The Persuasion Occasion Perkins Coie LLP

This week on The Persuasion Occasion, we welcome noted First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams as he recounts his representation of the New York Times in the historic legal battle over the publication of the Pentagon Papers. This 1971 case led to a groundbreaking U.S. Supreme Court ruling affecting freedom of the press. Floyd’s captivating storytelling and description reveals how this fight about fundamental constitutional issues unfolded in a charged political environment.

Join us for an engaging session with Kasia Jagodzinska, author of the Financial Times Guide to High Impact Negotiation. We discuss the negotiation process, how Kasia’s multicultural training served her in international negations at the United Nations, and the influence of psychology on negotiations. 

Kasia considers various negotiation strategies, including the Harvard Win/Win teaching and the FBI’s strategies for crisis negotiations, and observations on new technology.As an associate professor in negotiations at the University of Neuchatel, and senior trainer at the Schranner Negotiation Institute, Kasia is recognized as a national expert to the European Parliament on cross-border mediations and served as a senior advisor to the United Nations in Geneva. She is the author of several books on self-empowerment in high-stakes negotiations, including Negotiation Booster.

Doug Wilson, and DWC President Michele Vives discuss the growth and downturns of mixed-use development. Michele shares her perspective on the dramatic loss in value of downtown real estate and the interconnectedness of commercial real estate and such community issues as homelessness, and our need to address these challenges. Doug, a 40-year veteran of real estate cycles, describes why he is optimistic about downtown urban development and investing in San Francisco properties when others are closing their doors.

Johnny Dzubak and AJ Harbinger, creators of The Art of Charm podcast, share how their podcast—and their subsequent training services—help people open up lines of communication and influence. They explain how positive feedback loops and other trained behaviours can make you more persuasive and discuss the skills that can help build trust and relationships. Johnny and AJ also describe how their work with Special Forces allowed them to communicate with other cultures to build valuable rapport.

We’re excited to talk with Carlos Alvarenga, author of The Rules of Persuasion, How the World’s Greatest Communicators Convince, Inspire, Lead—and, Sometimes, Deceive. Carlos reveals how he translated Aristotle's principles of persuasion to modern media (e.g., movies and rap music) to make his advice more accessible. He also explores his definition of persuasion, how Donald Trump's presidential campaign created a powerful loyalty from his audience, and the concept of chemistry in communication.

David and Jasmine talk with Markus Funk about the investigation and trial of the powerful Chicago-based Calabrese family mob, who engineered years of extortion, gambling, bookmaking, and hundreds of murders. Their gangland execution of two mobsters in an Indiana cornfield was reenacted in Martin Scorsese’s Casino, giving viewers a glimpse of the chilling nature of organized crime activities. Marcus describes the trial of the nation’s most extensive mob murder case, how they flipped mob leader Frank Calabrese’s son, and how Markus’ closing argument prompted Frank Sr. to refer to him as “a dead man.” He shares fascinating details of his life as an assistant United States attorney (AUSA), how to be persuasive at trial, and how his experience has taught him the importance of being authentic, no matter your role.