The "Most Feared" Litigator In America: How He Beat a Billion-Dollar Industry | Myron Cherry

Mike Cherry — nuclear guy / "most feared" litigator

★ COLD OPEN = the $6k boat (0:07ish)

senior partner Jim's boat hit by broken intake pipe, Lake Michigan pipe = 2 mack trucks stacked, 120ft down, broke loose Jim: "find who did it, get me 6 grand" utility (Consumers Power / Youngdahl) refuses. claims "secret govt project" = BS "if they'd just paid the 6 grand, none of this happens" → whole anti-nuclear war started over a boat repair. USE THIS AS THE OPEN

why he became a lawyer

grew up 40s/50s, anti-semitism, Jews shut out of banks (JP Morgan/Chase) so → the professions. hated his dentist, cousin claimed "doctor" → law by default lol 10 yrs at a firm (now 2000 lawyers) → dispute → left, took his cases, went solo

★ ONE GUY vs THE WHOLE INDUSTRY

knew NOTHING about nuclear. didn't care good/bad. just wanted the 6k couldn't pressure the utility → pressured the AGENCY instead intervened in EVERY proposed plant. Maine, TX, LA, Louisiana... tied up 45-50 trick: he used LITIGATION skills, they only had ADMIN skills scheduling game → "sorry, got a hearing in Dallas next week" → walks out, nothing they can do ★ didn't attack the plants, attacked the MONEY. each plant needs $600-800M bank loan → dry up the borrowing = kill the plant asked a birdseed co. for $1M. "how big's your org?" "it's just me" lol → later built "40 people" w/ law students, went back + got the million

the business model (this is the founder part)

CONTINGENCY only. paid ONLY if he wins. funds every case himself. 25-50% cut finds work: reads financial papers for injured companies who "can't afford to sue" → cold calls them 2nd source: befriends probate/corporate lawyers (dinners, beer parties) → they refer to keep control of their client bc he only wants the win, not the client ★ media game → knew reporters, "3 scoops for 1 story," front page NYT on demand

★ he was anti-STUPIDITY not anti-tech

"opposed to stupidity, and there was plenty in the nuclear industry" everyone else wanted to negotiate/improve it. he wanted to END it. didn't trust the people running it

★★ #1 hiring question: "DO YOU LIKE RISK?"

bet it all on your own judgment even when everyone says you're nuts? if they'd "re-evaluate" → he'd never hire them

★★ NEVER RECONSIDER A DECISION (best clip in the ep??)

analyze ONCE, decide, never look back rethinking drains the energy you need to move forward Mon decide → Tue don't re-think → by Fri "more energy than anyone in the world" → thumbnail line: "why I never reconsider a decision"

★ your WORD = a binding contract

Bertucci v Cherry → shook on a settlement, client reversed next day, Mike held the line "you should've told me before I gave my word" went to ILLINOIS Supreme Court, WON: if the other side relied on your word, it's a contract rep → "if Cherry says it's done, it's done." settles on a handshake, skips the 40pg contract

★ confidence vs arrogance = PREPARATION

wouldn't step in an elevator shaft eyes closed + masked → prep = you take the mask off know how to ride a bike → you can swerve the car. prep for life the same way

★ getting in front of powerful people

knows Clinton 35 yrs, NEVER asked him for anything. won't use politics for personal gain direct approach: write 1-2 paragraphs that land, "slide it under the door / on the windshield" spend MORE time on the 2 paragraphs than on getting the meeting

★ how he reads (steal this for clips/pitches)

first 2 + last 2 paragraphs only. opening = the hook, closing = the reemphasis if those don't grab you, don't read it "express yourself fast + succinct = key to a good date at a bar AND winning a lawsuit"

★ get out of your comfort zone

do things you'd never do, fast, to get comfortable with unusual events used to rewrite tourists' whole day for fun → sent people to "Bob's Cattle Ranch Barn Grill" instead of the Art Institute lol learn how you operate under pressure BEFORE your life depends on it

★★ seek INFORMATION, not advice

won't take advice unless he knows the process himself "experience is the great remitter of intelligence" advice = you can't see how they got there. info you can verify best advice he ever got = "never quit"

CLOSER (listener Q): did college make you successful?

yes, go if you can. more info = better judgment his miss: commuter school first 2 yrs, no "away" experience → showed up to Champaign, heard "homecoming," literally went HOME lol "unless you take the next step as long as you can, you keep missing stuff"