Risk Management
Litigation should be a last resort, and many of our clients strongly prefer to avoid it. We have helped them do so with proactive risk management, ranging from in-house seminars on liability issues to dealing directly with potential claims to resolve them without formal proceedings that could be costly and damaging. For many of our clients, the best lawsuit is the one that is never filed, and we work hard to help them avoid litigation through sound risk management.
Litigation Management
A significant portion of our practice involves managing other law firms, lawyers and legal vendors in litigation, arbitration and other disputes. This work includes managing millions of dollars of litigation for a group of real estate development companies with properties, projects and legal cases across the country. As a result of this work, we understand litigation and other legal matters from the client’s side of the equation.
Alternatives to Litigation If Possible
Just following the cookbook for litigation is not always a recipe for success, so we look for other ways to resolve cases. Negotiation, mediation, focus groups and other methods provide alternatives that can be used to resolve cases, and Mr. Stowers has used all of them as an attorney, litigation manager, mediator and Settlement Judge.
Trial When Necessary
Many litigators have never taken a single case to trial. Russ Stowers has tried a variety of cases to juries, judges and arbitrators, and he has worked with some of the best trial lawyers, jury consultants, electronic document/exhibit vendors and other trial professionals in the country. This experience is invaluable in evaluating cases, managing litigation and preparing the tough cases that go to trial.
Public Relations and Media Issues
Cases cannot be won in the news media, but they can certainly be lost there, and clients may sustain serious damage to their name, reputation and business as well. As a former journalist and an attorney who has handled cases with significant media exposure, Mr. Stowers understands how to handle media inquiries and sensitive public relations issues in a low-profile and professional manner.