What I’ ve realized is that learning and leading are not separate stages of practice; they happen at the same time. Young lawyers do not need to wait until they“ know enough” to make meaningful contributions. They simply need to identify the strengths they can bring to their current role and use them to move the case forward.
That same lesson has carried into my own experience. I’ ve been encouraged to take opportunities as they come, even when it means adding more to my plate.
Early on, I had the chance to defend a deposition. Despite a full workload, I was pushed to take it because of the value in the experience itself. And that proved to be true. It was a taste of litigation, but a mouthful of lessons. I had to stay engaged, listen closely, think on my feet with objections, and adapt in real time. But more than that, I saw firsthand how difficult and emotional depositions can be for plaintiffs. Sitting next to a client while they were being cross-examined, you don’ t just hear their testimony, you feel it. Their nerves, their exhaustion, their vulnerability.
This experience deepened my understanding that our role as plaintiff attorneys is not only to advocate, but also to be steady, absorb those moments, and provide a sense of support simply by being present.
This is the kind of experience a young attorney can’ t replicate, and one they can’ t afford to pass up because they’ re waiting to be handed something more“ flashy.”
I spoke with Sara Papantonio, a fifth-year attorney at Levin Papantonio who has mastered taking trial opportunities as they come. Sara was part of the team on a multi-week product liability trial that resulted in a $ 20 million verdict. She wasn’ t originally assigned to the case. But as trial approached, the team needed additional support— more hands for preparation, strategy, and the countless moving pieces that come with trying a complex case.
At the time, Sara was already managing a full workload. Still, she volunteered. Because she prioritized learning litigation, she found herself serving a critical role, working alongside seasoned attorneys, immersed in trial strategy, and helping build the trial.
Becoming a litigator in this space isn’ t about waiting for trial to arrive; it’ s about building toward it every day. It’ s about being proactive, staying curious, and not overlooking work because you think it isn’ t glamorous. Because that’ s where it starts. Long before the courtroom, long before the verdict, in the work that shapes the case and the lawyer handling it.
The more conversations I’ ve had with experienced litigators, the more I’ ve realized that the attorneys who truly master this work are students of every stage of litigation. They understand that trial advocacy is not isolated to the courtroom; it is built through discovery, depositions, motion practice, preparation, and countless strategic decisions made long before a jury is seated.
What inspires me most is that the people drawn to this work are here for two reasons at once: a genuine passion for advocating for others and a deep appreciation for the challenge and intensity of litigation itself. The best litigators never stop
learning, because they love the process as much as the result.
In complex litigation, the path to the courtroom isn’ t blocked; you just need to look for the opening. For young attorneys hoping to become trial lawyers, that means surrounding yourself with people you can learn from. Watch depositions. Sit in on hearings. Ask questions. Study the strategy behind every filing and every decision. Law school may teach you how to think like a lawyer, but in the world of complex litigation, the real study of litigation is only beginning after graduation.
Madison Mougey is an attorney at Levin Papantonio and focuses her practice on mass torts. Ms. Mougey has worked on several litigation teams, including Suboxone Film, Tepezza, Infant Formula, Camp Lejeune, National Prescription Opiate Litigation, and securities matters. She is currently working on the Dupixent Products Liability Litigation and Insulin Pricing Litigation.