Not a Level Playing Field

Trials are human and thus imperfect, and sometimes those inherent imperfections can tilt the playing field before the jury ever hears the full story. Continuing his behind-the-scenes account of defending former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards, litigation attorney Dan Small shares what happens when a case lands in front of a judge with a long memory and an even longer grudge. With Louisiana's tight-knit political world making neutrality hard to find, the defense team faced an extremely long uphill battle, as seemingly small rulings and daily setbacks compounded over nearly three months in court. However, Mr. Small emphasizes, the true lesson for trial lawyers is to remain prepared to vigorously advocate for their clients' interests, also making sure to keep a client's spirits up even when fairness seems impossible to obtain. As he says, "buckle up and keep playing anyway" and continue trying the case.