Karen L. Bashor

Stratton Horres (Senior Counsel-Dallas) and Karen L. Bashor (Partner-Las Vegas) co-authored “Virtual or in-person: The next generation of trial lawyers must be prepared for anything,” appearing in the November 1, 2022, publications Westlaw Today and Reuters - Attorney Analysis. The article examines how Covid-19 protocols have shaken things up for new and experienced attorneys with their effect on various components of traditional jury trials. Topics discussed include key areas where trial proceedings, preparation and strategies are impacted, including jury selection, the use of exhibits, witness presentations and an increased need to focus on humanizing corporate defendants in a virtual environment. With the courts contemplating keeping aspects of virtual trials where they’ve proved effective, Stratton and Karen stress that the next generation of trial lawyers needs to prepare for a more hybrid trial environment and strongly encourage mentoring for this cohort. As an example, Wilson Elser has established multiple CLE programs, with the firm’s most experienced trial lawyers reenacting selected trials for the firm’s junior lawyers or training with mock trial exercises. Stratton is a co-chair of Wilson Elser’s National Trial Team and Karen serves as a regional co-chair of the team, which is a group of experienced trial attorneys with keen insight into effective courtroom strategies and a plethora of knowledge they are willing to share with up-and-coming trial attorneys. 

Read the Article.