Taking on Goliath with Bob Kelley
What you will learn from this episode.
Bob talks about the importance of the trial culture in Southern Florida during his time as a young lawyer. After working a brief time as an insurance defense lawyer, Bob met the famous trial lawyer Sheldon ("Shelly") Schlesinger and went to work at Shelly's firm. There, Bob observed Shelly's unmatched trial skills and unique domineering style. Bob talks about how he had the opportunity early in his career to try a lot of jury trials and to develop his own unique style which relied more upon a human connection with the jury. Bob explains the importance of presenting the case in a way that keeps the jurors entertained and avoids boredom.
At age forty-nine, after much success as a trial lawyer, Bob decided to leave the Schlesinger firm and to start a new law firm with attorney John Uustal (https://kelleyuustal.com/) Bob talks about the challenges of starting his own firm and offers his advice to lawyers seeking to go out on their own.
Bob discusses how he structured his law practice to enable him to take on expensive and lengthy battles against major corporations, like tobacco companies and auto manufacturers. He talks about his approach to jury selection and techniques to ensure that he has a fair jury that will give him a chance to win his case.
The Memorandum
Bob's new book, The Memorandum: A True Story of Justice Forged from Fire Sutton Hart Press | Boutique Publisher of Non Fiction Titles by Notable Authors tells the story of a case Bob litigated for a decade arising out of a post-collision fuel-fed fire in an GM Oldsmobile station wagon. The story centers on the great lengths GM and its attorneys went to cover up and hide key documents and witnesses, and how Bob and John were able to find and force production of the evidence to show how GM failed to protect consumers from post-collision fuel-fed fires. Bob explains why he wanted to write this book and provides a behind-the-scenes look into the epic battle he fought--and won--on behalf of his clients. Bob explains how the evidence he uncovered in his case led to billions of dollars in additional verdicts against GM in the years following his landmark verdict.
About Robert Kelley, Esq. Robert W. Kelley | American Trial Lawyer & Author
Robert W. Kelley is an award-winning American trial lawyer, author and co-founder of one of Florida’s premier catastrophic injury and wrongful death law firms. His professional life and passion are focused on high stakes difficult trials where he battles for justice on behalf of people seriously injured by the negligence or misconduct of people and corporations.
Bob rose to national prominence with a string of high profile eight and nine figure jury verdicts for families facing malevolent and uncaring companies concealing their executives’ outrageous misconduct. From his $60 million jury verdict against GM for knowingly allowing a defectively designed product to kill to his precedent setting $300 million tobacco verdict on behalf of one smoker – Bob’s theme of Justice for All shows through as he holds corporations accountable on behalf of individual victims.
Born and raised in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Bob is the son of a preacher and prominent civic leader, who instilled in him the “service for the greater good” mentality evident in his law practice, environmental and philanthropic activities.
blogger
A noted master at connecting with juries, Bob Kelley is a well-known blogger on the topic. His Jury Selection Blog is followed by lawyers, students, jurists, journalists and other interested readers across the United States. Separately he blogs on legal topics of general interest including medical malpractice, defective product laws and litigation, and other subjects related to personal injury and wrongful death.
dive bar
Bob is the founder and current chairman of the DiveBar, a non-profit bar association with attorney and jurist members focused on education and raising awareness of threats to coral reefs and the marine ecosphere through SCUBA diving activities, philanthropy and active learning.
platform
Robert W. Kelley is a frequent expert legal commentator for national news outlets (60 Minutes, Anderson Cooper…), a highly rated speaker (including a recent national Mensa keynote), and author of the #1 bestseller, The Memorandum (Sutton Hart 2019).
About Elawvate
The Elawvate Podcast – Where Trial Lawyers Learn, Share, and Grow is where the practice of trial law meets personal growth. To succeed as a trial lawyer and build a successful law firm requires practice skills, strategic thinking and some amount of business and entrepreneurial savvy. Elawvate is a place to learn and share skills and strategies for success.
But it is also a place to dig deeper and achieve personal growth.
Those who succeed as trial lawyers at the highest levels cultivate character, principle, integrity, leadership, courage, compassion and perseverance.
We learn and draw inspiration from those who have achieved this success.
For more about Elawvate, visit our website at www.elawvate.fm. You can also join our Facebook Group at Elawvate | Facebook
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