You concede too early.
Pressure rises, silence feels uncomfortable, and you give away value before you understand what matters.
40 years at the negotiating table
Negotiate Like a Trial Lawyer
Win better deals, handle difficult conversations, and avoid the costly mistakes that destroy agreements—using lessons from 40 years of courtroom and million-dollar negotiation experience.
- ≈70 jury trials
- AV rated
- 2013 CLAY Award
California trial lawyer since 1986Orange County Trial Lawyer of the YearMillion Dollar Advocates Forum
The cost of getting it wrong
A weak negotiation rarely feels expensive—until it is.
The conversation turns personal.
Emotion replaces strategy. A solvable problem becomes a damaged relationship.
You accept the wrong deal.
Without a clear walk-away option, almost any offer can look better than no agreement.
A practical system
Prepare clearly. Listen closely. Close deliberately.
You do not need a louder voice. You need a better process.
Know your objective
Define the result you want, the interests behind it, and the point where you should walk away.
Understand the other side
Ask useful questions, listen for underlying interests, and watch what words alone cannot tell you.
Create a workable agreement
Trade across differences, confirm commitment, and put the final terms in writing.
What changes
Three advantages you can take into any room.
More control
Prepare for pressure, recognize leverage, and make decisions against clear standards.
Better conversations
Lower defensiveness, surface the real issue, and keep disagreement from becoming conflict.
Stronger agreements
Create value, document the details, and reduce the chance of regret after everyone leaves the table.
The complete playbook
Fourteen chapters. One stronger way to negotiate.
Read in order or go directly to the challenge in front of you.
Understanding the Power of Negotiation
Recognize the negotiations already shaping your work, money, and relationships.
Read chapterEstablishing Your Negotiation Strategy
Set clear objectives, understand your leverage, and prepare before the conversation starts.
Read chapterThe Winning Psychology of Negotiation
Use emotional intelligence, empathy, and bias awareness to make better decisions.
Read chapterThe Art of Listening and Asking Questions
Learn what people really need before you make your next move.
Read chapterBody Language and Its Influence
Read nonverbal signals and make your own presence more intentional.
Read chapterHandling Objections, Resistance and Impasses
Keep a difficult conversation moving when positions harden.
Read chapterThe Art of Persuasion in Negotiation
Make your case without manipulation, pressure, or needless conflict.
Read chapterUnderstanding and Leveraging Your BATNA
Build a strong Plan B so you know when to agree—and when to walk away.
Read chapterCreating and Claiming Value
Expand the options, then protect the value you helped create.
Read chapterNegotiating Across Cultures
Adapt your communication with empathy, awareness, and respect.
Read chapterEthical Boundaries in Negotiation
Protect trust and credibility while advocating for your interests.
Read chapterMastering Virtual Negotiations
Negotiate with clarity and presence by video, phone, and email.
Read chapterClosing the Deal
Turn verbal progress into a clear, durable, written agreement.
Read chapterReflecting, Learning, and Improving
Review every outcome and turn experience into lasting skill.
Read chapterChoose your path
Learn at the pace of the decision.
10 minutes
Quick start
Build a simple preparation checklist before your next conversation.
Plan your strategy →Complete guide
The full playbook
Work through all fourteen chapters and build a repeatable negotiation system.
Begin freeWhen you are stuck
Break the impasse
Respond to resistance without pushing the other person further away.
Handle resistance →A word about trust
What professional peers say about Mitch.
These recommendations speak to Mitch’s experience and character—not results from this educational website.
“Mitch is the one that you want to have in your corner when it comes to navigating complex legal matters.”
“Mitch Jackson’s Zoom mediation services are excellent and I highly recommend them given his breadth of experience and expertise.”
“While Mitch’s expertise is impressive, it’s who he is as a person that makes him truly remarkable.”
Meet your guide
Forty years of hard conversations, distilled.
Mitch Jackson opened his California law practice in 1986. Since then, he has participated in approximately 70 jury trials, negotiated numerous multimillion-dollar outcomes, and served as a trial lawyer, private mediator, court mediator, and Judge Pro Tem.
His approach is direct: prepare carefully, listen for what matters, and protect the relationship while you solve the problem.
More about MitchQuestions, answered
Before you begin.
Is this only for business negotiations?
No. The same principles help with contracts, compensation, purchases, family decisions, and difficult everyday conversations.
Do I need legal training?
Not at all. Each chapter translates negotiation concepts into plain language and practical moves you can use immediately.
Is negotiation about beating the other person?
No. Strong negotiation protects your interests while looking for an agreement people can actually live with.
Where should I begin?
Start with Chapter 1 if you are new. If a conversation is already stuck, jump to Chapter 6 on objections and impasses.
What is a BATNA?
It is your Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement—your strongest realistic option if the current deal does not happen.
Is this legal advice?
No. This site provides general educational information. Consult an appropriate professional about your specific situation.
Your next conversation is coming
Walk into it prepared.
Start with the principles that make every other negotiation skill work.
Read chapter one