Trial Magazine
Question of the Month
How do you stay motivated after a disappointing case outcome?
May 2020“As a trial lawyer, you have to take difficult cases—and sometimes they won’t pan out. That’s the nature of the business, and it’s also the only path to achieving any real success. I stay motivated because I know I’m willing to fight the tough battles.”
Roger Booth, Booth Law, Torrance, CA
“I commiserate with more experienced lawyers who have held on to their fire for justice over the years. They help put my disappointment in a broader context and remind me that this is a marathon, not a sprint. As MLK said: ‘[T]he arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.’”
Tamarah Prevost, Cotchett Pitre & McCarthy, Burlingame, CA
“I like to look back at client feedback on other cases. I’ve received the most touching messages from clients, even when I wasn’t able to help them get a positive result. It really helps me remember why it’s so important to keep doing this type of work.”
Jennifer Danish, Bryant Legal Group, Chicago, IL
“My team sits down to review the outcome and prepares an ‘after-action report’ that identifies lessons learned. When you view it as a learning opportunity, it’s motivation to get back in the arena and fight the next battle.”
Ryan McKeen, Connecticut Trial Firm, Glastonbury, CT
“It’s not hard to stay motivated to represent people whose lives have been shattered or destroyed. As the renowned trial lawyer Gerry Spence once said, ‘Fear and anger motivate me—anger over what they did to my client and the fear I might not prove my case.’”
Bruce R. Pfaff, Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Chicago, IL
“I dust off my copy of a 1910 Theodore Roosevelt speech in which he lauds the man ‘who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again . . . and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.’ I keep it in the top drawer of my desk, and it never fails to inspire.”
Bruce L. Hudson, Hudson & Castle Law, Wilmington, DE
“I try to learn from a loss by consulting with the jurors about their perceptions, and then I move on with renewed enthusiasm to help the next person in need.”
Lee J. Rohn, Lee J. Rohn & Associates, Christiansted, VI
