More Likely Than Not

"The best advice for a trial lawyer is: this is not about you," says Meg Simonian, a medical malpractice trial lawyer practicing in Alaska who has navigated some of the most challenging trial conditions in the country. Meg joins host Charla Aldous to discuss building a career in a state with restrictive caps on non-economic damages — and how she pushes past those limits. She shares her hard-won strategies for trying cases in remote Alaska communities — including how to understand the "personality" of the community you're in. She also opens up about balancing a career with raising five children and the lessons she’d pass on to younger lawyers. Tune in for Meg's insights on exhibit organization, deposition strategy, and why getting out of your own way is the most important skill a trial lawyer can develop.Learn More and Connect☑️ Meg Simonian | LinkedIn☑️ Dillon Findley & Simonian, P.C. on LinkedIn | X☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous☑️ Aldous Law☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeProduced and Powered by LawPods

“He has threatened to commit a mass shooting.” An Army reservist texted those chilling words to the commanding officer about Robert Card, a fellow reservist. Tragically, Card followed through on his threat at a Maine bowling alley. Today, Ben Gideon is leading claims against the U.S. Army and Army Reserve for failing to take steps to stop the risk that Card presented. “Part of our thinking in this case and our presentation is: If we can't stop this, we're hopeless,” he explains to host Charla Aldous. Tune in to hear Ben reveal how he’s approaching this high-profile case and how he’s approached others – including one where he secured the largest med-mal and PI verdict in Maine – to confirm his reputation among the nation’s elite med-mal lawyers.Learn More and Connect☑️ Ben Gideon | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram☑️ Gideon Asen on LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous☑️ Aldous Law☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeProduced and Powered by LawPods

How do you go from prosecuting a fish snagger (yup, it’s a crime) in your first jury trial to becoming a personal injury trial legend? Rick Friedman reveals all in this candid discussion with the host. The author of influential books, including “Rules of the Road,” shares hard-won wisdom about building a successful plaintiff's practice. You don’t necessarily need to be the smartest one in the courtroom, he says, but you do need resilience and authenticity. Therapy helps, too. Most of all, get in the courtroom. Even if it’s to prosecute a fish snagger. Learn More and Connect☑️ Rick Friedman | LinkedIn☑️ Friedman Rubin Trial Lawyers | LinkedIn | Facebook☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous☑️ Aldous Law☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeProduced and Powered by LawPods

Sach Oliver and his team were taking depositions on a mega-trial when it hit him: “Oh, my gosh. This is not a discovery deposition! This deposition is what the jury will watch someday!” The game-changing breakthrough led to his transformative approach to trial and his book “Depositions Are Trial.” Tune in to learn how Sach puts insights into practice, in this conversation with host Caleb Miller. Stay tuned for his winning strategies, from focus groups to dress rehearsals to taking Fridays off.Learn More and Connect☑️ Sach Oliver | LinkedIn☑️ Oliver Law Firm | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X | YouTube ☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous☑️ Aldous Law☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeProduced and Powered by LawPods

“The neat thing about studying lots of cases is you see what works and what doesn't,” says John Campbell in this visit with host Charla Aldous, where he and his wife, Alicia Campbell, reflect on their journey pioneering the use of big data jury reports. Fresh from their 1,300th study, the Campbells share trends they’ve documented along the way. As Alicia explains, big data helps attorneys by showing how different variables could affect the outcome of their case. And if you think your case doesn’t demand “big” data, check out big data’s “little brother” called “Fred.” Learn more on “The Fred Files,” Alicia’s podcast available on TrialPods.Learn More and Connect☑️ John Campbell | LinkedIn☑️ Alicia Campbell | The Fred Files Podcast☑️ Campbell Law LLC☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous☑️ Aldous Law☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeProduced and Powered by LawPods

Mark Mandell was winning lots of cases in the 1970s and ‘80s. Then came the ‘90s, and he noticed he had lost some cases he should have won. As he studied the “why” behind his losses, he experimented with different models until he came upon one that worked: case framing, a system that coordinates every element of trial preparation and presentation. He has since written two groundbreaking books about this model, "Case Framing" and "Advanced Case Framing." Visiting with longtime friend Charla Aldous, Mark unpacks how he frames each case, starting with his best issue, then the second-best, then the third. As he explains, at their essence, case frames are filters through which the lawyer presents the case to the jury.Learn More and Connect☑️ Mark Mandell☑️ Mandell Boisclair & Mandell | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous☑️ Aldous Law☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeProduced and Powered by LawPods

“If you're not doing live focus groups before you do your trials, I think you are committing malpractice.” Sean Claggett, founder of Claggett & Sykes and co-author of “JuryBall,” didn’t say that when he launched his organized focus group program in 2010. He says it now. In this conversation with hosts Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, and Eleanor Aldous, Sean explains why. Big data has revolutionized his practice, allowing him not only to predict verdicts – but also to predict the future for plaintiffs’ lawyers. Defense lawyers are already getting on the big data bandwagon, so plaintiff’s lawyers who don’t will get “smoked.” Learn More and Connect☑️ Sean Claggett | LinkedIn☑️ Claggett & Sykes | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous☑️ Aldous Law☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeProduced and Powered by LawPods

