From Trial Apprenticeship to Tech Empowerment: How Marcus Castillo Built a Lifetime of Legal Mastery, and Found His Ideal Toolkit in LIT SUITE
When attorney Marcus Castillo began practicing law in 1983, case preparation was measured in stacks of paper and weeks of waiting. Back then, he says, “They tried more cases than they do now, and I was lucky enough to get a crash course in trial work early.”
Working in a small Clearwater, Florida firm gave Marcus a front-row seat to the full spectrum of litigation: injury, commercial disputes, and even eminent domain. That hands-on training laid a foundation that has carried him through four decades of evolving legal practice, and through just about every shift in legal technology.
“We’ve begun bringing retired circuit judges in for mock summary judgment hearings and Daubert challenges,” Marcus explains. “It’s the missing link—seeing how your arguments land before it’s too late to adapt.”
The drive to test, refine, and understand cases deeply runs through everything Marcus does. And it’s what drew him to LIT SUITE.
“Using these apps early in a case gets you to a winning understanding faster.”
“Back in the day, I was a CaseMap and TimeMap user,” Marcus says. “They were good conceptually, but they never integrated the way lawyers needed. You were always trying to marry programs that weren’t meant for each other.”
When he discovered the early version of TrialPad, everything clicked. “It wasn’t just a trial presentation tool,” he explains. “It became a place to store and organize documents before DocReviewPad existed. I started using it in the focus groups for creating slideshows, illustrating key facts, and debriefing jurors. It was an incredibly powerful, flexible tool.”
As DocReviewPad, TranscriptPad, and TimelinePad were released, Marcus integrated each into his workflow. “For me, DocReviewPad is where every case begins. I can tag and issue-code documents however I want. It’s so malleable. Then those tags flow naturally into TranscriptPad, where I harvest video sound bites. And now with TimelinePad, I can pull everything together into a clear, data-rich chronology.”
“The LIT SUITE doesn’t impose structure—it gives you a platform.”
He calls TimelinePad “a timeline on steroids.”
“You can embed testimony, exhibits—everything. It’s the structure jurors need to understand the case. And it’s just as useful early on, when you’re trying to understand what happened and when, as it is when you’re ready to present.”
Marcus’s approach to case preparation is built on perspectives: “You have to look at your case from several angles: the elements, the witnesses, the exhibits, the timeline, and the story. The LIT SUITE lets me do all of that. It gives me leverage in every phase.”
“Every lawyer uses it differently—and that’s what makes it so powerful.”
He uses the apps collaboratively as well. “I’ll give my assistant a list of tags to start with in DocReviewPad. Then I refine and build from there. It’s a real workflow. And having the apps on both Mac and iPad is perfect. My Mac is my input device, and my iPad is my presentation device.”
When asked about LIT SUITE’s value, Marcus doesn’t hesitate. “At the new price point, it’s a steal,” he says. “I’ve used all the legacy products, CaseMap, Sanction, TextMap. They’re expensive, clunky, and outdated. The LIT SUITE is elegant, efficient, and built for how lawyers actually work.”
And for attorneys still wondering if it’s right for their practice? Marcus has simple advice:
“I wondered the same thing. But using these apps early in a case gets you to a winning understanding faster. You start seeing what matters and why it matters. That’s how you build stronger cases and deliver more compelling presentations to judges and juries.”
“It’s the structure jurors need to understand the case.”
Beyond his technical expertise, Marcus’s career reflects empathy and curiosity—the traits that define the best advocates. From injury cases to employment law, from focus groups to mock judging, he’s spent a lifetime making complex ideas accessible and human.
And with the LIT SUITE, he’s found technology that reflects the same values: clarity, accessibility, and empowerment.
Marcus Castillo is a trial lawyer, consultant, and co-founder of Trial Focus based in Florida. He continues to advocate for efficient, insightful trial preparation and meaningful use of legal technology to strengthen advocacy at every level.
More About Marcus Castillo, Esq.:
Law Firm: https://castillolawmediation.com/
Consulting Firm: https://www.trialfocus.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glancecharts/
