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A Winning Tip
A Winning Tip
“Winning Tips” is a monthly blog designed especially for lawyers—you’ll gain insight on trial strategies, client communications, witness prep and jury behavior from one of the country’s foremost trial consultants.
Put “Truthiness” To Work For You—At Trial!
The value of visuals in trial work is well established, in that images emphasize and clarify testimony or evidence. However, research shows that visuals have an impact in yet another way, which can be put to powerful use in the courtroom. Scientists examined what Stephen Colbert calls “truthiness” –the feeling
Do You Like Me?
Likeability shouldn’t matter in the courtroom. A lawyer’s personality should be irrelevant. The facts should be paramount; they should be the only thing jurors pay attention to. Would that be nice if it were true? The jurors on any one of your jury panels are persuaded by a combination of
The Enduring, Maddening CSI Effect
In my ongoing research of what jurors think and how they decide cases, I am once again reminded of the enduring “CSI effect,” and how lawyers would do well to pay more attention to it. Simply put, the “CSI effect” is jurors’ overriding, sometimes obsessive, need to explore for themselves
Arrogance 101: Dump It!
In this era where celebrities are revered and the super-wealthy envied, it’s easy to forget how such individuals are perceived once in the Courtroom. Certainly, some celebrities and mega-billionaires have retained their essential “human-ness” despite their fame. Dick Van Dyke and Dolly Parton come to mind, but too many who’ve
Can Visuals Interfere With Your Argument/Testimony?
Our world has become a ‘world-in-pictures’ with virtually everything translated into a visual format, or at the very least, accompanied by an icon or picture of some related sort. Given this reality, litigators have been encouraged to create visuals and graphics to support the presentation of their case, to the
The Power of Privacy: Juror Questionnaires
You would think that potential jurors, knowing that their written juror questionnaires will be scrutinized by the lawyers on both sides and by trial consultants and other professionals, would respond to written queries the same as they do to oral voir dire. Not. Fascinating research (Flores, 2011) revealed something I
Persuasion 101: Seeing is Believing
A few years back, a Brigham City orthopedic surgeon (Dr. Dewey MacKay) claimed that the jury mistakenly convicted him of illegally prescribing medication because they neither understood the facts of the case, nor how chronic pain is managed. Jurors interviewed at the time, however, said Dr. Mackay’s comments were misguided.
Create a Trustworthy First Impression
Personal experience tells us how powerful first impressions are. Indeed, research reinforces our innate understanding of first impressions. The study suggests it takes just 20 seconds to detect whether a stranger is genetically inclined to being trustworthy, kind or compassionate. That’s less than a minute for you, or your witnesses,
The True Value of Computer/AI Animation In Court
Most cases that don’t settle end up in trial because there are grey areas in the case–situations or testimony that can be interpreted in different ways. Computer/AI animation in court is often thought of as an effective, albeit expensive, way to show events. Research tells us, however, that there is
Noelle C. Nelson, Ph.D., has over 30 years of experience as a trial consultant. She specializes in trial strategy, witness preparation and focus groups all over the U.S.
Contact her at noelle@noellenelson.com.
Second Edition of Connecting With Your Client is Available Through
The second edition of Dr. Noelle Nelson’s Connecting With Your Client (ABA Publishing) gives attorneys the most up-to-date communication and persuasive tools needed to achieve greater client satisfaction.
The book contains updated information on:
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- Effectively communicating using the latest technology
- Creating rapport that builds your client’s trust and confidence
- Communicating billing and other case management issues in ways that support good client-lawyer relations
- Training your associates, legal assistants and support staff to adopt the appropriate attitude toward clients
- Step-by-step exercises that can help defuse uncomfortable situations
Connecting With Your Client includes discussion on how to maintain control over difficult situations and clients, as well as professional solutions drawn from real-life, real-case experiences. Managing partners, executive directors and marketing directors of top-level firms contribute their perspectives and share their solutions for attaining client satisfaction and cooperation.
Connecting With Your Client is available on LexisNexis.com. It is available in print and as an e-book.
Featured Articles:
- “How To Work Successfully With A Narcissistic Client”
Law Practice Today - “Out With The Old, In With The New–Try An Updated Approach To Jury Selection”
California Litigation - “Working With Your Jury”
ABA – Litigation & Trial Practice