Bobby Thomas is a Partner with Video Law Services, a team of committed former TV journalists and photojournalists who produce compelling presentations for mediation and trial. With 28 years of video production experience, Bobby has played a pivotal role in managing production and trial work. Bobby’s reputation in the legal video industry is built on his ability to see the big picture and deliver impactful work. His career reflects a dedication to enhancing the quality and effectiveness of video evidence in the legal industry.
Over his years of experience working with lawyers and law firms around the country, Bobby developed a close relationship with the City of Jacksonville (Florida). His team now regularly handles more than 20 video depositions/cases per month for them, and provides trial support when a case cannot be settled. This past week, his expertise, particularly with TrialPad and TranscriptPad, allowed him to efficiently manage and present video evidence and documents on behalf of the city during a civil trial.
To load all the exhibits and evidence, Bobby used a shared Dropbox folder. Once he had all the documents, videos, and transcripts in the Dropbox folder, he copied everything into the appropriate app, and his iPad was trial-ready within minutes.
Bobby synced all the video depositions with their respective transcripts using TranscriptPad. This made pre-trial editing easy to complete, and videos easy to export and have ready for playback in TrialPad. For on-the-fly editing and impeachment, Bobby found he could quickly find sections of the synced transcript, create edits, and playback the video in TranscriptPad if necessary.
Bobby began using TrialPad after a particularly bad experience in a trial with a Windows-based program. When the laptop crashed mid-trial, he knew it was time to find a different solution. He told us, “At first I swore I'd never do another trial. And when I tried the iPad and TrialPad, it was so much easier and it's just a safer, more stable format. It wasn't crashing, and I could carry two iPads in the same space as one laptop.”
His setup in the Jacksonville courthouse includes using HDMI connections to present evidence via multiple monitors accessible to the jury, attorneys, and the judge. The courtrooms have a smart TV or a technology cart with an HDMI connection and an Elmo for physical evidence. The technology cart allows Bobby to control what monitors are displaying evidence. This makes it easy to publish a document to the judge, counsel, and the witness before publishing it to the jury. Between the built-in controls on the courtroom equipment, and the Blank, Freeze, and Present buttons in TrialPad, Bobby’s evidentiary presentation is perfectly choreographed.
Bobby told us that using TrialPad is straightforward and intuitive. He said, “It's just so easy. If you can use your iPhone, you can use TrialPad.” Pre-producing elements for opening and closing statements is another technique Bobby uses to streamline trial presentations. In this last trial, he created screenshots in TrialPad and then reordered them for the closing argument. The attorney was able to walk the jury through the most important evidence presented during the trial, which ended with a decision in the city’s favor.
Bobby’s dual focus on plaintiff and defense work, from initial video testimony through evidentiary presentation gives him a deep understanding of what is needed for an impactful mediation statement or a laser-focused trial presentation. Combined with his technical expertise, Bobby is a valuable asset to any legal team whether they need assistance with a settlement documentary, a day in the life documentary, video evidence, deposition editing, trial support, or training on how to best utilize the LIT SUITE apps for mediation and trial.
Learn More about Bobby Thomas:
Website: https://videolawservices.com
Bio: https://videolawservices.com/about-us
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobby-thomas-1316831b3/
