Last summer, Sukhm had the great privilege of working closely with Mr. Craig Bashein, one of Cleveland’s most successful and respected lawyers. Mr. Bashein took Sukhm under his wing, treating him to lunch, bringing him to a settlement conference in Columbus, Ohio, and letting Sukhm read a few depositions.

Sukhm shared a wealth of information with the middle school audience during his presentation on Tuesday, September 15. First, he defined several legal terms, such as plaintiff, deposition, and statute of limitations. He also explained how jury members are selected and witnesses are examined. Sukhm then discussed two interesting cases in depth. The first one involved a man named Patrick Bell who was suing the United States government after being injured on a federally owned bike trail. Mr. Bell claimed he hit a pipe in the road, causing his ATV to go off course. The case was ultimately settled in favor of Mr. Bell.

The other case was entitled Liebeck v. McDonalds Restaurants. It is a well-known case about a woman named Stella Liebeck who spilled McDonalds coffee on her lap. The coffee was so hot that Mrs. Liebeck suffered 3rd degree burns and had to have skin grafts. Mrs. Liebeck was awarded 2.7 million dollars in the settlement.

Sukhm wrapped up his presentation by discussing how important personal injury lawyers are to our society. They protect us from abuses from large corporations, such as tobacco companies and industrial factories. The audience learned a lot and showed their appreciation by giving Sukhm a standing ovation. Congratulations, Sukhm, on a job well done. You are our newest Junior Research Fellow!