Victoria and Hunter take a deep dive into the best way to confront the biases that jurors, judges, prosecutors, and yes, public defenders: Mitigation.

In confronting the many biases of the system, there is hope that a mitigation specialist can connect the various stakeholders in the legal system with the humanity of the defendants in each case.

On this episode of Trial Lawyers College, Victoria Rusk breaks down the reality of mitigation in lives of the accused and their families.

The Trial Lawyers College Podcast talks to leading attorneys, TLC board members, and faculty about the ideas and the issues that are affecting trial lawyers today.

The TLC podcast covers courtroom strategy, communicating with jurors, connecting with clients, methods that drive success, balancing healthy relationships with a busy practice and more.

Mitigation Specialists can be a lawyer’s secret weapon. They help us dig for, develop, and deliver our powerful mitigation narratives. But many lawyers remain unaware of the import and effect of a full mitigation workup, or may not have the resources to do so.

Therefore, helping us get set for sentencing is Victoria Rusk, founder of Heart of Justice, LLC, a mitigation firm devoted to what she refers to as a “whole person” approach to mitigation. Ms. Rusk authored the Mitigation Handbook and created an online course to train advocates in her unique brand of holistic sentencing.

Victoria Rusk was interviewed by Francie Koehler, a noted private investigator about her recent book The Handbook of Mitigation, and how private investigators can greatly benefit a criminal defense case.