PODCAST INVITE – Urban vs. Rural Divide: How Zip Codes Affect Your Trial

Have you ever heard someone say “location is everything” when buying a house? The same can be true for trials.

You’re invited to join Puget Law Group for the latest episode of Puget Law Group’s podcast In Session with Casey Arbenz.

This post refers to our latest podcast episode, “Urban vs. Rural Divide: How Zip Codes Affect a Trial.” If you enjoy this blog and want to hear the full discussion, In Session is available wherever you get your podcasts.  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-session-with-casey-arbenz/id1850622164

This week we’re exploring the cultural issue of the urban vs. rural divide—what it is and how it specifically applies to being a trial lawyer. When we talk about this divide as a cultural issue, we’re mainly referring to four key factors: politics, economics, demographics, and access to technology.

Puget Law Group (PLG) is located in Washington State, which is home to the major metropolitan city of Seattle as well as large amounts of agricultural land and rural communities. PLG handles cases across the entire state.

When asked how the urban vs. rural divide comes into play while preparing for a case, Casey explains:

“The divide frankly could not be bigger. It is huge. Any lawyer who is doing their job needs to be aware of where they are in a case: what the makeup of their opponents will be, what the judge will be like, and most importantly who their potential jurors will be.”

Because Casey primarily practices out of his office in Tacoma, Washington, he often finds that when he goes to Seattle for a trial he is perceived as a “country bumpkin.” Yet when he goes to areas such as Lewis County, he’s seen as a “big city lawyer.”

So how does he overcome this?

You’ve probably heard people say they wear many different hats at work. For trial lawyers, that idea can be quite literal—they wear different suits. Casey says he has specific suits he wears when trying cases in different areas so he isn’t perceived as too flashy, or not flashy enough.

The “suit” example is real, but it’s also a metaphor. Strong trial lawyers know how to adjust their tactics depending on the type of case and where it’s being tried.

Casey’s Quick Tips for Navigating These Differences

Build trust with your jurors.
This goes back to understanding those key factors: politics, economics, demographics, and access to technology. Recognize where your jurors may fall within them.

Draw on your own life experiences.
Casey grew up in California, has lived in Kansas, went to law school in Spokane, Washington, and now works in Tacoma and Seattle. He draws on his experiences with people from each of those places to better understand different mindsets.

Look for predictability.
Trials can be chaotic, so focus on the patterns and factors that can be predicted.

Recognize that patterns can change.
Something you observed in the past may not hold true forever. Culture evolves, and good lawyers adapt rather than assuming things will always stay the same.

Like what you’ve read? Craving more content that breaks down the law and connects it to culturally relevant topics? Listen to In Session with Casey Arbenz wherever you get your podcasts.

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