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Losing at trial generally comes with the territory. Instead of being down about it, learn from it. For example, ask yourself why you were wrong about the potential outcome. What made you over so confidant? What would you do differently about your approach to the case? Asking these types of questions should be the focus of your post-trial activities, not wallowing in self-pity and doubt.
Before trial 10 or so it’s all about getting your reps in. Focus on your craft and how you can do better next time and move forward.
It’s amazing experience!
A guy I met earlier this week who had multiple 8 figure verdicts showed me a sheet with his first 10 trials. He lost 9 of them.
The best attorneys lose. You will lose again. Whenever I've lost a case, I've always thought to myself that the other side is walking away knowing I can try a hell of a case. It's all a coin flip sometimes
A great quote from the best trial attorney I have ever personally known, he once said “anyone that tells you that never lose trials, ain’t trying enough cases”
You don’t control the facts or the jury. You just present the facts and arguments. The rest is out of your control. You get credibility and respect for simply having the courage to try the case.
You’ll win trials you had no reason to win and you’ll lose trials that you thought were slam dunk cases. It’s very rarely the attorneys performance and more often than not: venue, jury pool, fact pattern, testimony provided on stand.
Don’t take it personal, your job is to bring the case to a resolution (one way or another)
I always told clients that when they asked what the odds were. I would then tell them to walk outside and the first group of people they met- that was the jury.
Client lost, not attorney. Attorney performed. Maybe performance could be better or worse, but often the attorney is forced to perform a case where the client is unreasonable and the facts aren't the best. Even the best performance may not overcome a bad client or bad facts.
There’s nothing anyone can say to make you feel better. You’re supposed to feel that way. By the time you get to trial, usually, cognitive dissonance has set in and you’ve convinced yourself your cause is righteous regardless of the problems in your case (how else would someone put themselves through a trial without feeling that way). I have 50+ civil jury trials under my belt and I still lose one once in a while. And it still hurts like hell. But it’s the name of the game and if it was easy everyone would be doing it. Like someone said above, if you ain’t losing, you ain’t trying enough cases. Learn from your mistakes but put it in the rear view mirror and focus on the next.
We all win, and we all lose. Poll the jury if that is allowed and see what you can learn from their input.
I used to be a prosecutor. Biggest case I lost was attempted murder. I don't get as worked up as I did with that one.
It is what it is, nothing less, nothing more. Agree with all the comments here: Take what you can from it and do better next time, but odds are you did just fine and this is how it was meant to go. Especially with juries - juries are dumb
Really sorry to hear this OP but this happens to the best of us. Doesn't mean you aren't good at your job or anything. Sometimes juries can just be really hard to convince no matter how convincing the evidence is.