On January 14, 2025, MG+M The Law Firm hosted the first Design Professionals Roundtable of the year. Moderated by Partner David Hatem, this dynamic webinar brought together some of MG+M’s most experienced trial attorneys—Joseph Bussiere, John T. Hugo, Kelly Martin Malone and Stephen Willig—to share valuable insights from their extensive practice defending design professionals. 

The roundtable discussion highlighted key strategies for achieving courtroom success, including preparing witnesses, securing favorable jury outcomes and navigating the complexities of trial preparation particularly when defending design professionals. Attendees gained valuable insights into essential pre-trial and litigation tactics, including:

• Trial-Ready Preparation: Every case should be prepared as if it’s going to trial. This ensures a strong position throughout litigation and enhances leverage in settlement negotiations.
• Preserve Evidence Early: Implement litigation hold letters immediately to protect key documents and avoid spoliation risks.
• Collaborate Effectively: Design professionals are integral to identifying critical evidence, developing case themes and achieving a cohesive defense strategy.
• Simplify Your Story: Clear and concise storytelling is essential for engaging jurors and judges, especially with complex technical issues often involved in design professional claims.
• Leverage Mediation: Mediation offers valuable opportunities to resolve disputes and refine your strategy, even if a settlement isn’t immediately reached.
• Strong Trial Teams Matter: A cohesive, trial-ready team ensures  an optimum outcome by staying organized, prepared and focused on delivering results.
• Focus on Jury Engagement: Jurors appreciate concise, organized presentations. Keeping their attention can make all the difference in trial outcomes.
• Embrace Document Management: Efficient use of eDiscovery tools helps uncover critical evidence and manage the vast amount of documentation common in design professional cases.

With decades of collective experience, MG+M’s Design Professionals team showcased their deep understanding of the industry’s unique challenges and shared their proven approaches to securing exceptional results for clients.

This event marked the beginning of a year-long series of valuable programming from our Design Professionals group. Stay tuned for upcoming roundtables and resources as we continue to bring you meaningful insights throughout 2025.