From start to finish, we relentlessly focus on what it takes to win at trial.

Our trial-based strategy comes from a fundamental truth that we have learned over 60 years of trying cases: every client gets the best result only after our opponent realizes we are ready to try the case. And ready to try it well. But because we diligently prepare every case for trial and have a proven record of winning when we get there, most of our clients get offered the best result before we get to trial.

Seven guiding principles form the foundation of our trial-based strategy.

First, we never compromise our credibility. Trust is the conduit of influence. Our credibility is everything. We take the time to know and understand every fact of the case. As a result, we ensure that judges and juries view us as a dependable source of law and fact. We know that our credibility is our client’s case.

Second, we focus on what matters at trial. Unlike many litigators, we do not fight over what does not matter. If it will not make a difference at trial, we do not waste time on it. We do not believe discovery is an end in itself. Rather, smart discovery is a tool to build a winning case.

Third, we make complex cases simple. Simple cases are winning cases. We spend whatever time it takes to reduce a complex case into simple concepts that come together in a story that convinces the jury. And more often than not, we convince the other side before we ever get to a jury. Our lawyers are dedicated to understanding how to convince judges and juries to reach the right decision for our clients and then applying those principles for each client we take on.

Fourth, we test our cases with the people who matter. We test our cases with mock juries and focus groups to better understand what the people who will decide the case care about. This work that most lawyers skip provides invaluable feedback that informs how we frame each case.

Fifth, prepared excellence is the cornerstone of everything we do. We relentlessly prepare for every part of a case. From our preparation comes excellent work product from start to finish. Because prepared excellence is fundamental to our firm, we only agree to fee arrangements that allow us to prepare cases to our standard. If we cannot prepare for excellence, we do not take on the case.

Sixth, we use the best technology to prepare and present cases. From artificial intelligence in discovery to high-tech presentations at trial, we leverage our superior technology to prevail in every phase of a case.

Seventh, we are constantly improving. We believe in the art of trial. We are committed to our craft. We are constantly absorbing the latest research on the strategies and techniques to prepare winning cases at trial. We apply our latest understanding to each client’s case, both through discovery and in the courtroom.

If we do not believe we can win your case, we do not take it.

We believe in fee arrangements that most align our interests with our client’s interests. To the end, we work with every client to find the fee agreement that allows us to prepare your case to win at trial by aligning our interests. We believe our success should be tied to our client’s success. If we succeed for you, we succeed ourselves. And if we fail you, we fail ourselves. Because we share in our client’s risk, we must evaluate cases accurately – both at the outset and as we learn new information. Honest case assessments are the key to our client relationships.

Our fee arrangements range from complete contingency fees on plaintiff cases to alternative fees on defense cases. Our alternative fee agreements include fixed-fee arrangements that provide predictability and accountability, and hybrid hourly arrangements that mix reduced rates with success-bonuses to align our interests with our clients. We also use hourly arrangements with select clients who prefer a more traditional fee structure, especially where we represent defendants or institutional clients on the plaintiff side.

We excelled as partners at national law firms before opening Allen Chesson.

At big law firms, we learned how to litigate the biggest cases in the world. This means at least three things for both our clients and our adversaries.

First, we understand the value of excellent work. And we know how to produce it in everything we do. We will not settle for less than our best.

Second, we understand how to manage large litigation that can overwhelm other boutique law firms. From managing deadlines to managing documents to managing dispositive motions, adversaries can never overpower us through the otherwise tried-and-true method of over-litigating the litigation.

Third, we understand e-discovery better than most big law lawyers. From seeking complicated forensic discovery to prove our client’s case to leveraging artificial intelligence to find the hottest documents buried in a document dump, we have the experience and resources to efficiently navigate e-discovery issues with an unwavering eye towards winning at trial.

We are regularly recognized as the most outstanding lawyers in litigation.

A few of them include:

• North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys: Trial Advocacy Award
• North Carolina Legal Elite
• The Best Lawyers in America: Commercial Litigation, Mass Torts, Class Actions, Personal Injury, Product Liability
• Lawyer of the Year in the Best Lawyers in America: Mass Torts, Class Actions, Personal Injury
• Chambers USA
• Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
• Super Lawyers: Intellectual Property Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation
• Litigation Counsel of America
• North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Leaders in the Law
• Acritas Star