Services
Witness Preparation
Witnesses provide a jury with specific chapters of the larger narrative. Jurors assess how a witness communicates as they measure their credibility. To effectively communicate their portion of the case, each witness must prepare. Ideally, witnesses should be prepared prior to deposition. For a witness to be effective, they must be behaviorally consistent, likable, and succinctly communicate their portion of the story. Proper preparation addresses a range of aspects that are unique to communicating in the courtroom that specifically address issues that challenge a witness' credibility, and how to be effective in direct and cross examination.
Focus Groups and Mock Trials
Testing themes in a controlled research setting provides the opportunity to collect vital feedback from participants emulating the venue. Projects are tailored to meet the client's needs, test initial themes, and provide feedback on presentations. Most importantly, pre-trial research projects are designed to address key questions and concerns that are unique to the case. Results from focus groups and mock trials inform trial teams as they prepare for negotiations/ mediation, prepare witnesses, and/ or prepare for trial.
Voir Dire
Getting the jury panel to talk is critical to having an effective voir dire. An effective voir dire is rooted in appreciative inquiry and gets potential jurors to talk more about their attitudes, experiences and perceptions of issues that are of significance to the case. The questions for voir dire should minimize the possibility of identifying favorable jurors, while matching the style of the presenter to ensure authenticity.
Jury Selection
Cases can be lost during jury selection. Data collected from focus groups/ mock trials can inform the team about potential biases in the jury pool. Reviewing the panel ahead of time presents opportunities to assess and rate panel members prior to voir dire. A key part of the process is having an acute ear that listens to panelists responses and potential biases in light of the critical themes of the case.
Case Strategy Refinement
Each case presents a unique set of issues, questions, and challenges. An in-depth conversation to workshop a case can help a trial team make crucial adjustments as they prepare. A review of the case, followed by an in-depth discussion about strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities can address the cohesiveness of the case narrative. These discussions ultimately inform case strategies specific to portions of the case life-cycle including: discovery; potential pre-trial research exercises; witness preparation; voir dire; jury selection; and preparation for trial.