No job, no money, no future. It seemed like a common chapter in Jim Perdue Sr.’s life at the time. But that was after graduating from law school, and Jim’s story would change. Six decades later, the "Father of Texas Courtroom Storytelling” reflects on his remarkable journey from poverty to becoming one of America's most celebrated trial attorneys with host Charla Aldous. Tune in for his insights about his childhood hardships, groundbreaking storytelling techniques, and belief in hard work and humility.Learn More and Connect Jim Perdue Sr.  Perdue & Kidd | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X | YouTube Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous Aldous Law Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeProduced and Powered by LawPods

This in-house episode features hosts Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, and Eleanor Aldous, who expand on a CLE presentation Charla gave to the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association earlier this year. In that CLE, Charla shared six essential tips for young lawyers; here, the trio broadens the focus to all lawyers. Tune in as they explore each lesson in depth: 1. be authentic, 2. be bold and confident, 3. keep it simple, 4. pick up the phone, 5. try cases, and 6. clients first.Learn More and Connect Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous Aldous Law Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeProduced and Powered by LawPods

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing jury selection. Robert Hirschhorn and Lisa Blue – longtime friends and frequent collaborators – explain how. Robert and Lisa, legendary jury consultants, focus the discussion on VerdictHub, an AI-driven survey platform that Robert founded and that Lisa uses. “You get basically 1,200 digital jurors giving you feedback for $3,000,” Robert says, adding that the platform “looks at all the comments and synthesizes it down to the most important, most relevant, most meaningful.” He and Lisa reveal to host Charla Aldous why they believe that traditional jury questionnaires may now hurt plaintiffs more than help them and how AI can provide insights once reserved for expensive focus groups at a fraction of the cost. Learn More and Connect Lisa Blue | Facebook Baron & Blue Athea Trial Lawyers | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X Robert Hirschhorn | LinkedIn CEB Jury & Trial Consultants | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous Aldous Law Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeProduced and Powered by LawPods

Undersized, undermanned, but gritty, the Fresno State University football team that Brian Panish played for was competitive – and victorious. As the first guest on “More Likely Than Not,” Brian reflects on how lessons from the gridiron inform his legendary career in the courtroom. One of those lessons is teamwork, and Brian explains to host Charla Aldous that while he may get credit as the “quarterback,” it’s “linemen” and others who set him up for success. Succeed, he does. He’s earned a reputation as one of the best trial lawyers of his generation, with a resume that includes 100 verdicts and settlements in excess of $10 million; seven verdicts in excess of $50 million; over $1 million in personal injury, car accident, wrongful death, and business litigation cases; and a $4.9 billion verdict in the landmark product liability case Anderson v. General Motors. Tune in for Brian’s insights about why preparation trumps persuasion and when your case is really over. Hint: It’s earlier than you think.Learn More and Connect☑️ Brian Panish | LinkedIn☑️ Panish Shea & Ravipudi | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | X☑️ Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous☑️ Aldous Law☑️ Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeProduced and Powered by LawPods

The pilot episode of “More Likely Than Not” takes you back in time to a year when the small Aldous Law firm won four eight-figure verdicts totalling $114.6 million. Award-winning trial lawyer and firm founder Charla Aldous and Caleb Miller unpack each case in a conversation guided by Eleanor Aldous. To prevail against Honda, they created this demonstration to show a dangerous design flaw in seatbelts. Result: $37.6 million. The other victories that year included $25 million in a dram shop case involving a Dallas Cowboys player who killed his best friend in a drunk driving crash; $32 million in a sexual assault case; and $20 million in a wrongful death case against Greyhound. Tune in for insights about witness order strategy, case framing techniques, and the “best resource” available to plaintiffs’ lawyers before trial: John and Alicia Campbell’s big data studies.Learn More and Connect Charla Aldous, Caleb Miller, Eleanor Aldous Aldous Law Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeProduced and Powered by LawPods

“More likely than not”—that .01%—is all it takes to tip the scales of justice. Join us as Inner Circle legend Charla Aldous, Eleanor Aldous, and Caleb Miller walk you through the critical moments, big decisions, and bold strategies that win high-stakes cases and show you how to turn that .01% into a game-changing verdict. You’re listening to the podcast where winning is…More Likely Than Not.Aldous Law is a Dallas, Texas trial law firm that practices nationwide handling all types of catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases, including wrongful death, trucking, workplace injuries, explosion and burn cases, dram shop, rideshare sexual assault, and birth injury cases. To learn more about Aldous Law, visit www.aldouslaw.com.Don’t take the .01% for granted, subscribe in your favorite podcast platform now.Produced and Powered by LawPods, podcast marketing that converts prospects and drives revenue.