what are attorney high volume cases

by Prof. Dino Cormier DDS 5 min read

These “high-volume” cases share a number of common characteristics. Plaintiffs tend to be represented, with more knowledge of the rules and procedures, as well as greater access to resources. Defendants, on the other hand, are likely to be self-represented, of low or modest income, and face numerous barriers to access to justice.

Full Answer

How can I reduce my court caseloads?

Court caseloads can be reduced in several ways. By removing certain types of cases from the court dockets, caseloads can be made more manageable. Diverting public drunkenness cases, traffic violations, and drug possession cases from major trial courts to special courts can shrink caseloads. Drug courts are a good example.

What are the problems associated with case overloads?

Case backlog and trial delay are problems associated with case overloads. The seriousness of the backlog and the length of delay depend on the court. Delay jeopardizes the defendant's right to a speedy trial.

How many cases are handled in the US state courts?

Similarly, the caseload in state courts is increasing. In 1995, state courts handled 86 million new cases, including 51 million traffic and ordinance violations, 20 million civil cases, 13 million criminal cases, and 2 million juvenile cases.

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What size is considered big law?

Although the term “biglaw” is prone to some variance in usage, the most commonly accepted definitions would stipulate that a biglaw job involves working in a large firm (the definition of “large” can also vary; the minimum would be 101 attorneys or more) that pays attorneys the market rate for large firms (currently ...

What's the highest percentage a lawyer can charge?

No matter when the claim settles or how much, the legal representative usually cannot take more than the 33.33 percent of compensation awards. However, most of the fees and expense the lawyer will acquire through the completed case are in the fine print of a legal agreement between client and lawyer.

Which lawyer won the most cases?

Gerald Leonard Spence (born January 8, 1929) is a semi-retired American trial lawyer. He is a member of the American Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame. Spence has never lost a criminal case either as a prosecutor or a defense attorney, and has not lost a civil case since 1969.

What are large law firms called?

Large law firms, also known as "full-service" firms, can range in size from several dozens of lawyers and employees, to several thousands of employees including lawyers, paralegals, administrative staff, human resource specialists, librarians and other staff - and can exist in multiple cities, states, and even ...

Will a lawyer take a losing case?

If your case isn't winnable, no lawyer will want to waste your time, or the court's time, pursuing legal action. However, if you have a case where the facts and evidence are in question, but the damages you could recover are high, an attorney with extensive experience in cases like yours might take the case.

How much does a lawyer take from a settlement?

Typically, the percentage is between 15% and 33% including VAT.

Who is the greatest lawyer ever?

Four Famous Lawyers in History Every Attorney Should KnowJoe Jamail (aka King of Torts) During his time, Joe Jamail was the richest attorney in the United States and some would argue one of the most famous prosecutors to litigate. ... Abraham Lincoln (aka Honest Abe) ... Clarence Darrow. ... Mary Jo White.

Who is the best lawyer of all time?

Of the most influential lawyers in American history, there are five that stand out. Five of the best lawyers in American history are Abraham Lincoln, Mary Jo White, Johnnie Cochran, Joe Jamail, and Thurgood Marshall.

Who is the richest lawyer in America?

Joseph Dahr Jamail Jr. The wealthiest practicing attorney in America, he was frequently referred to as the "King of Torts". Joseph D. Jamail Jr.

What are the four types of large law firms?

Four types of large law firms exist: local, regional, national, and interna- tional.

What is the most powerful law firm in the world?

Kirkland & EllisList of largest law firms by revenueRankFirmRevenue per lawyer (US$)1Kirkland & Ellis$1,599,0002Latham & Watkins$1,385,0003DLA Piper (verein)$799,0004Baker McKenzie (verein)$607,00065 more rows

Do top law firms only hire from Harvard?

In order to strive to become one of New York's best real estate law firms we do not hire law school graduates from Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Columbia or any of the other traditional highest tier schools. Our hires come from the top of the classes of the second, third or fourth tier law schools.

What is high profile case?

High-profile cases are unlike any other type of legal matter. They come with their own unique set of challenges, and they require the work of an attorney who knows how to successfully navigate those unusual circumstances.

What are the challenges of dealing with a high profile case?

The media is one of the primary challenges of dealing with a high-profile case. They are often relentless in their quest for information and interviews. The constant requests put extra pressure and stress on parties involved with the case, and a media misstep can have a variety of negative consequences.

Do parties involved in high profile cases have to have a lawyer?

Parties involved with high-profile cases are often drawn to well-known, large legal practices and attorneys. They may believe that if they have a case everyone knows, then they should have a lawyer that everyone knows. But, that can be a problem .

1. Automatic task creation

Simply put, your software needs to create the tasks for you, based on what type of case you’re dealing with, or what team is working on it.

2. Document organization

This should go without saying, but many case management solutions out there still don’t bother to manage your documents. You need to be able to add documents to relevant portions of the case file – even if it’s only the digital file – on the fly.

3. Communication kept in the case file

One of the largest hurdles between being “small time” and being high volume is finding an efficient way to keep all the team’s communication in one place – preferably the case file itself. Ask yourself if this sounds familiar: Client sends you a text message. Third party vendor sends you an email. Team member sends you a chat message.

4. Secure client portal

Client interruptions are always going to be an issue. However, having a client portal can significantly reduce the most intrusive interruptions your firm experiences. Imagine this: a client wants to know how his case is going, so he emails. He doesn’t hear back, so he sends a text message. Then he calls on the phone.

