The Art of Outsmarting: Insights from a Thriving Legal Event

The Art of Outsmarting has quickly become a must-attend event for personal injury attorneys aiming to refine their trial skills and stay ahead of industry trends.

Now in its third iteration, the event continues to grow in popularity. The recent East Coast conference in Orlando, Florida, saw a noticeable increase in attendance, with roughly 600 attorneys participating. This growth reflects The Art of Outsmarting’s increasing importance within the legal community.

Attendees gained valuable insights while networking with attorneys and legal service providers alike. Check out the highlights in this event recap.

Key Takeaways for Attorneys

Attorneys at The Art of Outsmarting were engaged and eager to earn their Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits. They enhanced their trial skills by learning from some of the nation’s top trial attorneys, including legal giants Keith Mitnik and Roger J. Dodd.

Event sessions were designed to help attorneys identify holes in the defense's strategies and exploit them effectively.

Tactics for When the Defense Overplays Their Hand

One insightful session pointed out that the defense might exaggerate specific details to undermine the credibility of an injured plaintiff, such as showing surveillance footage of the plaintiff going to work to downplay the injury’s severity.

The speaker highlighted that focusing on a minor detail like this can backfire on the defense. It’s a massive overplay of their hand. Just because someone is injured and in pain doesn’t mean their responsibilities disappear. They still have to provide for their family. The injured party may go to work each day without complaint, but that doesn’t mean they don’t suffer; they may even suffer more by going to work because it exacerbates their injury.

This session underscored the importance of balancing empathy and assertiveness in court—a lesson with broad applications beyond the courtroom.

Think Ahead: Anticipate and Adjust to New Legal Realities

John Morgan’s keynote address was a highlight of The Art of Outsmarting. He emphasized the necessity of thinking ahead for any legal practice, saying that you’ve got to think about what your practice will look like in 10, 20, and 30 years to anticipate and adapt to future changes.

Morgan joked that the good thing about getting older is that, at a certain point, you don’t have to worry about the future as much, but that young attorneys must think ahead. Drawing parallels between the evolution of transportation from the horse and buggy to the train and the ongoing advancements in today’s vehicle automation, he urged young attorneys to anticipate changes and adjust to new realities.

Morgan illustrated his point with this example: There was a time when law firms could center their whole practice around parking lot injuries, where one car backed into another. However, as vehicle automation continues, there are fewer and fewer of those types of accidents. Cars have backup cameras. They beep if you are about to hit something. Some vehicles even apply the brakes automatically if the car is about to hit something.

So, how do you adjust in a situation where there are fewer and fewer cases? Morgan shared that you could shift from traditional vehicular accident cases to emerging areas like product liability and mass torts. Cars may be getting safer, but that doesn’t mean the mechanisms that make them work are perfect. His message underscores the dynamic nature of legal practice and the importance of knowing how to pivot to grow one’s firm.

Networking and Building Connections

The Art of Outsmarting provided invaluable networking opportunities for legal professionals. Engaging with industry leaders and building connections can lead to mutually beneficial relationships and collaborations, paving the way for future business opportunities and knowledge sharing.

We met incredible professionals throughout the event, whether it was over the breakfast we sponsored or during the engaging sessions that everyone attended.

Having a Reliable Ally is Essential

During his keynote speech, John Morgan noted that thinking ahead is one thing, and trying to prepare for unforeseen events is another. Even with a forward-thinking mindset, some situations are nearly impossible to prepare for. 

From the stage, John Morgan spoke about the unforeseen event, or “Black Swan,” that occurred in 2023 with tort reform. The state of Florida changed the statute of limitations, causing many lawyers in Florida to scramble to file cases quickly. John Morgan and his firm had to file 26,000 cases as quickly as possible. When called upon, we answered. We served and filed quickly to help meet the tight deadlines.

Morgan mentioned in his keynote speech how ABC Legal “saved us forever” during this unforeseen situation.

Our Commitment to Innovation

The focus on forward-thinking strategies resonates with ABC Legal. We’re continually evolving and adapting to make legal document delivery as simple as possible. As leaders in technology and legal solutions, we were one of the first companies to develop an online platform for service of process.

You can order, pay, track your serve, access proof of service, and add team members from one easy-to-use account. Fifty thousand professionals rely on our time-stamped photos, notes, and GPS coordinates for every serve to know precisely when, where, and how often attempts are made. And we haven’t stopped there.

In response to the evolving needs of the legal community, especially with courts transitioning to electronic filing, ABC Legal patented the Digital Delivery of Legal Process (eDelivery™) in February 2024. This innovative solution allows recipients to engage with their legal document delivery online and at their convenience, ensuring privacy and security. eDelivery seamlessly integrates with traditional physical delivery attempts and provides a user-friendly alternative for accepting documents.

Looking Ahead: Join ABC Legal at Upcoming Events in 2024

As The Art of Outsmarting demonstrated, attending industry events is crucial for continuous learning and networking, so we hope to see you at future conferences! ABC Legal is excited to announce its participation in several upcoming events this year:

• NALA Conference & Expo
  July 11–13 in Louisville, Kentucky
  Enhance your skills as a paralegal or legal support professional while networking with peers and industry experts. Find ABC Legal at booth 100.
• AAJ 2024 Annual Conference
  July 19–23 in Nashville, Tennessee
  This event is for plaintiff lawyers, by plaintiff lawyers. Meet other accomplished trial attorneys and earn a year's worth of CLE credits. Find ABC Legal at booth 727.
• MTMP
  October 8–10 in Las Vegas, Nevada
  Learn the latest strategies for the country’s top mass tort and class action lawsuits.
• 2024 NCBA Connect
  October 22–24 in New Orleans, Louisiana
  Elevate your career through educational opportunities and networking with key players in the industry.
  
• ABC Legal Live Webinars
  Various dates from the comfort of your home or office
  Discover our simplified service of process solutions through our selection of live webinars.
  

We encourage all legal professionals to attend these conferences to stay ahead in their practice, enhance their skills, stay updated on industry trends, and build valuable connections. Register and find out more about our upcoming events.


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