Quinn Emanuel utilizes a variety of techniques and tools that give us a competitive edge and help us win.
Mock Jury Trials We make extensive use of mock jury trials using our own proprietary method, which permits us to conduct them quickly and inexpensively. In fact, at times we have been retained by clients to conduct mock trials in cases we were not otherwise involved in. We generally conduct at least one mock trial for every case that goes to trial, and often multiple mock trials for the same matter, as needed. We have even conducted them before filing suit to see whether a case has jury appeal. Our purpose in conducting mock jury trials -- which our clients attend -- is to understand a jury's perception of the case and how to work the presentation. For trials, we hone and continue to refine our presentations using our own proprietary mock jury method, until we have devised an approach that will make juries and judges want to decide in our clients’ favor.
Electronic Document Management & Litigation Support As cases get bigger and more complex, the challenge of effectively organizing and retrieving relevant documents grows exponentially -- as does the risk associated with those tasks. Ineffective use of documents can strike a crippling blow to a case. Our Litigation and Document Management Support Group is specifically designed to address and resolve those problems by offering a full-service program that brings together dedicated legal expertise, state-of-the-art technology, a flexible, accessible, online document system, security, in-house training and cost estimates. See our Electronic Document Management & Litigation Support brochure.
Contingency Fee Collaboration Several years ago the firm decided to invest a percentage of its time representing plaintiffs in cases on either a full or partial contingent fee basis. Since then, we have obtained verdicts, awards and settlements of over $1.5 billion in contingency fee cases. In an effort to expand such representations we have embarked upon fee-sharing arrangements with other law firms. Fee-sharing arrangements between law firms are common in some areas of practice, but less so in business litigation. Top-tier firms that specialize in business litigation are simply not set up to do it. We offer a new opportunity for business contingency fee cases -- one with significant potential financial benefits and no downside. A "win-win" for us, the client and any collaborating law firm. See our Collaborating for Profit in Contingency Fee Cases brochure.
Alternative Fee Arrangements The key question for in-house counsel is not what rates are being charged, but what value the client receives and for what total cost. Another crucial issue is predictability and the ability of both outside and inside counsel to manage the case to a budget.
A law firm can quote a low set of rates for a given case, but then end up overrunning the client’s budget by overstaffing it, or by not assigning the right mix of lawyers and professionals to it, or by doing work, including research as well as discovery and other tasks, that is not warranted by the nature of the case. We believe that there are more innovative solutions that may better meet a given client's needs than simply cutting rates. For any given case, or groups of cases, we are prepared to consider any one or more of a variety of alternative billing arrangements, such as straight contingency fees, fixed fees, volume discounts and success driven fees. Almost all of them require some form of careful, advance planning and budgeting, something with which we have considerable expertise.