DOMINIC GIANNA

Dominic Gianna founding partner of Aaron & Gianna, PLC in New Orleans is an elected Fellow of the International Society of Barristers. He has accumulated vast trial experience from his national practice trying cases from both sides of the courtroom, representing  Fortune 500 companies, insurance companies, small businesses, and individuals in a wide variety of areas. From the prosecution and defense of  simple 2-party personal injury cases, to complex engineering and construction litigation, toxic tort class actions, asbestos defense, product  liability, employment disputes, to nationally significant pension plan/securities fraud cases (the Petrobras international pension fraud case –an  HBO special), Dom has tried them all and draws on his experience in creating a favorable atmosphere for a successful mediation. His  experience as a playwright and producer has added entertainment law to his list of mediation specialties. Dom’s experience as a pro tem trial  judge and appointed Special Master in cases ranging from personal injury matters to major class actions (the Scott vs. American Tobacco class  action) compliments his trial experience and enhances his ability to get to “Yes” in a mediation. Dom is also recognized as one of America’s  master teachers of persuasion science and the art of advocacy. He has trained thousands of lawyers to be powerful advocates and has led over  450 seminars throughout the English-speaking world. He uses his unique talents and experiences as a teacher/trainer to keep the mediation  process going forward, to “teach” the positives and negatives of a case to the parties, motivating the parties to achieve successful resolution.  Dom is the author of Opening Statements: Winning in the Beginning by Winning the Beginning (Thomson Reuters/West) and numerous other  publications in the fields of advocacy and persuasion science. He is one of only five lawyers in America to have received both the Keeton and  Oliphant awards from the National Institute for Trial Advocacy for his contributions to the teaching and practice of persuasion science and  advocacy throughout the world. He is routinely engaged by law firms to assist in the preparation of their trial strategy and, in particular, their  trial or arbitration opening statements. Dom’s background as a Broadway theater kid, actor, author, stage hand and producer serve him in  helping professionals create winning presentations, trial stories, winning openings. Dom assists law firms in creating focus groups/mock trials to  test the strength of their cases. He is the author of Cicero Speaks: A Conversation in Ancient Rome, The Mockingbird Still Sings and the producer of  The Survival of St. Joan, America’s first rock opera, headed to Broadway in 2023. Dom has been a Program Director and a member of the  National Faculty of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) for over 30 years. He received his formal mediation certification training  through Northwestern University.