Monday Mentors with Longview Trial Lawyer Derek Gilliland

Derek Gilliland, trial lawyer with Sorey, Gilliland, & Hull in Longview joins us on the show today. He talks about having a positive attitude, closing the loop, and self-awareness in an interview.

COVID-19 update (as of 6/18/20)

• Closed the office in March and worked remotely
• Last two weeks has somewhat returned to business as usual
• Longview hasn't been hit as hard and didn't close down long; everyone is mostly business as usual
• Case/court-wise things are still constantly changing
• Forced them to go more electronic with record keeping, etc.
• Some judges have held hearings via Zoom
• Gregg County Bar CLE on the topic from the local chief judge
• Even Gregg County District Clerk is by appointment only
• Prefers to be with the witness even if all the lawyers aren't (just to make sure there isn't coaching of the witness or signaling that isn't getting picked up on the video)
  • If you are using exhibits in the depo, you need to get them to the court reporter ahead of time, which kind of tips your hand to the other side...so you have to think strategically...maybe include lots of exhibits even if you only plan to ask about one or two
  • Some parties will insist on delaying depos until they can be taken in-person
• Clients have been understanding; they are a lot quicker to call than come into the office
  • variety of approach to masks/handshakes/etc.

His firm and practice

• Started in January 2020
• Plaintiff-side civil litigation: personal injury and intellectual property
• He was an engineer prior to law school and then started practicing in 1998; practiced in Austin, Waco and now Longview
• Business interruption insurance has become a hot topic; we'll see if it turns into cases; will insurance companies pay or not?
• Pending legislation with immunity riders for COVID-liability and even going beyond that
• Longivew practice -
  • 80,000 population with a 6A high school
  • small legal community which helps keep people in check; you will come across other lawyers multiple times
  • great quality of life
  • Can get civil cases in federal court moving because they aren't overrun with lots of criminal cases

Advice for lawyers in practice

• Have a positive attitude
• Be self-motivated; when you finish something go find somebody and figure out how you can help them
• Don't rely on others to initiate giving work to you; go ask for it!
  • Partners have a ton going on and they may not stop and think about how an associate could help, but they would if you asked them
• Lack of follow up or failure to close the loop is a problem
  • don't just sit back and wait
  • get someone on the phone if that's what it takes
    • that's often the last thing a young associate wants to do

Advice for lawyers in the job search

• grades and/or prior success
• show that you are a self-starter
  • hobbies can be a clue
• be a good teammate
• Lack of self-awareness is an issue; don't talk for 15 minutes w/o engaging the interviewers in the conversation; don't take the whole interview talking about themselves
• Lack of preparedness; did they google the firm and bios? If they didn't research prior to the interview, will they do the research necessary for their cases?

Parting Thought

• Positive attitude and perseverance are keys

Rapid Fire Questions

• Trait/characteristic you most want to see in an associate: ambition
• Key habit: persistence
• Favorite app/tool: Goodreader
• Favorite social distancing activity: wake-boarding / lake
• Favorite legal movie: My Cousin Vinny

Thanks again to Derek Gilliland for coming on the show!