Karon Law Blog

What is MATA’s Virtual Coffee Hour?

Posted June 08, 2026

By Jonathan A. Karon

Since the COVID lock down, I’ve had the pleasure of moderating the MATA (Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys) Virtual Coffee Hour. Every Friday approximately 25-40 Massachusetts trial lawyers log in on Zoom, introduce themselves and a speaker presents on a topic for 10-15 minutes on trial practice, litigation techniques, medicine or another topic of interest to plaintiffs’ personal injury lawyers. Typically, after an initial 10-15 minute informal presentation, we open it up for comments and questions from the assembled, which is usually the most fun part. Because the folks who log in range from new lawyers to very experienced trial practitioners, we get a wide range of perspectives.

We have speakers both from Massachusetts and around the country.  We’ve had panels of some of the best Massachusetts trial lawyers discuss trial strategy, jury voir dire, what to do when you’re 30 days from trial and taking Rule 30(b)(6) depositions.  Other coffee hour topics included diagnosing spinal injuries, neuropsychology, Daubert and malingering tests, conducting focus groups, case investigation, using expert witnesses, direct examination of a personal injury plaintiff, cross examining expert witnesses and lawyer well-being. 

National speakers have included Greg Cusimano teaching the concepts in his recent book Seeds for Success, Rick Friedman on arguing non-economic damages, trial consultant Artemis Malekpour allowing us the opportunity to “ask Artemis” and representatives from the Brain Injury Association of America discussing the important work they do for TBI survivors.

Plaintiff lawyers from other states are welcome to attend. Every week on LinkedIn I post the topic and speaker of that week’s MATA virtual coffee hour.  If you’d like to join us send me an e-mail (jakaron@karonlaw.net) and once I make sure you really are a plaintiff’s side lawyer I’ll make sure you get the Zoom link for that Friday’s coffee hour.  

MATA started the virtual coffee hour when everyone was locked down during COVID.  At the time it was a way to keep our members connected and not feeling isolated.   As a Past President of MATA, I volunteered to moderate and I’ve been doing it ever since.  When COVID lock downs ended, I thought virtual coffee hour would end, but our members really wanted us to continue and it’s been going strong ever since.  I need to give a couple of shout-outs, first to Paul Dullea, MATA’s Executive Director, without whom nothing in MATA happens and even bigger ones to everyone who has presented and the biggest one for everyone who has attended and shared.  I’m grateful to call you my friends and to have learned from all of you. 

As I tell people, we’re basically doing this every Friday from now until forever.  So, if you’re a MATA member or a plaintiff’s attorney from another state and you haven’t checked it out yet, come join us.