Trial School Top Shelf

In this session, John interviews Jim Perdue, Sr. who has, has for the past fifty years, been a trailblazer in bringing new concepts to the art of jury persuasion. Jim speaks to us about his latest book, Courtroom Storytelling.About the AuthorJim Perdue, Sr. spent over forty years persuading juries to find justice for his clients. He won record-and precedent-setting verdicts, pionee

In this session, we are joined by award-winning, best-selling author, David Guterson to discuss his book, The Final Case.About the AuthorGuterson’s writing has been celebrated for its atmospheric intensity, narrative drive, and probing exploration of fundamental human themes--love, death, meaning, and morality among them. His many awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship, the White

“For Erin Brockovich fans, a David vs. Goliath tale with a twist.”– The New York Times Book ReviewThe story that inspired the major motion picture Dark Waters, starring Mark Ruffalo as Robert Bilott.Robert Bilott is a partner at the law firm Taft Stettinius & Hollister, LLP in Cincinnati, Ohio where he has practiced environmental law and litigation for more than twenty-ei

In this session, John Uustal discusses relevant book relevant to current events: Relentless Pursuit: My Fight for the Victims of Jeffrey Epstein, by Bradley Edwards and Brittany Henderson.“This is the definitive story of the case against Jeffrey Epstein and the corrupt system that supported him and Ghislaine Maxwell, told in thrilling detail by the lawyer who has represented Epst

In this session, John Uustal interviews Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gilbert King on his book, Devil in the Grove.Arguably the most important American lawyer of the twentieth century, Thurgood Marshall was on the verge of bringing the landmark suit Brown v. Board of Education before the U.S. Supreme Court when he became embroiled in a case that threatened to change the course of t

The Fall of the House of Zeus tells the story of Dickie Scruggs, arguably the most successful plaintiff’s lawyer in America. A brother-in-law of Trent Lott, the former U.S. Senate Majority Leader, Scruggs made a fortune taking on mass tort lawsuits against “Big Tobacco” and the asbestos industries. He was hailed by Newsweek as a latter-day Robin Hood, and portrayed in the mov

A true story of an epic courtroom showdown, where two of the nation’s largest corporations were accused of causing the deaths of children from water contamination. Described as “a page-turner filled with greed, duplicity, heartache, and bare-knuckle legal brinksmanship” by The New York Times, A Civil Action is the searing, compelling tale of a legal system gone awry—one in

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury is a collection of closing arguments from ten noteworthy cases. In this session of Top Shelf, the discussion focused on:Chapter 2: Clarence Darrow’s own bribery trials of 1912-1913Chapter 4: Gerry Spence’s Silkwood trial of 1979Each closing argument is put into context by the authors, who provide historical background, a brief biography of each

“Presumed Innocent” by Scott Turow brings to life our worst nightmare: that of an ordinary citizen facing conviction for the most terrible of all crimes. It’s the stunning portrayal of one man’s all-too-human and all-consuming fatal attraction for a passionate woman who is not his wife, and the story of how his obsession puts everything he loves and values on trial–includ

In this session, we discuss "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson. It is a powerful true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us, and a clarion call to fix our broken system of justice from one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time. Just Mercy is a #1 New York Times Bestseller, as well as a major motion picture.Host: John Uustal of Kelley | Uustal | Email Joh