How One Attorney Uses the LIT SUITE to Build Stronger Cases—From Deposition to Settlement
For Chuck Slane, partner at TSR Injury Law in Minnesota, technology isn’t just a convenience; it’s essential. As a trial attorney with more than 25 years of experience, Chuck has spent his career advocating for clients in personal injury cases.
As his firm bio says, "He’s built a reputation as an attorney who thinks three steps ahead and never leaves a detail unchecked. His colleagues describe him as one of the most prepared and analytical lawyers they’ve ever met."
Chuck started his legal career as a paralegal. As a part of the four-year paralegal degree, he had to complete an internship, and began working for a personal injury attorney who encouraged him to go to law school, and would later become his mentor. He continued to work at the firm until he founded TSR Injury Law with partner Steve Terry.
His experience as a paralegal carried over into his approach to building a case as a lawyer: be detailed, organized, and always prepared.
“When I started my legal career, I was a paralegal. That gave me a deep appreciation for how much work goes into building a case,” Chuck says. “The mindset has stayed with me ever since.”
Today, Chuck handles a broad range of personal injury cases; from car crashes and premises liability to product and worksite accidents. But what sets his practice apart isn’t just his experience, it’s his efficiency. And much of that comes down to how he uses the LIT SUITE.
Chuck first discovered TranscriptPad, and it quickly became central to how he prepares for depositions and trial.
“TranscriptPad is just so useful because you have all your transcripts with you all the time. It’s also a great way to review your own transcripts and improve your questioning and tighten up how you speak.”
For Chuck, the ability to review past depositions and refine his approach has become a powerful feedback loop. "I have to do a deposition this week that is similar to one I did before, where there's a punitive damages case. I went back and looked at how I did the questioning the last time, and just looked at how I structured some of the questions, and am keeping that in mind so I can repeat the same process."
But TranscriptPad’s video-syncing feature has been a game-changer. Now he can sync recorded video depositions directly with the transcript, edit video clips himself, and use them strategically in settlement negotiations or at trial.
“I can take a Zoom deposition, make my clips, and create a video presentation for the defense showing the strengths of my case. It’s fast, easy, and incredibly persuasive.”
For presentations, Chuck turns to TrialPad. He uses it to control the flow of evidence and direct attention exactly where he wants it. For Chuck, TrialPad's presentations shine during Zoom depositions. Now that they are a common way to depose a witness, Zoom depositions give him the opportunity to present using TrialPad on a nearly day-to-day basis, further building his knowledge of TrialPad and the best way to present evidence to a given audience.
“TrialPad lets you keep control of what document everyone is looking at. If you hand an expert a binder, they’ll start flipping pages to buy time. But with TrialPad, you decide what’s on screen, what’s highlighted, and at what pace the testimony unfolds.”
Chuck’s creative suggestion for a new feature in TrialPad—Laser Trail—has even become a favorite among other LIT SUITE customers. Laser Trail allows a presenter to momentarily mark an exhibit on-screen, guiding the jury’s focus before the annotation fades away. “I used a similar tool in another app and realized how effective it could be for directing a jury’s attention,” Chuck recalls. “With Laser Trail, you can show exactly what you want them to see, then it disappears, so their attention naturally moves on.”
Chuck relies on the LIT SUITE apps to have access to all his case documents no matter where he is, and this has transformed his practice. Chuck has started using DocReviewPad to manage and annotate case documents, and he’s exploring TimelinePad to visualize case chronology. Together, the LIT SUITE tools give him complete command over every phase of litigation, without ever being tied to a desk.
“The LIT SUITE works seamlessly together. It’s everything I need, all in one place.”
Whether in the office, on the road, or in court, Chuck’s workflow revolves around his iPad, which has become a force-multiplier for his practice. “It’s so nice to have all my materials sitting on my iPad and carry them wherever I go,” he says. “If I’ve got ten minutes between meetings, I can sit down and work on a case.”
Those ten-minute increments can add up to hours of productivity over the course of a matter.
Chuck’s approach is straightforward: combine deep legal experience with smart technology. The result is a practice that’s more efficient, more persuasive, and more agile.
“We used to pay court reporters to sync video depositions by the hour,” he says. “Now I just download the files, hit a button, and it’s done. It saves time, money, and makes the entire process smoother.”
For attorneys like Chuck, the LIT SUITE isn’t about chasing new technology. It’s about using the right tools to focus on what matters most: clients and cases.
Learn more about Chuck Slane and TSR Injury Law:
Web: https://www.tsrinjurylaw.com/who-we-are/chuck-slane/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesslane/
Facebook: TSR Injury Law
Instagram: @TSRInjuryLaw
X: @TSRTime
LinkedIn (Company): https://www.linkedin.com/company/tsr-injury-law
Experience the LIT SUITE today, and see how it can transform your practice.