The Trial Lawyers College Podcast

More Real Than Your Opponent with Babak Semnar

Former public defender turned employment litigator Babak Semnar explains how Trial Lawyers College methods—psychodrama, role reversal, and emotional connection—made him a better, more authentic trial lawyer. From sexual-harassment and age-discrimination trials to long depositions and jury work, Babak shows how "being real" wins jurors' hearts and verdicts.

Client's Bad Acts with Eric Davis

Eric Davis (Houston criminal lawyer, TLC Board member) joins Rafe to tackle a brutal—but common—trial problem: what to do when your case includes facts that will make jurors shut down. Drawing on years of bad-case experience and Trial Lawyers College methods, Eric walks through practical strategies for voir dire and trial planning when you must confront extraneous offenses, on-video conduct, DNA, or other explosive evidence.

Above & Below the Line with Mike Smith

Rafe Foreman sits down with faculty member Mike Smith to unpack why Trial Lawyers College programs — from the three-week flagship to weekend workshops — are game changers for trial lawyers. They talk psychodrama's power to unlock the emotional core of a case, the collaborative moment that produced the "above/below the line" framework for med-mal trials, and practical voir-dire tactics borrowed from criminal practice. If you want to deepen juror connection, vet your ideas with fellow lawyers, and leave with trial tools you'll actually use, this episode explains why you should join the next TLC program.

Medical School 101 for Lawyers with Francisco "Paco" Duarte

Francisco "Paco" Duarte joins Rafe to unpack the practical side of medical-misdiagnosis in cases — including why stroke tops the list and running through the ten most commonly incorrect diagnoses. They explain how emergency departments are organized (and why that structure — plus billing and workflow practices — often shows up as distortion in litigation), who typically gets named in these suits, and what to look for in exams, diagnostic plans, and medical records. If you try medical cases, listen for concrete takeaways on chart mining, spotting absent documentation, and using hospital workflow to frame your client's injury.

F-Warrior Retreat, Psychodrama, and Real-World Wins with Robert Klingler

TLC grad Robert Klingler (Class of 2015) joins Rafe Foreman to explain how psychodrama and TLC methods — role reversal, doubling, listening and courtroom reenactments — have reshaped his practice from federal employment work to public-defense and civil trials. Hear how a respectful, strategic approach unraveled a suppression hearing, how a roller-rink reenactment convinced jurors, and why the upcoming F-Warrior retreat is a can't-miss chance to sharpen skills and reconnect with the psychodrama community. Practical, human, and full of trial stories you can use on your next case.