In Episode 21 of May the Record Reflect, veteran prosecutor Steve Wood joins us to share his ten favorite trial tips. He also talks about what he remembers about his first trial, his life in public service as the Delaware DOJ’s leading trial attorney, and the other reflections on living the lawyering life.
Topics
2:43 Tip #1
5:20 Why law?
7:18 Tip #2
10:31 Recollections of his first trial
13:08 Tip #3
18:08 Favorite part of trial
25:04 Tip #4
27:15 Nerves and anxiety about trial
28:34 Tip #5
32:49 Unwinding after trial
34:16 Tip #6
38:34 Most agonizing career decision
40:49 Public service careers
45:36 Tip #7
48:36 A high-profile case I wish I’d tried
49:56 Tip #8
52:28 Tip #9
54:03 Retirement
54:30 Tip #10
56:27 Signature signoff question
Quote
“Somebody I taught with [at NITA] once said something I thought was brilliant, and it’s this: ‘Time is the measure of importance in the courtroom, whether you want it to be or not.’ And what that means is, we indicate importance by how much time we spend on something.”
Recommended Resources
Steven P. Wood (bio)
America’s Constitution: A Biography (book)
So Many Ways to Lose (book)
Geddy Lee’s Big Beautiful Book of Bass (book)
Read NITA’s statement on the important of in-person advocacy in courts, here.