The American Association for Justice has posted the official brochure for its summer convention, July 25-29 in San Francisco. It's just a fascinating document, full of revealing information about today's trends, strategies and tactics in the litigation industry.

Let's just choose one example, something related to the timely topic of health care. On Tuesday, the all day Professional Negligence Session devotes itself to the theme, "Connecting with the Jury--Strategies to Help Tell Your Client's Story Effectively" with sessions on:

• Dental Malpractice--How to Select a Winning Case
  
• The Use of a Grief Therapist in a Wrongful Death Case
  
• Making Complex Medical Negligence Cases Simple
  
• Speaking Through Your Expert
  
• Avoiding a Legal Malpractice Action (ethics)
  
• Recognizing and Prosecuting Claims Related to Hospital Acquired Infections
  
• Calling the Defendant Health Care Provider in Your Case-in-Chief: Pros and Cons

Grief counselors as part of a legal strategy! But once you think about, it makes sense: Every bad thing that happens at a school now requires the provision of government-sponsored grief counselors, and yet their very presence reinforces the severity of the BAD THING for purposes of liability. Attorney: "Were the children traumatized?" Counselor: "Oh, yes, terribly so."

A good read, the AAJ convention brochure.