Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella Effective Effective Litigation Litigation Management Management Doing a Good Job at “Herding Cats” TexasBarCLE 11th Annual Advanced In-House Counsel Course
Mar 26, 2015
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
EffectiveEffectiveLitigation ManagementLitigation Management
Doing a Good Job at “Herding Cats”
TexasBarCLE 11th Annual Advanced In-House Counsel Course
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
Today’s Roadmap
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• Early Case Assessment
• Decision Tree Analysis
• Advanced Settlement Techniques
For a link to this presentation, see settlementperspectives.com
For a link to the paper for this course, click here
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
Early Case Assessment
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Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
What is an Early Case Assessment?
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A disciplined, proactive A disciplined, proactive case management case management
approach designed to approach designed to assemble, within 60 days, assemble, within 60 days, enough of the facts, law, enough of the facts, law,
and other information and other information relevant to a dispute to relevant to a dispute to evaluate the matter, to evaluate the matter, to
develop a litigation develop a litigation strategy, and to formulate strategy, and to formulate
a settlement plana settlement planif appropriate.if appropriate.
““““
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
Why Do an ECA?
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• More Informed Decisions• Who Your Lawyer Who Your Lawyer
Should BeShould Be
• What They DoWhat They Do
• How You Pay ThemHow You Pay Them
• Better Results• Better SettlementsBetter Settlements
• Better OutcomesBetter Outcomes
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
The Checklist, Part I
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• Claims SummaryClaims Summary
• TimelineTimeline
• Interview SummariesInterview Summaries
• DocumentsDocuments
• ExpertsExperts
• ThemesThemes
• Other Side’s PositionOther Side’s Position
• Jury ChargeJury Charge
• Legal Issues SummaryLegal Issues Summary
Facts
Law
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
The Checklist, Part II
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• Forum, Your Forum, Your OppositionOppositionand Moreand More• Venue AnalysisVenue Analysis
• The OppositionThe Opposition
• InsuranceInsurance
• Other Other CircumstancesCircumstances
• PlanPlan• StrategyStrategy
• BudgetBudget
• Settlement PlanSettlement Plan
• PlanPlan• StrategyStrategy
• BudgetBudget
• Settlement PlanSettlement Plan
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
Decision Tree Analysis
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Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
What Is a Decision Tree?
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An illustration that shows the various possible outcomes in a lawsuit and helps the parties evaluate the costs, risks and benefits of each outcome.
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- Daniel Klein
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella 10
Why Do a Decision Tree?
• Yogi Berra’s Advice
• A Different Viewof Your Case• EventsEvents
• ContingenciesContingencies
• TimelinesTimelines
• ProbabilitiesProbabilities
• CostsCosts
• What Does “Unlikely” Mean?
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
More Reasons to Do a Decision Tree
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Image from resolutiontree.com
For more on this case, click here
Clients like – and need – data
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
How Do You Create a Decision Tree?
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List Litigation Events
Input Costs /Gains of Each
Enter ProbabilityEach Will Occur
Do theMath
11 22 33 44
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
Advanced Settlement Techniques
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Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
Rule Number One
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Don’t letDon’t letyour case be your case be
something you something you spend a hundred spend a hundred grand a month on grand a month on until everyone’s until everyone’s
ready to dealready to dealwith it.with it.
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Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
Settlement Counsel
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Three Questions
We do not expect our We do not expect our generals to be diplomats, generals to be diplomats,
nor our diplomatsnor our diplomatsto be generals.to be generals.
““ ““When?When? How?How? How How
Much?Much?
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
Blind Bidding Enhancement
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• Do I Even Have Do I Even Have a Dispute?a Dispute?
• Tailor the Tailor the Process to Fit Process to Fit Your NeedsYour Needs
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
Non-Binding Arbitration
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• Clients Get Their Clients Get Their Day in CourtDay in Court
• Lawyers Get Lawyers Get Another Another PerspectivePerspective
• Negotiators Get Negotiators Get Something to Something to Talk AboutTalk About
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
Settle Halfway
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• What’s ReallyWhat’s Reallyin Dispute?in Dispute?
• One ExampleOne Example
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
High/Low Agreements
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Why?
How?
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
Mediators’ Proposals
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• Is It…• A Recommendation?A Recommendation?
• An Evaluation?An Evaluation?
• A Tool?A Tool?
• Are You Negotiating fora Proposal or a Settlement?
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
Contact
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John [email protected]
Robert [email protected]
Frank [email protected]
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella 22