BEYOND RIGHT AND WRONG THE POWER OF EFFECTIVE DECISION MAKING FOR ATTORNEYS AND CLIENTSPDF|Epub|txt|kindle电子书版本网盘下载

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1 Introduction1

1.1 Purposes and Premises of this Book3

1.2 Organization and Philosophy of this Book4

1.3 What Attorneys Think About Other Attorney's Decision-Making Skills6

Part Ⅰ Evidence11

2 Prior Research on Attorney-Litigant Decision Making11

2.1 The Paradox of Copious Lawyers and Scant Data11

2.2 Empirical Legal Research on Judge Jury and Attorney Decision Making15

2.2.1 Judge-Jury Agreement17

2.2.2 Punitive Damages19

2.2.3 Judges' Assessments of Juries19

2.2.4 Attorney-Jury and Attorney-Attorney Agreement20

2.2.5 Attorney-Litigant Negotiation Positions,Assessments and Outcomes20

2.2.6 Disparities In"Same Case"Evaluations and Outcomes21

2.2.7 Comparisons of Predictions and Outcomes22

2.2.8 Damages Award Predictions23

2.2.9 Overview of Judge,Jury and Attorney Decision Making24

2.2.10 Attorney-Litigant Decision Making in Actual Cases24

2.2.11 Kiser,Asher and McShane Study of Attorney-Litigant Decision Making27

2.3 Chapter Capsule27

3 A Current Assessment of Attorney-Litigant Decision Making In Adjudicated Cases29

3.1 The Fifty Percent Implication31

3.2 New Data32

3.2.1 The Four Datasets32

3.2.2 VerdictSearch Publications33

3.2.3 Case Database Selection Criteria34

3.2.4 Attorneys in Dataset35

3.3 Concepts and Definitions36

3.3.1 Negotiation Disparities and Decision Error38

3.3.2 Underpricing39

3.3.3 Overpricing39

3.3.4 Negotiation Disparities Without Decision Error40

3.3.5 Effect of Negotiation Disparity on Decision Error41

3.4 Overall California Results42

3.4.1 Costs of Decision Error42

3.4.2 Negotiation Disparities44

3.5 New York Results45

3.6 40-Year Historical Study46

3.6.1 Historical Decision Error46

3.6.2 Historical Cost of Decision Error47

3.7 Attorney-Mediator Results48

3.7.1 Attorney-Mediator Decision Error49

3.7.2 Attorney-Mediator Negotiation Disparities and Settlement Rates51

3.7.3 Tentative Conclusions About Attorney-Mediators51

3.8 Predictor Variables52

3.8.1 Context Variables Trump Actor Variables53

3.8.2 The Five Major Context Variables54

3.8.3 Two Secondary Context Variables71

3.8.4 The Major Actor Variables76

3.9 Chapter Capsule85

Part Ⅱ Causes89

4 Psychological Attributes of Decision Errors89

4.1 Perceptions of Adversaries and Conflicts91

4.1.1 Fundamental Attribution Error92

4.1.2 Selective Perception and Memory97

4.1.3 Self-Serving Bias102

4.1.4 Reactive Devaluation104

4.1.5 A Practical Example Of Overcoming Self-Protective Biases107

4.2 Evaluations of Risk and Reactions to Perceived Risk108

4.2.1 Framing111

4.2.2 Anchoring115

4.3 Reactions to Threatened Changes in Position and Status120

4.3.1 The Endowment Effect120

4.3.2 Status Quo Bias122

4.3.3 Overconfidence124

4.3.4 Confirmation Bias126

4.3.5 Representative and Availability Heuristics129

4.3.6 Hindsight Bias132

4.3.7 Discounting Of Future Payments and Costs133

4.3.8 Sunk Cost Bias136

4.4 Chapter Capsule139

5 Institutional Impediments to Effective Legal Decision Making141

5.1 Law School Education143

5.1.1 Separation of Legal Education from Legal Practice144

5.1.2 Testing Law Students'Reasoning Skills and Moral Judgment145

5.1.3 An Example of Law Student Decision Making148

5.1.4 Deficiencies in the Case Method of Teaching150

5.1.5 Attempts to Change Law School Curriculum156

5.2 Law Firms164

5.2.1 Conflicts Between Efficient Problem Solving and Billable Hour Requirements166

5.2.2 The Consequences of Avoiding"The Big Picture"169

5.2.3 "Due Process"and the Elevation of Process Above Results172

5.2.4 Competitive Market Pressures,Undue Deference to Client Expectations and Inappropriate Client Involvement174

5.3 Mental Impairment182

5.4 The Disappearing Civil Trial188

5.4.1 Settling Without Benchmarks189

5.4.2 Causes and Motivations for Pre-Trial Settlements192

5.5 Chapter Capsule195

Part Ⅲ Consequences199

6 Legal Malpractice Liability For Settlement Counseling and Decision Errors199

6.1 Malpractice Claims Data200

6.2 Competing Policy Considerations202

6.3 Malpractice Claims Arising from Settled Cases204

6.3.1 Inadequate Advice Regarding Settlement and Trial Prospects206

6.3.2 Client Coerced into Settlement by Attorney209

6.3.3 Attorney's Mistakes Prevented Client from Obtaining a Better Settlement or Prosecuting Case to Trial211

6.3.4 Attorney's Delays Caused Client to Forego More Favorable Settlement Terms214

6.3.5 Conflict of Interest,Fraud and Collusion with an Adverse Party215

6.3.6 Attorney Did Not Transmit Settlement Proposals to Client218

6.3.7 Failure to Conduct Adequate Legal Research,Discovery and Investigation Before Settlement219

6.3.8 Attorney Not Authorized to Consent to Settlement Agreement223

6.3.9 Settlement Agreement Defectively Drafted225

6.3.10 Client Misunderstood the Settlement Agreement226

6.3.11 Failure to Advise of Uncertainty of Law and Anticipate Judicial Error227

6.4 Malpractice Claims in Adjudicated Cases231

6.4.1 Attorney Remiss In Failing To Initiate Settlement Negotiations,Solicit A Pre-Trial Settlement Offer Or Otherwise Effectuate Settlement232

