Most lawyers would have taken the $400,000…

The plaintiff had healed. No surgery. Relatively modest medical bills. Plenty of risk heading into trial.

But attorney Matthew Wilson saw something bigger.

In this episode of Sari Swears, Matthew breaks down how he turned down the highest offer in the case, took it to verdict, and watched a jury return $1.8 million.

More importantly, he shares what changed his approach in the courtroom.

For years, voir dire was the part of trial that terrified him most. Then he started doing something different—having real conversations with jurors instead of relying on the same old script.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• How a "small" injury case became a seven-figure verdict
• The overlooked damages that resonated with jurors
• What focus groups revealed about suing a city
• How authenticity changed Matthew's entire approach to voir dire
• The moment he realized jurors don't need perfection—they need a real person

And perhaps the most powerful part of the story isn't the verdict itself. 😉

Love,
Sari

Today marks five years since the day I learned there was no more cancer in my body.

It's a milestone that means more to me than I can put into words.

In this week's podcast episode, I'm sharing the full story—from the diagnosis that changed everything, to the moments I was certain I couldn't do it, to the people who carried me through when I couldn't carry myself.

It's a story about hope, gratitude, and what it means to keep going when you don't know how the story ends.

If you've ever walked through a hard season—or loved someone who has—I hope you'll listen. 💖

Love,
Sari

Quote:

"There were many times during treatment when I would look at Kevin and say, 'Tell me how it goes.' I needed him to tell me the story of a future I couldn't see for myself. And every time, he would paint a picture of survival, healing, and getting our life back."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

One of the most common mistakes I see attorneys make in voir dire is unintentionally putting jurors in the wrong seat.

When jurors answer your questions, they're automatically imagining themselves in that situation—and their brains are looking for ways they would have avoided the outcome.

That's not because they're against you.

It's because that's how people are wired.

In this week's podcast, I break down:

• What it means to put jurors in the right seat
• How defensive attribution shapes juror thinking
• Why some questions accidentally create defense arguments
• How to structure questions that generate plaintiff-friendly principles

It's a simple concept that can completely change the answers you get in voir dire.

Love,
Sari

P.S. If you're ready to go deeper on voir dire, join me June 17–18 in Portland for my live Voir Dire Masterclass. We'll workshop your actual case, build stronger funnels, and help you avoid the common mistakes that can derail jury selection.
→ Grab Your Seat NOW: https://sariswears.com/voir-dire

Quote:

"When jurors hear a story involving danger, their brains automatically place themselves into that situation and start looking for all the ways they would have avoided the outcome. That's not because they're against you. It's because that's exactly how the human brain is designed to work."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

You want the breakthrough.

You want the next level.

What if the thing keeping you stuck isn't your trial skills, but the habits driving them?

In this week's podcast episode, I'm breaking down the hidden thought patterns and old wiring that keep trial lawyers operating on autopilot—even when they desperately want change.

We're talking about:

• why success still feels hard

• the habit of overworking

• how "authenticity" can become an excuse

• the money stories running your life

• and the real reason transformation feels so uncomfortable

Because here's the truth: What got you here won't get you there.

Love,
Sari

Quote:

"What got you here is not going to get you there… and what got you here are the habits that you created a long time ago. Those habits sometimes have a voice. That's the saboteur that we've talked about. But oftentimes, the problem is not that we have the habits, it's the fact that we don't uncover the habits. We don't even know that they are there."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

Most lawyers focus on how to argue damages.

Very few spend enough time truly understanding the loss.

And jurors can feel that.

In this week's episode, I break down the 3 components every damages argument needs:

• Understanding the loss

• Valuing the loss

• Communicating the loss

We also talk about:

• Why metaphor matters

• How small stories hit harder than big explanations

• A simple framework I use to think about non-economic damages

Because damages aren't about formulas.

They're about helping jurors understand what was taken.

Love,
Sari

P.S. If this episode hit home for you, my live webinar on May 28th is going even deeper into how the H2H Method™ helps jurors connect to what actually matters in trial. We're going beyond the FHTH book and into what works in today's courtrooms.
Register now → sariswears.com/webinar

Quote:

"When everything says trial should be this very formal, sterile process, we have to fight against that. It's a very human process. The things jurors talk about in voir dire — family, health, purpose, connection — those are the exact things your plaintiff lost."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

Today is my 54th birthday, which honestly feels surreal to say out loud.

And it got me reflecting on how I somehow went from being a classically trained pianist… to becoming the "Queen of Voir Dire."

There was no grand plan.

No moment where I suddenly felt ready.

Just a series of moments where my want became bigger than my worry.

In this week's podcast, I share the full story of how I found this work, the risks I took before I could afford to take them, the mentors who changed my life, and the 7 biggest lessons I've learned over the last 24+ years.

But more than anything, this episode is about what happens when you stop waiting for certainty and start trusting what you really want.

And THANK YOU for being part of this community and this journey with me. 💖

Love,
Sari

P.S. Speaking of becoming the "Queen of Voir Dire"… I just announced a brand new live webinar happening May 28th! We're going beyond the FHTH book and into how the H2H Voir Dire method performs in today's courtrooms.
Register now → sariswears.com/webinar

Quote:

"The people who change their lives aren't the ones with the perfect roadmap. They're the ones willing to keep going before they know exactly how it all works out."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/

You're spending your voir dire on the wrong thing.

And it's not subtle.

You're trying to get ahead of the defense's argument—funneling defense points, repeating their story, mapping out everything wrong with what they might bring up.

Meanwhile, your jury is soaking up defense point after defense point.

That's the problem.

Because what you give airtime to, they give weight to.

In this week's podcast, I break down the 4 topics you should avoid in voir dire, because they quietly hand power to the other side (even when you think you're doing it right).

Love,
Sari

P.S. If you want to go deeper on this, join me LIVE on May 28th for my Beyond the Book Webinar. I'll walk you through the H2H Method™ and how it actually works in real cases and you can even bring your own case for live feedback.
Register NOW → sariswears.com/webinar

You might be asking the wrong questions.

Not bad ones.

Just ones that never get past small talk.

And if that's happening in your voir dire… you're missing the moment where jurors actually connect.

Because connection doesn't come from:

"Where are you from?"

"What do you do?"

"Have you ever…?"

It comes from something deeper.

From getting jurors to talk about what they value and actually staying there long enough for it to mean something.

Most attorneys don't do this.

Not because they don't care… but because they've never been shown how.

And that gap? It shows up later in your damages.

Coach K and I break all of this down in this week's podcast:

• What a resonant conversation actually is

• Why it changes the way jurors see your case

• And how to start shifting your questions (without it feeling forced or awkward)

If your jury feels a little disconnected… this is likely why.

Love,
Sari

Download FREE Worksheet

Quote:

"What we're really wanting from our jurors is to invest in the process. And the best time to do that is in voir dire — when they can talk about themselves and what they value… because at its core, what our plaintiff attorneys are fighting for are human values, things that we all care about. And that's what was taken in every single case."

Sari de la Motte

Can't get enough of me? Connect with me here:

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/saridelamotte/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SariSwears

Watch on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@SariDLM

Free FB Group for Plaintiff & Criminal Defense Attorneys
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fromhostagetohero/