Gwyneth Paltrow v Terry Sanderson went to trial, to determine who caused a ski crash at Deer Valley ski resort in Utah. On the surface, it appeared to be a simple ski collision case. Mr. Sanderson alleged that Ms. Paltrow skied into his back, knocking him down hard while landing on him, causing him to suffer a concussion and 4 broken ribs.

The intensity of the media attention made it anything but simple. We will discuss a few of the lessons from this high profile case including the importance of venue, jury selection, gag orders and more. The lessons pertain to not only high profile cases but also simple tort claims where liability is in dispute.