6.4.2 Client Inadequately Apprised of Risk of an Adverse Verdict235

6.5 Defenses to Settlement Malpractice Claims237

6.5.1 The Client's Consent Bars a Challenge to the Adequacy of the Settlement Agreement238

6.5.2 The Client's Ratification of the Settlement Agreement240

6.5.3 The Client's Failure to Prove Reliance on the Attorney's Advice240

6.5.4 The Judgmental Immunity Rule and the Califomia Model Limitations241

6.5.5 The Client Cannot Prove Damages Proximately Caused by the Attorney's Negligence243

6.5.6 Another Attorney's Negligence as an Intervening or Superseding Cause245

6.5.7 Reduction of Malpractice Awards by the Amount of Attomeys Fees the Client Otherwise Would Have Paid the Attomey246

6.6 Chapter Capsule247

7 Ethical Implications of Attorney-Client Counseling and Decision Making249

7.1 A Profile of Disciplinary Actions250

7.2 The Duty to Communicate all Material Facts and Events to Clients252

7.3 The Duty to Exercise Independent Judgment and Render Candid Advice257

7.4 The Duty to Provide Adequate Advice to Enable Clients to Make Informed Decisions260

7.5 The Duty to ldentify and Protect Clients with Diminished Capacity262

7.6 The Duty to Competently,Independently,Diligently and Expeditiously Represent Clients266

7.7 The Duty to Abide by Client Decisions270

7.8 The Duty to Prevent Conflicts of Interest in Aggregate Settlements272

7.9 The Duty to be Candid and Truthful in Communications with Clients,Opposing Counsel and the Courts274

7.10 Chapter Capsule279

Part Ⅳ Solutions283

8 Obstacles to Becoming an Expert Decision Maker283

8.1 Defenses and Barriers to Sound Decision Making284

8.1.1 Defenses to Learning285

8.1.2 Distortions of Reality288

8.1.3 Attorney Belief System Defenses293

8.2 Myths and Misconceptions About Decision Making Expertise295

8.2.1 Intelligence296

8.2.2 Education and Experience298

8.2.3 Peer Ranking302

8.2.4 Intuition303

8.3 Chapter Capsule307

9 Personal Expertise in Legal Decision Making309

9.1 Phase One:Finding310

9.1.1 Still The Messenger311

9.1.2 Bottom-Up Decisions Beat Top-Down Decisions311

9.1.3 Challenge Your Perceptions313

9.1.4 Give Vivid Pictures Time to Fade314

9.1.5 Credit Randomness its Due315

9.1.6 Deal with Attribution Errors Early316

9.1.7 Diversify the Team317

9.1.8 Time Does not Take Sides318

9.1.9 Align Client Objectives and Attorney Incentives319

9.1.10 Consider Appointing Separate Settlement Counsel321

9.2 Phase Two:Binding322

9.2.1 Start with Ideals323

9.2.2 Switch Sides to Debias Judgment324

9.2.3 Think Divergently325

9.2.4 Stop Pattern Matching326

9.2.5 Work Well with Others327

9.2.6 Consider Whether a Litigation Attorney or a Trial Attomey is Required328

9.3 Phase Three:Solving330

9.3.1 Don't Follow Your Gut330

9.3.2 Search for Disconfirming,Discrepant Facts332

9.3.3 Pay Attention to Base Rates333

