The legal profession has long been sensationalized in literature, television, and film, painting the public’s perception of trial work as riveting and fast-paced and trial lawyers as dramatic and unflappable—ready for anything the other side might throw at them. And while this perception is not necessarily inaccurate when it comes to trying cases, the majority of a litigator’s work consists of tedious and thorough investigation, planning, strategizing, and preparation. As Mike Kelly Law Group’s litigation team gears up for several trials set to move forward in 2019, I thought I’d share with you all a glimpse into the less glamorous—but no less grueling—work that makes up a normal day for a trial attorney.

Depending on the complexity of the issues at hand, the cumulative hours that our attorneys and paralegals put into preparing a single case for trial may amount to weeks, or even months, of work. Most of this time is spent conducting written discovery—a process through which parties exchange and gather evidence—as well as taking depositions, meeting and preparing with clients, consulting with expert witnesses, arguing pre-trial motions, and working through scheduling and evidentiary matters with the court in anticipation of trial. The trial itself is merely the tip of the iceberg in terms of a trial lawyer’s job.