Скачать или смотреть The $100 Million Verdict: How Ryan McKeen Built a Trial Firm for Catastrophic Cases

How do you take a promise made in a hospital room and turn it into a $100 million verdict? In this incredibly moving and insightful episode of Lead Council, Tom Tona sits down with renowned trial attorney Ryan McKeen, co-founder of The Connecticut Trial Firm, to discuss his firm's audacious journey to achieve a nine-figure verdict. This is a must-watch for any trial lawyer committed to fighting for justice in catastrophic injury cases.

Ryan shares the compelling story of his client, Mikey Cruz, who was paralyzed when 1300 pounds of light bulbs fell on him. Discover how Ryan and his partner Andrew Garza leveraged *EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System)* to build a firm capable of supporting such a monumental case, setting a *$10 million verdict target* that ultimately became $100 million. Learn about their strategic financial investments (including *Advocate Capital**), early expert retention, rigorous **focus group testing* (12 groups!), and collaboration with trial legends like *Andrew Finkelstein* to prepare for trial. This raw conversation explores the emotional toll, the unwavering commitment to their client, and the immense satisfaction of achieving justice against a corporate defendant.

Timestamps:
► 0:00 - Introduction to Ryan McKeen: The $100 Million Verdict
► 3:14 - Ryan's Journey into Plaintiff's Work & High-Stakes Litigation
► 4:52 - Setting an Audacious Goal: The $10 Million (then $100 Million) Verdict
► 5:46 - The Story of Mikey Cruz: Paralyzed by Falling Light Bulbs
► 7:46 - The Unwavering Commitment to Mikey: A Promise Kept
► 9:15 - Strategic Financing & Early Expert Retention (Advocate Capital)
► 11:56 - The Staggering Financial Investment & Mediation Offers
► 14:32 - The Power of Focus Groups: Knowing Your Verdict Before Trial
► 15:42 - Collaboration with Trial Legend Andrew Finkelstein
► 17:49 - The Closing Argument: How to Ask for $100 Million
► 21:09 - The Emotional Drive: Fighting for What's Right Against Corporate Bad Actors
► 29:20 - The Business Side of a Trial Firm: Ryan as CEO, Andrew as Trial Lead
► 31:17 - Why Business Fundamentals are Crucial for High-Stakes Litigation
► 33:11 - The Importance of a Structured Business (EOS/Fireproof)
► 35:45 - Becoming Excellent: The Path to Mastery in Law and Business
► 40:00 - Ryan's Embrace of Technology & Social Media
► 42:58 - Ryan's Biggest "Needle Mover": Investing in Himself


#9FigureVerdict #TrialLawyer #PersonalInjury #CatastrophicInjury #RyanMcKeen #LegalStrategy



In this episode, you will hear about:


• Ryan's journey to building a successful trial firm and achieving a $107 million verdict.

• The strategy behind their success, including the use of trials as their leverage and the economic reasoning for wanting to excel at their craft.

• Their experience in high-stakes settlements, including the negotiation of a $6 million settlement before the opening statements in a case.

• The challenges of building a firm such as hiring great staff and the potential for bankruptcy when undertaking certain cases.


Resources from this Episode:


• TonaLaw: https://tonalaw.com/

• https://cttrialfirm.com/ 

• https://cttrialfirm.com/team/ryan-mck...

•   / injurylawyer   

•   / ryanmckeen  


Follow and Review:


We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...) Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.


Episode Credits


If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com (https://emeraldcitypro.com/) Let them know we sent you.