How to select a jury consultant

When interviewing a jury consultant, here are some important questions to ask:

What is your educational and professional background?

There are many people who hang out a shingle as a jury consultant who actually have very little professional training or education in issues specific to trial consulting. A professional background in psychology, communication and group dynamics is essential to understanding how small groups of strangers make decisions. Dr. Fleming-Ginn has a Ph.D. in Organizational psychology, and a Master of Arts in Psychology, a Master of Arts in Communication Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, plus more than fifteen years of experience selecting juries.

How many juries have you personally selected?

Many jury consultants do most of their work in focus groups, and rarely are involved in the actual selection of jurors at trial. Although focus groups can be a valuable means of assessing potential juror attitudes, they are no substitute for being in a trial. Verdix Jury Consulting has participated in over 200 trials in the past fifteen years.

Who will serve as my jury consultant?

We often hear from former clients of large jury consultation firms that they did not feel they received personal attention, and were shuffled around. The senior person who sold them on the company was just too busy to pay attention to their case and did the proverbial bait-and-switch. At Verdix, personal attention is guaranteed.

What services do you offer beyond focus groups and jury selection?

Effective jury consultation takes into account a broad range of issues, including theme development, witness preparation, trial graphics, questionnaires, and courtroom protocols. Verdix offers all of these services and much more.

When to select a jury consultant.

Most cases benefit from early retention of a jury consultant. Early theme development will assist your creation of an effective discovery plan, and can make a substantial difference during mediation or settlement negotiations. Witnesses do their best when their psychological issues are addressed before deposition. Focus groups can be an effective means of gauging how a representative sample of the community feels about the issues of your case. The earlier you have a jury consultant on your case, the more confident you can feel that you have put forward your clientís most persuasive case.