February 15, 2023
Randall Jackson, partner and Co-Chair of Willkie’s White-Collar Defense Practice Group, was recently interviewed on Behind the Trial, a podcast series by Benchmark Litigation focused on the industry’s top trial attorneys and their keys to successfully trying high-stakes cases.
The podcast noted Randall’s “quick ascent from a rising star of New York’s white-collar bar to one of its established trial powerhouses” and discussed his experience at Willkie and as a former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. It also discussed the skillset that has helped Randall excel in court and in his broader practice, as well as Willkie’s commitment to diversity and developing the next generation of leading trial lawyers.
Randall stressed the preparation behind every aspect of a trial, the importance of establishing credibility in the courtroom and his focus on appealing to jurors’ common sense.
“Every attempt to obscure the truth, or what is going to be perceived by jurors as an attempt to obscure the truth, begins to chip away at credibility,” Randall said. “So, when I’m on trial, I’m constantly trying to reduce my questions to something that makes a juror say, ‘This is a guy who’s trying to help me understand the truth of the matter.’”
The interview highlighted the major defense victory Randall recently obtained, along with partner Michael Schachter, on behalf of client Tom Barrack, founder of the global investment firm Colony Capital. The seven-week jury trial involved allegations of illegal foreign lobbying, obstruction of justice and other charges against Barrack and his former assistant Matthew Grimes. The jury fully acquitted Barrack and Grimes, finding them not guilty on all charges.
The podcast episode of Behind the Trial can be found here.
To read more about the Barrack case, click here.
The podcast noted Randall’s “quick ascent from a rising star of New York’s white-collar bar to one of its established trial powerhouses” and discussed his experience at Willkie and as a former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. It also discussed the skillset that has helped Randall excel in court and in his broader practice, as well as Willkie’s commitment to diversity and developing the next generation of leading trial lawyers.
Randall stressed the preparation behind every aspect of a trial, the importance of establishing credibility in the courtroom and his focus on appealing to jurors’ common sense.
“Every attempt to obscure the truth, or what is going to be perceived by jurors as an attempt to obscure the truth, begins to chip away at credibility,” Randall said. “So, when I’m on trial, I’m constantly trying to reduce my questions to something that makes a juror say, ‘This is a guy who’s trying to help me understand the truth of the matter.’”
The interview highlighted the major defense victory Randall recently obtained, along with partner Michael Schachter, on behalf of client Tom Barrack, founder of the global investment firm Colony Capital. The seven-week jury trial involved allegations of illegal foreign lobbying, obstruction of justice and other charges against Barrack and his former assistant Matthew Grimes. The jury fully acquitted Barrack and Grimes, finding them not guilty on all charges.
The podcast episode of Behind the Trial can be found here.
To read more about the Barrack case, click here.