Effective
Litigation 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
• 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
2
Early Case Assessment
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
3
What is an Early Case Assessment?
“
A disciplined, proactive
case management
approach designed to
assemble, within 60 days,
enough of the facts, law,
and other information
relevant to a dispute to
evaluate the matter, to
develop a litigation
strategy, and to formulate
a settlement plan
if appropriate.
“
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
4
Why Do an ECA?
• More Informed
Decisions
• Who Your Lawyer
Should Be
• What They Do
• How You Pay Them
• Better Results
• Better Settlements
• Better Outcomes
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
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The Checklist, Part I
Facts
Law
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Claims Summary
Timeline
Interview Summaries
Documents
Experts
Themes
Other Side’s Position
• Jury Charge
• Legal Issues Summary
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
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The Checklist, Part II
• Forum, Your
Opposition
and More
• Venue Analysis
• Plan
• Strategy
• Budget
• Settlement Plan
• The Opposition
• Insurance
• Other
Circumstances
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
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Decision Tree Analysis
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
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What Is a Decision Tree?
“
An illustration that
shows the various
possible outcomes
in a lawsuit and
helps the parties
evaluate the costs,
risks and benefits
of each outcome.
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
“
- Daniel Klein
9
Why Do a Decision Tree?
• Yogi Berra’s Advice
• A Different View
of Your Case
• Events
• Contingencies
• Timelines
• Probabilities
• Costs
• What Does “Unlikely”
Mean?
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
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More Reasons to Do a Decision Tree
Clients like – and need – data
Image from
resolutiontree.com
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
For more on this
case, click here
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How Do You Create a Decision Tree?
1
2
3
4
List Litigation
Events
Input Costs /
Gains of Each
Enter Probability
Each Will Occur
Do the
Math
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
12
Advanced Settlement Techniques
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
13
Rule Number One
“
Don’t let
your case be
something you
spend a hundred
grand a month on
until everyone’s
ready to deal
with it.
“
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
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Settlement Counsel
“
We do not expect our
generals to be diplomats,
nor our diplomats
to be generals.
“
Three Questions
When?
How?
How
Much?
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
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Blind Bidding Enhancement
• Do I Even Have
a Dispute?
• Tailor the
Process to Fit
Your Needs
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
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Non-Binding Arbitration
• Clients Get Their
Day in Court
• Lawyers Get
Another
Perspective
• Negotiators Get
Something to
Talk About
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
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Settle Halfway
• What’s Really
in Dispute?
• One Example
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
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High/Low Agreements
Why?
How?
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
19
Mediators’ Proposals
• Is It…
• A Recommendation?
• An Evaluation?
• A Tool?
• Are You
Negotiating for
a Proposal or a
Settlement?
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
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Contact
John DeGroote
jd@johndegroote.com
Robert Manley
manley@mckoolsmith.com
Frank Vecella
frank.vecella@ericsson.com
Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
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Copyright © 2012 John DeGroote, Robert Manley and Frank Vecella
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