An experienced attorney with more than two decades of experience, Michael LeRoy has been involved in numerous liability cases that have most-often involved a jury. The Florida-based attorney is the managing partner at his firm, Fulmer LeRoy & Albee, a position that allows him to be lead counsel on various liability cases.
Like many experienced attorneys, LeRoy knows how to address a judge and jury. He also understands that a good case can be won or lost just by how you conduct yourself. Sometimes, lawyers try to do too much and often lose out on winning a good case by forgetting to adhere to simple things. If you wish to have success in a courtroom, consider the following pointers.
- Keep it simple. Whether you are addressing the judge or a pool of jurors, you don’t have to make everything sound complex. Explain the case in simple words like “This case is about my client fighting to keep his professional reputation from being damaged,” rather than “the plaintiff if seeking legal redress for wrongful suit”.
- Maintain your professionalism. Every attorney’s desire is to end up victorious, but this doesn’t have to be at a loss of respect for opposing counsel, the jury, witnesses or the judge. Being rude and unprofessional can cost you the case.
- No drama, please! Real-life courtrooms are not always as drama-filled as television courtrooms. The latter have to appeal to audiences. The former keeps things in perspective, so avoid the theatrics.
Michael LeRoy is one of the founding partners at Fulmer LeRoy & Albee, a law firm with offices in Orlando, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.