Birmingham, AL — September 25, 2025 — Heninger Garrison Davis, a leading plaintiffs’ trial firm, is proud to announce that its founding partner, Steve Heninger, will release his much-anticipated new book, Trial Worthy: Last Responders (subtitle: The Siren’s Call for Trading Paper Wings for Toolbelts in Courtroom Persuasion), on October 11, 2025.
Over more than four decades of trial practice, Steve Heninger has established himself as a premier voice in trial advocacy, achieving high—stakes verdicts, teaching advanced litigation strategy, and mentoring generations of trial lawyers. Trial Worthy distills the hard-earned insights of his career into a blueprint for courtroom persuasion, arguing that effective advocates must move beyond rote technique (“paper wings”) and equip themselves with the durable, adaptable tools required to win in the jury box.
“We don’t sell justice; It is not for sale… We promise to let the world see and hear you. … Our message, our client’s story, will not be for everyone. But it must be for someone.” — from Trialnasium, Steve Heninger’s litigation blog.
About Steve Heninger
Steve Heninger’s journey is a testament to grit, service, and mastery over the art of persuasion:
- Raised in rural southern Illinois, he excelled academically and athletically before attending the University of Illinois, where he was on the varsity track team.
- After graduating in 1972, he served as a U.S. Army officer, becoming Brigade Legal Officer and trying more than 100 courts-martial (including jury trials) before he entered law school after leaving the Army.
- Heninger attended Cumberland School of Law, graduating summa cum laude. He clerked for a U.S. District Judge and then built his career as a plaintiffs’ litigator.
- He has led as President of the Birmingham Bar Association, as President of the Alabama Chapter of ABOTA (American Board of Trial Advocates), and participated in state appellate procedure committees.
- Among many honors, he was named Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers® in the Birmingham area for Medical Malpractice (2025), an accolade he had earned previously, and holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
- His trial record includes multiple cases with verdicts in the seven-figure range, and he has lectured widely on trial advocacy at institutions including Harvard, Georgetown, Stanford, and the University of Alabama.
In his Trialnasium blog, Heninger frames litigation as a communicative battleground—not a mechanical exercise—and insists that persuasion must be personal, empathic, and retellable. Posts like “Evidence Is an Image — Not Naked Fact” emphasize that juries do not merely absorb facts; they internalize stories. LinkedIn
What Trial-Worthy Offers
- A narrative roadmap through every phase of trial advocacy — from voir dire, to cross-examination, to closing — infused with psychological insight and rhetorical strategy.
- A shift in mindset: from formulaic checklists to adaptable, situation-driven persuasion tools.
- Real-world examples drawn from Heninger’s most difficult trials, showing both joyful successes and hard lessons learned.
- A resource for young attorneys seeking a trial mentor in print, and for seasoned advocates who want to sharpen their instincts.
“Trading paper wings for toolbelts” captures the book’s call to arms: trial work demands more than technical knowledge—it requires robust, hands-on persuasion skills that endure under pressure.
Availability
Trial Worthy: Last Responders will be available for purchase on October 11, 2025.
