Trial work is about more than legal knowledge. It is about building connections, establishing credibility, and truly understanding people.
On an episode of Picking Justice with Harry Plotkin and Dan Kramer, titled “This Farmworker’s Son Seeds Million-Dollar Verdicts,” trial attorney Daniel Rodriguez, founder and president of Rodriguez & Associates, offered insight into how his upbringing laid the foundation for his philosophy as a lawyer and continues to shape his trial work.
Growing up as the son of migrant farm workers, moving between schools, and learning to read people quickly, Daniel developed a skillset that extended far beyond the classroom. He learned how to build trust in moments that mattered.
“I had to learn how to talk my way into things and how to talk my way out of things…
that taught me how to build rapport, how to validate people’s feelings.”
-Daniel Rodriguez
That same ability now serves as the foundation of his courtroom strategy.
Whether selecting a jury or presenting a case, Daniel focuses on shared human experiences. He connects jurors to the value of what was taken, not just the facts of what happened, shifting the focus from numbers to meaning.
“I look for a universal story. And it doesn’t matter what the color of your skin is, what language you speak – there are some universal stories.” He explains it simply: jurors are not just evaluating numbers, they are recognizing value.
In the full Picking Justice podcast episode, Daniel shares additional insight into jury selection, client storytelling, and building authentic connections in the courtroom.