Jury Selection in Insurance Litigation: Practical Guidance for Bad Faith and Coverage Cases

Since 1985, Mr. Gabriel has been a leader in the field of jury research, jury selection and litigation communication with experience in nearly 2,000 trials in both the civil and criminal arenas across the country. CBS News has said that he is “by reputation, one of the best trial consultants in the country.” Mr. Gabriel has assisted counsel in the Aaron Hernandez acquittal as well as the Casey Anthony, O.J. Simpson, Phil Spector, Enron, Whitewater, Kwame Kilpatrick, Heidi Fleiss, and numerous other high-profile civil and criminal matters. Three cases he has participated in have resulted in United States Supreme Court decisions. Mr. Gabriel is the author of Acquittal: An Insider Reveals the Stories and Strategies Behind Today’s Most Infamous Verdicts about his high-profile trial work, which was optioned by Warner Brothers and developed for CBS by Jerry Bruckheimer Productions. He is also the co-author of Jury Selection: Strategy and Science, as well as contributing to Bennett’s Guide to Jury Selection and Trial Dynamics. Mr. Gabriel was a regular columnist for Lawyers USA on trial strategy and has authored numerous articles on litigation communication, social science, and jury research for numerous State Bar Journals and other legal publications including the American Bar Association, the Daily Journal, The Jury Expert, Notre Dame, and Loyola Law Reviews. He has also written feature articles for CNN.com and HLN.com on noteworthy trials and political/social issues.

Mr. Heidtke is co-chair of the Duane Morris Insurance and Reinsurance Division of the Trial Practice Group. He represents clients in complex business disputes, and insurance coverage and bad faith litigation. For over a decade, Mr. Heidtke has counseled insurers on claims handling, provided coverage analysis and opinions, and litigated throughout the United States. Licensed to practice law in California, Illinois, Nevada, Oregon, Texas and Washington, he relies upon a broad swath of experience to advise clients on emerging trends to better prepare for, defend against and resolve high-stakes disputes. Mr. Heidtke’s experience includes representing clients in complex claims arising out of environmental contamination, products liability, construction defect and property damage, and personal injuries. He has also represented clients in class action litigation, including defending clients in multiple matters seeking more than a billion dollars in damages.

Mr. Smith is a member of Butler Snow’s Tort, Transportation and Specialized Litigation group. With a background in artificial intelligence studies and private sector security, Mr. Smith enjoys using the analytical skills he has learned to help clients achieve their legal, professional, and business development goals.