9.3.4 Prepare to Justify Your Case334

9.3.5 When in Doubt,Act it Out335

9.3.6 Step Off the Information Treadmill336

9.4 Phase Four:Testing337

9.4.1 Find Your Inner BATNA338

9.4.2 Separate Facts from TheoriesValues and BeIiefs339

9.4.3 Enlarge the Pie Before Cutting340

9.4.4 Subjective Faimess Matters341

9.4.5 Think and Communicate Affirmatively342

9.4.6 Depressed People Make Depressing Deals343

9.4.7 Fatigue Stifles Creative Problem Solving344

9.4.8 Use Email Carefully345

9.4.9 Get a Grip on Mongo347

9.5 Phase Five:Choosing348

9.5.1 Perform a Premortem on Overconfidence349

9.5.2 Take the Outside View350

9.5.3 Keep Positions Aligned with Facts351

9.5.4 Separate the Primary Decision from the Secondary Decision353

9.5.5 Assumptions Were Made to be Explicit and Tested Continuously354

9.5.6 Walk Around the Sunk Cost Trap354

9.5.7 Past Performance Is No Guarantee of Future Results355

9.5.8 Funny Things Happen on the Way to the Forum356

9.5.9 Linear Thinking Leads to Impasse357

9.5.10 Appeals are Part of the Settlement Equation358

9.5.11 Moderate the Mediator359

9.6 Phase Six:Checking362

9.6.1 Pin Yourself Down for Some Real Feedback363

9.6.2 Don't Just Provide Feedback-Discuss it364

9.6.3 Learn from Surprises365

9.7 Chapter Capsule366

10 Group Expertise In Legal Decision Making367

10.1 Deficiencies in Group Decision Making368

10.1.1 Elements of Defective Group Decisions370

10.1.2 Group Polarization and Groupthink371

10.2 Characteristics of Effective Decision-Making Groups376

10.2.1 High Reliability Organizations(HROS)377

10.2.2 Expert Teams383

10.3 Steps to Improve Group Decision Making385

10.3.1 Ask For Multiple Opinions385

10.3.2 Cross-Pollinate the Team386

10.3.3 Proliferate Team Leaders387

10.3.4 Appoint a Devil's Advocate389

10.3.5 Seed the Brainstorm389

10.3.6 Promote a Good Fight391

10.3.7 Build Trust392

10.3.8 Reach a Consensus.Don't Build One394

10.3.9 Schedule a Last Clear Chance Meeting395

10.4 Chapter Capsule396

11 Peer Review,Client Evaluations and Law Firm Audits397

11.1 A Brief History of Quality Management in Law Firms399

11.2 Peer Review in the Medical Field400

11.2.1 The Inception of Medical Peer Review401

11.2.2 The Modern Medical Peer Review System402

11.2.3 Confidentiality of Medical Peer Review403

11.3 Peer Review in Law Firms404

11.3.1 Priorities in Law Firm Peer Review404

11.3.2 Confidentiality of Attorney Peer Review Proceedings405

11.3.3 Professional Ethics and Attorney-Client Privilege407

11.3.4 The Role of Confidentiality in Peer Review410

11.3.5 The Structure of Law Firm Peer Review412

11.4 Client Evaluations413

11.4.1 Challenges of Evaluation Design and Analysis414

11.4.2 Sample Questions to Probe for Decision-Making Skills418

11.5 Assessments and Audits419

11.6 Chapter Capsule422

12 Conclusion425

Appendix431

Index437