The Persuasion Occasion Perkins Coie LLP

Doug Wilson, and DWC President Michele Vives discuss the growth and downturns of mixed-use development. Michele shares her perspective on the dramatic loss in value of downtown real estate and the interconnectedness of commercial real estate and such community issues as homelessness, and our need to address these challenges. Doug, a 40-year veteran of real estate cycles, describes why he is optimistic about downtown urban development and investing in San Francisco properties when others are closing their doors.

Johnny Dzubak and AJ Harbinger, creators of The Art of Charm podcast, share how their podcast—and their subsequent training services—help people open up lines of communication and influence. They explain how positive feedback loops and other trained behaviours can make you more persuasive and discuss the skills that can help build trust and relationships. Johnny and AJ also describe how their work with Special Forces allowed them to communicate with other cultures to build valuable rapport.

We’re excited to talk with Carlos Alvarenga, author of The Rules of Persuasion, How the World’s Greatest Communicators Convince, Inspire, Lead—and, Sometimes, Deceive. Carlos reveals how he translated Aristotle's principles of persuasion to modern media (e.g., movies and rap music) to make his advice more accessible. He also explores his definition of persuasion, how Donald Trump's presidential campaign created a powerful loyalty from his audience, and the concept of chemistry in communication.

David and Jasmine talk with Markus Funk about the investigation and trial of the powerful Chicago-based Calabrese family mob, who engineered years of extortion, gambling, bookmaking, and hundreds of murders. Their gangland execution of two mobsters in an Indiana cornfield was reenacted in Martin Scorsese’s Casino, giving viewers a glimpse of the chilling nature of organized crime activities. Marcus describes the trial of the nation’s most extensive mob murder case, how they flipped mob leader Frank Calabrese’s son, and how Markus’ closing argument prompted Frank Sr. to refer to him as “a dead man.” He shares fascinating details of his life as an assistant United States attorney (AUSA), how to be persuasive at trial, and how his experience has taught him the importance of being authentic, no matter your role.

This week on The Persuasion Occasion, we are joined by Shane Read, one of the leading (and best) authors and commentators on courtroom and boardroom advocacy. Shane’s compelling, award-winning books have been praised by the best trial lawyers in the world.

Focusing on the importance of storytelling, Shane helps readers simplify complex ideas and understand the psychology of persuasion. His insights are essential for anyone looking to improve their persuasive skills, whether in the courtroom or beyond.

On The Persuasion Occasion this week, we’re excited to talk to Dr. Rick Fuentes, nationally recognized trial consultant, about how to be more persuasive with the new generation of jurors. Rick discusses changing juror attitudes toward corporations and how their perspectives have been shaped by social media. He also will address their increased receptivity to conspiracy theories. Rick shares more about how lawyers can set a compelling narrative to quickly grab a jury’s attention, using concepts empirically supported by thousands of jury exercises. Dr. Rick Fuentes, founding partner of R&D Strategic Solutions, has specialized in jury behavior and decision-making and evaluating complex evidence for more than 25 years. Rick has advised trial teams on hundreds of civil and criminal cases and, through focus groups, mock trials, and surveys, assists trial lawyers and in-house counsel.