecks” session. He stressed how important it is for lawyers representing individuals and families in truck crash cases to realize the differences between trucking cases and automobile cases. One of the initial reasons, is the injuries tend to be more catastrophic given the typical tractor-trailer on the highway weighs roughly 40 times as much as a standard sedan. Ken highlighted the importance of helping clients navigate the often difficult medical path ahead of them.

Ken also stressed that truckers are professional drivers, usually working for large, sophisticated corporations. These drivers and truck companies are regulated by well-established federal safety rules, put in place to protect everyone on the roadways. In that vein, he spoke about the importance of educating judges and juries on those rules and the differences between “regular” drivers and professional drivers. For example, in hazardous weather conditions, professional truck drivers are required to not only exhibit “extreme caution,” but they are not allowed to drive once the weather becomes unsafe.

How to Handle Difficult Client Issues

Ken’s second presentation at the seminar was at during the “Intake to Verdict: Maximizing Your Client’s Claim” session. Ken quickly set the stage by clarifying that “difficult client issues” did notmean “hard to deal with.”

“Every client has challenges that we, as lawyers, have to be sensitive to,” Ken explained. Some clients are vulnerable, whether due to age, injuries, or any of a myriad of factors. Ken continued, “Our clients often have complex needs when they come to us: they’re overwhelmed with medical bills, they’ve lost income because they can’t work, or the family may need help navigating the probate system after a death.” Specifically pertaining to medical issues, Ken stressed the role lawyers play in helping clients find the right medical specialist, sorting out health insurance issues, and even guiding them through the often long and arduous road to recovery ahead of them.

“First and foremost, we must always remember that while we are experienced veterans of the litigation process and the court system, this is a new and frightening experience for the people we represent. We are here to help – and that extends beyond just ‘winning the case,’” Ken concluded.

Case Management Systems: Choosing the Right One, Maximizing Their Use and Automating Your Practice

At the “Technology for Litigators” session, Jay discussed the many options lawyers have for case management systems. He walked through the criteria that should be used to help choose the right CMS, but also how to leverage its various functions to improve efficiency and productivity at the law firm. Jay was able to utilize his trials and tribulations as managing partner of Levinson and Stefani Injury Lawyers for the past five years. He provided numerous examples of what works, what doesn’t work, and how each firm and attorney may have different needs and wants.

“As trial lawyers, we are always focused on serving our clients and getting the best results we can. Sometimes, though, it’s easy to forget that part of that is running an efficient office – and in doing so, we can better help our clients,” Jay said. The presentation included topics such as building checklists and processes into the CMS, as well as using document generation to more quickly push cases against insurance companies and their corporate lawyers.

Ken and Jay are always thrilled to help whenever they can. If you have a seminar where either of them could be of assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out!

parent teacher conferences — Talk with your child’s teachers at parent-teacher conferences

The parent-teacher conference is a deeply personal ritual. It can be a wholly congratulatory experience or an indictment of one’s parenting skills. As comfortable or as uncomfortable as conferences may be, the most important thing to remember is that you’re there to talk about your child. Keep in mind a few basic principles when talking to your child’s teacher, so you can make the most out of the conversation.

Come prepared
The parent-teacher conference is a dialogue of great value. Like anything else, it’s important to be ready. Define your goals. Define your child’s goals. Write out a list of the ten most important questions and talking points prior to your meeting. Take advantage of the fact that you have an opportunity to gain insight into your child’s educational experience from the person who sees them almost as often as you do. By doing so, you’ll also prove that you take your child’s school experience as seriously as teachers do.

Stick to the subject
National Public Radio came up with a list of general principles to note the next time you’re scheduled for a parent-teacher conference. It boils down to three things: the child, the classroom, and the future. You may be tempted to boast about your child’s learning abilities. You may be tempted to defend their shortcomings. Stick to the subject. Listen to one another. Resist the temptation to chitchat and put the focus squarely on your child’s habits in the classroom. Discuss strategies to improve their learning habits and opportunities to improve the school experience, both inside the classroom and beyond.

Stay Engaged
The Harvard Family Research Project reaffirms what most parents already know: “family engagement matters for students success.” The Project defines Family Engagement in the following ways: 1.) A shared responsibility among families, community organizations, and schools; 2.) Continuous throughout a child’s life, from birth through adolescence; 3.) Occurring across the multiple settings and contexts in which children grow and learn.

It’s a perpetual process involving several factors of outside life. Take the conversation seriously and apply any suggestions or tips for better learning back at home, within a support group, or a community even, that fosters mutual success among its participants. Remember that education is a lifelong process, that continues beyond the classroom. Staying engaged and helping your child at home is one of the most important things you can for your child, but involving them in other learning-based, communal activities shows them how other kids are working towards the same goals. Establishing these learning habits and communities throughout childhood will help your young student succeed in school and out.

Open the lines of communication
Several factors may contribute to your child’s learning, even beyond the classroom. A recent divorce, a separation, a move to a new city, losing a best friend, or even a death in the family—all these things and more can contribute to a child’s psyche and well being. It can also affect you, which indirectly affects your kids. Addressing these issues with your child’s teacher may provide additional insight into their learning habits, and also make the teacher aware of how they may be coping with lingering issues at home. It is certainly not unusually for at-home “issues” to follow a child with them into school and extracurriculars.

Follow up
Parent-teacher conferences generally happen every 1-2 months and they last about 15-20 minutes a piece. Depending on the extant of your conversation, there may be many more topics left to discuss. Suggest a follow up with your child’s teacher either by phone or in-person. If the teacher is willing, you can cover more ground on a regular basis to ensure your child is improving in school and/or establish better learning tools at home. Ask the teacher if he or she can email you updates, or if the teacher puts class information online where parents can also see what their kids should be working on.

Ken & Jay Speak at New Jersey Trial Lawyers Association

How Parents Can Make the Most of Parent-Teacher Conferences