My name is Jaime Escuder. I’m a trial lawyer. I started my career as a public defender in DuPage County, Illinois, and now I’m in private practice in Texas taking state and federal criminal cases. Over the course of my career, I’ve tried virtually every type of case, from murders, to DWIs, to juvenile pimping. I’ve learned a lot from my trial experience, and I’ve also learned a lot from the other attorneys and judges with whom I’ve practiced.
Although I went to a fancy law school that gave me a solid legal foundation, I didn’t really learn my way around the courtroom while I was there. It was the decade I spent in the trenches as a public defender that truly honed my trial skills. The case loads were high and I was able to go to trial a lot. I had my ass handed to me a few times, but each failure lead to new techniques and insight into the process. I was also lucky enough to have some other attorneys in the office who showed me the ropes and acted as a sounding board when I was figuring out my style in the courtroom. Having these mentors made all the difference to my development. I wouldn’t be the lawyer I am today without them, and it is my pleasure to pay it forward through Trial Coach.
While I was a public defender, I started a training program in my office for new attorneys. Like me, the new guys didn’t really know what they were doing right out of school and I wanted to give them the head start that I could have used. This training program made a real difference. I sat in on trials and gave feedback. We had regularly-scheduled meetings and continuing education classes targeted at the areas in which they needed to improve. It was very gratifying to see confidence grow and skills sharpen.
While the new attorneys who received this extra training were flourishing, some of the more seasoned attorneys were stagnant. Some pleaded out almost every case and would go years without trying anything. I wished there was a way to help all attorneys be on top of their game. That is why I developed Trial Coach.
According to the Supreme Court’s 2012 decision in Missouri v. Frye, “[n]inety-seven percent of federal convictions and ninety-four percent of state convictions are the result of guilty pleas.” America’s defense bar hardly tries cases any more. While there are a number of reasons for this, one of the main ones must be that defense attorneys avoid trial. Trial Coach is my attempt to rectify that, and to reinvigorate, in some small measure, what has become a virtually neglected Sixth Amendment.
I want to help defense attorneys kick ass in the courtroom. If you are interested in becoming the best advocate your clients could ever have, it would be my privilege to help you get there.
Jaime
jaime [at] trial-coach [dot] com
