Smith & Carson Logo

Blog

Fraud Discovery

Waving the Red Flag – Heeding Warnings C…

SC Blog Contributor, CFE
Two currently-unfolding international fraud scandals share an important common denominator: red flags – brought up by reliable sources nonetheless – were ignored. In each scenario, legitimate…
Jury Analytics

Taking the Bull by the Horns in Jury Res…

Amy K. Davis, Esq.
When people learn that I work for a company that conducts jury research, the most common response is, “Have you seen ‘Bull’?” The show, which debuted…
Batson

Batson in the Internet Age, or, Beware G…

SC Blog Contributor, CFE
More than 30 years ago, the United States Supreme Court decided Batson v. Kentucky, which prohibits the exercise of peremptory strikes on the basis of race.…
Hiring the Right People

Hiring the Learn-It-Alls

Shawn Shepard, Esq.
Smith & Carson recently celebrated its fortieth anniversary, and we’re proud of that accomplishment. As you might expect, we’ve developed a lot of expertise in forty…
Note Taking Strategies

Note-Taking Strategies to Help You Stay…

Hananiah Wilson
Explore the pros and cons of three note-taking strategies to maximize your potential. In my last post, you learned why you should use technology to organize…
Social Media Screening

Social Media Screening by Employers

Tylar Suckau
The advancement of social media is profoundly changing the way companies conduct background checks and screen applicants to confirm their credentials. But while social media screening…
Get Organized

How to Organize Your Thoughts with Simpl…

Hananiah Wilson
Learn how to free your mind for maximum performance by storing your notes in an easily accessible way through simple technology. You Are What You Remember…
Social Media

The Rise of Social Media Evidence and th…

Sandra L. Ward, Esq.
Social media evidence, ranging from Facebook status updates to Instagram photograph posts, can provide valuable insight and information about a person, which makes locating and assessing the…
The Value of Litigation Intelligence

Changing Perceptions: The Value of Litig…

William Ahner, Esq.
Pictures of Lady Justice appear in courthouses throughout the United States blindfolded and holding the scales of justice as a visible representation of the equal and…
Investigators' Stories

Why It’s Important Not to Stay in Your O…

Amy K. Davis, Esq.
The tattoos tell a story. The inmate has four sisters and a brother. Her mother died at the age of 38, when the inmate was 15.…
Pablo

The Confidentiality of Florida Workers’…

Shawn Shepard, Esq.
Information and records are often delivered to interested parties in litigation and commercial transactions through the discovery or due diligence process. But memories fail. Documents are…
Fredo Part 4 - Home Is Where The Dirt Is

The Many Faces Of Fredo, Or, Due Diligen…

SC Blog Contributor, CFE
We return to continue your investigation on potential business partner Frederico “Fredo” Corleone. Depending on the scope decisions made at the beginning of the investigation, you learned…
Fredo Part 3 - The Cost of Blood

The Many Faces Of Fredo, Or, Due Diligen…

SC Blog Contributor, CFE
Welcome back. This week you continue your careful path to crafting a diligence investigation on Frederico “Fredo” Corleone, your client’s new potential business partner.  Last week, you agreed…
Fredo Part 2 - Dangerous Women

The Many Faces Of Fredo, Or, Due Diligen…

SC Blog Contributor, CFE
Last week, we learned that your client is interested in going into business with an exciting Las Vegas club owner and fantastic host named Frederico Corleone.…
Fredo Part 1 - The Club Owner

The Many Faces Of Fredo, Or, Due Diligen…

SC Blog Contributor, CFE
Scope is a dirty word. It is often the most critical set of decisions you will make with regard to the job you are asking your…
Caravaggio

The Lost Painting- How A Fresh Set Of Ey…

Larry Carson
It  hung in abject isolation in a small monastery in Ireland. Seen  every day, but never really seen. Unnoticed and unappreciated by every passerby hurrying to…
FOIA

You Can FOIA A FOIA (Seriously) – And Yo…

SC Blog Contributor, CFE
From alien hunters to government conspiracists to seasoned litigators, the Freedom of Information Act Request has been inspiring abject terror and unrelenting boredom since 1967.  There…
Purgatory

Part 2- Purgatory- Dante And Early Case…

Larry Carson
Summary of Part 1- Inferno Even though you live a life of unparalleled virtue (at least from time to time), you find yourself once again boarding…
Inferno

Part 1- Inferno- Dante And Early Case As…

Larry Carson
You see it every night. The television volume goes up several decibels, and suddenly you’re confronted with a law firm  seeking clients who used your product.…
Grapes to Raisins

From Juicy Grapes To Wrinkled Raisins –…

Larry Carson
You make an assumption going in that the facts will always be there. Alive with freshness and ready to pick whenever you’re ready. So no need…
D-Day

The D-Day Invasion And Large-Scale Litig…

Larry Carson
June 6, 1944 Nothing could have been more dependent on planning than the D-Day Invasion. While Eisenhower valued the activities involved in planning more than the plans…
Jury Research

Jury Research- Kasting For The Keepers

Larry Carson
Much is now being written about searching jury information online and what happens when the lawyer blunders by crossing ethical boundaries. But, what has not been…
Seneca

Seneca On Fact Investigations: Revisitin…

Larry Carson
Lucius Annaeus Seneca (4BC-AD65), the Roman Stoic philosopher, provides us with 2000-year-old practical wisdom for dealing with fact investigations, particularly those involving mass tort. In The Epistles, Seneca discussed the…
Robinson Crusoe

Robinson Crusoe On Venue Analysis: Recon…

Larry Carson
Settlement talks didn’t work. And now you’re heading to a little town where you’ve never been to try a case before people you’ve never seen. You…
Sistine Chapel

The Oracle At Delphi On Picking A Jury:…

Larry Carson
In an age of limitless information how do you select a jury? If the Oracle were consulting with you what priorities would she bring to the…