5. Smart reporting

Having the option to use clever case management technology is great, but you need to know HOW to use it. Having comprehensive, in-depth reporting is key to finding the weak spots in your system and fixing them up.

6. A detailed daily task list

Every law firm making the difficult journey into managing a high volume of cases will face the reality of employee burn-out. Feeling overwhelmed can destroy motivation and create serious expenses and problems for the firm.

You can do it

You can achieve your goals. We at Filevine have seen firms get more and more productive as discipline, organization, and smart technology come together. As we’ve mentioned in the past, some firms have seen productivity increase by as much as 67% using some of these tools and methods.

Why do personal injury attorneys spend more time on their cases?

Engstrom theorized, personal injury attorneys would spend a lot more time on their cases because they cared about their reputation among past clients and other lawyers (which were the primary methods for obtaining repeat clients before the advent of extensive attorney advertising). So, according to Ms. Engstrom, those attorneys had a lower case load, worked closely with their clients, and fully prepared for trial. That meant that at least more serious cases (those with more serious injuries where fault was clear) more often settled for a fair value because the threat of trial by a prepared plaintiff’s lawyer forced the insurance companies to make reasonable offers (or suffer the uncertainty of trial). In those days, past jury verdicts, combined with strong counsel arguments based on the individual facts of cases, often guided the parties toward fair personal injury settlement numbers.

Is minimal case preparation normal?

Minimal case preparation should absolutely NOT be normal, particularly for any case involving real injuries. Serious, meritorious cases should be given an extensive amount of time and attention by an Orlando personal injury attorney.

What are the problems associated with case overloads?

The seriousness of the backlog and the length of delay depend on the court. Delay jeopardizes the defendant's right to a speedy trial. Long pretrial incarcerations could pressure some defendants into pleading guilty to crimes they didn't commit. Then, too, delays erode the public's confidence in the judicial process. The public expects swift, certain justice rather than long, drawn‐out processing of cases.

How can caseloads be reduced?

Court caseloads can be reduced in several ways. By removing certain types of cases from the court dockets, caseloads can be made more manageable. Diverting public drunkenness cases, traffic violations, and drug possession cases from major trial courts to special courts can shrink caseloads. Drug courts are a good example.

What are the goals of drug courts?

The main goals of drug courts are to. Reduce drug use and recidivism (return‐to‐crime) rates. Alleviate pressure on nondrug caseloads.

Why are speedy trials important?

All 50 states have speedy trial laws, which are designed to spare defendants from enduring unnecessary delays, especially if they are incarcerated prior to their trials . One of the more promising means of increasing the efficiency of judicial administration in the courts is the use of technology.

Why is there a delay in processing cases?

Excessive caseloads cause delays in processing cases. When concern about speeding up case processing overpowers concern about protecting defendants' rights, justice is denied. In recent years, judicial administration has concentrated on how to reduce caseloads and how to speed up case flow.

How long does it take to get a speedy trial?

It sets time standards for two stages in the federal process: 30 days are allowed from arrest to indictment, and 70 days from indictment to trial.

How many cases were filed in the federal court in 1997?

From an administrative standpoint, the overriding problem in both federal and state courts is the high volume of cases. More than 300,000 civil and criminal cases were filed in federal district courts in 1997, with criminal filings reaching their highest levels since the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment on prohibition in 1933. Similarly, the caseload in state courts is increasing. In 1995, state courts handled 86 million new cases, including 51 million traffic and ordinance violations, 20 million civil cases, 13 million criminal cases, and 2 million juvenile cases.

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What to Look For in An Attorney For A High-Profile Case

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Legal matters are stressful. They are even more stressful when your story is being discussed by the entire neighborhood, city, or even country. High-profile cases come with the initial pains and stress of the inciting incident, and then the continued weight of dealing with the public aftermath of the issue — which can last for months or years. You ...
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Accessibility

  • Parties involved with high-profile cases are often drawn to well-known, large legal practices and attorneys. They may believe that if they have a case everyone knows, then they should have a lawyer that everyone knows. But, that can be a problem. Working with a large legal firm often means working with a lot of different people. You may think you are signing up to work with the partner — the person with their name on the firm. But often, you end up …
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Personal Attention

  • When it comes to a high-profile case, you need more than professional accessibility from your attorney. You also need an attorney who can provide personal attention and support outside of legal matters. When you’re involved in a high-profile case, it might make doing normal activities much more difficult. Going out in public to run errands might not be as easy as it was before your case went public. In those situations, you need an attorney who can p…
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Ability to Handle The Media

  • The media is one of the primary challenges of dealing with a high-profile case. They are often relentless in their quest for information and interviews. The constant requests put extra pressure and stress on parties involved with the case, and a media misstep can have a variety of negative consequences. The media can spin stories, take comments out of context, and jump to conclusions. A high-profile case needs an attorney who knows how to ma…
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The Right Intentions

  • The media attention that accompanies a high-profile case can be attractive to many attorneys. Attorneys who want to get their name out and build up their firm will often be attracted to cases that may get them in and on the news. Those are not the best type of attorneys for high-profile cases. Attorneys with large egos who want to take on a case for the publicity are not the type of representation you want or need. Instead, look for an attorney who …
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Work with An Experienced High-Profile Attorney

  • High-profile cases are unlike any other type of legal matter. They come with their own unique set of challenges, and they require the work of an attorney who knows how to successfully navigate those unusual circumstances. TJ Grimaldi is experienced with high-profile cases and knows what it takes to manage the situation to produce positive outcomes for his clients. To see if TJ might be the right attorney for your case, schedule a free consulta…
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