Humanizing the Defendant: Empathy and Psychological Insights in Trial Advocacy
Part 2 in a 2-part series - Human expression has always fascinated me. In this presentation, I begin by addressing the “villain” stereotype that is hoisted on a criminal defendant from the moment the jury enters a courtroom and what we can do to blunt it. We are all familiar with catch phrases like, “To really know what another person is going through, you need to walk a day in their shoes.” Truer words have never been spoken and this saying is a fundamental tenet for being a zealous trial lawyer. But practically speaking, empathy can be hard, especially when the person you’re defending is accused of doing bad things.
We’ll explore this topic from a different perspective that may forever change the way you view your clients. We’ll also explore some exercises that will help you to expand your capacity for human connection so that you can relate more to your clients.
We will them move into psychology where I will introduce you to Carl Jung and how his teachings have been used by Hollywood producers for generations to tell some of the most riveting stories on the big screen. I’ll dissect it, provide you with examples, and then show you how this same framework can be applied in the courtroom when you stand up to tell your client’s story.
Trial, entertainment law and U.S. international tax law
Michael is a partner in the boutique law firm of DeBlis Law where he specializes in tax compliance and entertainment law. Michael graduated from Western Michigan University School of Law in 2007 and later went on to earn his Masters of Law in taxation (LL.M.) from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in 2012. As a former public defender, Michael has spent nearly eight years cutting his teeth on some of the most serious felony cases to pass through the state courts of New Jersey. Michael’s unique background in tax law puts him into an elite category of criminal defense attorneys who specialize in criminal tax defense. His extensive trial experience and solid grounding in all major areas of federal taxation make him uniquely qualified to handle any white-collar case, no matter how sophisticated it might be. Michael is known for his creativity, his charismatic personality, and his unyielding dedication to his clients. As a graduate of the National Criminal Defense College, Michael has trained under some of the best known criminal defense attorneys in the country. That experience has taught him that justice for a person accused of a crime is only won through a full understanding of the client and the case. To that end, Michael attempts to understand each client’s case as a convincing narrative, not just as a set of innocuous facts and arcane legal rules. When he's not in the courtroom, you can find Michael on stage. As a professionally trained actor, Michael's passionate about helping trial lawyers harness the power of persuasion and positive communication in the courtroom in order to connect to the jury on a human level. Michael's training as an actor allows him to combine a unique blend of left-brain thinking with right brain artistry to make even the most dull and abstract areas of the law come to life. This burst of creativity has contributed to Michael's success as a distinguished author and sought-out speaker. Michael has written articles that have been published in leading tax journals, such as "CCH Journal of Tax Practice and Procedure," "EA Journal," "Global Tax Weekly," and "ABA News Quarterly" and is a columnist for "Law360." He has been featured on the media affiliates of several major media networks, including NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, and CNN. Michael is a living example of the tremendous power that comes from combining passion, preparation, persuasion, and positive communication in the courtroom. His courage and relentless work ethic have earned him a reputation as a zealous advocate and one of New Jersey's rising stars of the legal profession.
