Archive | Litigation Consultants

No one hires me for an easy case

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 26, 2019

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Getting the Job Done, Jury Behavior, Jury Consultants, Jury Deliberations, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

On numerous occasions throughout my career as a jury/trial consultant, prospective clients, not to mention family members and friends, have asked me if I have ever worked on a “big” case or a “difficult” case. I used to bristle when asked this question, due to its implication that I am not intelligent, experienced, or good […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 26, 2019

The fact that we are called on to work on large, difficult, challenging, and unique cases is one of the intellectual thrills of working as trial consultants. And, what were once challenges are not as intimidating as they might have been years ago. The money involved in some of the cases is part of the […]

My job is to help people

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 19, 2019

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Business Relationships, Getting the Job Done, Giving Back, Jury Behavior, Jury Consultants, Jury Deliberations, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Psychology, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

Sometimes, when I am asked what I do for a living, I answer, “I help people.” Although the details of my job description have changed over the years, my entire career has been devoted to helping people. In my job as Director of Marketing Research at a large hospital, I was tasked with helping improve […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 19, 2019

A client called for help this week. He faces a unexpected challenge of a case that he didn’t think would get to trial – then the judge set a trial date. With a trial looming, and some extra challenges on the part of his client, he called. It helped that he is a regular reader […]

Illumination

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 7, 2019

Category: Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

A client who has made several comments that have prompted prior blogs mentioned recently that, sometimes, things look great in the war room, but in the bright lights of the courtroom, they fall flat. I think he made a great point. As a photographer, I know that one of the keys to success in photography […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 7, 2019

Category: Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

People differ in their ability to see things from other people’s point of view. I am in the process of becoming a circuit civil mediator and I recently completed the training program that is a required part of this process. As I expected, most of my co-students were attorneys and I was the only psychologist […]

I’m happiest when I have a new data set

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 29, 2019

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Psychology, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

One of Magnus’ former employees once remarked that the times he saw me at my happiest were the days when I was analyzing a new data set. How true! There are few things in life I enjoy more than delving into a raw data file from a recently conducted survey of potential jurors. I eagerly […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 29, 2019

Some girls get excited about diamonds; Melissa gets excited about data (well, diamonds too). Data sets give her the chance to use her favorite computer program – SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). She fires up SPSS and digs in whenever she can. Sometimes the data sets are large and she can really poke […]

Unpaid Work

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 24, 2019

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Relationships, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

As entrepreneurs, Melissa and I often work without getting paid. The most common example from “my department” is talking with a prospective client about a new case, preparing a proposal, following up, only to hear that the project is a no go. Perhaps the price was beyond their budget, or the client wanted to use […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 24, 2019

People who lack the entrepreneurial mindset often can’t relate to David’s and my perspective regarding doing copious amounts of work for which we are not compensated. As an example, I have made hundreds of presentations to attorneys’ and insurance companies’ associations, most of which have involved zero payment to me. Why would I do such […]

Ask Me a Question, then LISTEN to My Answer

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 15, 2019

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Partnerships, Psychology, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

Recently, I have had several experiences in which someone asked me one or more questions, then constantly interrupted me while I attempted to answer the question(s). This has happened more times than I can count, however, it happened several times in the period of a few days, both in business and personal situations. One of […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 15, 2019

I think part of the listening dilemma is an occupational hazard. Our clients are mostly attorneys and attorneys are paid to talk. Listening seems more difficult for some, not all, of them. This manifests itself during jury selection when some seem to have difficulty actively listening to the responses to the questions they are asking. […]

Trial Consultant as Secret Weapons

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 10, 2019

Category: Entrepreneurship, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

Over the years Melissa and I have been working as trial consultants, we have often been called “a secret weapon” numerous times. In reality, the fact that we, or any trial consultant, is working on a case, at least in conducting pre-trial research, preparing witnesses and the like, is secret. It is confidential attorney work […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 10, 2019

It is interesting for me to be frequently called a “secret weapon” by my clients. As long time readers of David’s and my posts know, the client who utilized Magnus’ services most effectively is Kim Hart, from my hometown, Fort Myers, Florida. Kim Hart “gets it,” he really does. He, along with many other of […]

Talk to the Boss

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 3, 2019

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Relationships, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Trial Consulting

Many years ago when we were first starting Magnus, we learned a lesson, the hard way, about trusting clients, even prior clients, or their associates, when making research plans. We met with a client from our prior employer, at his request, and we came up a research plan for one of his cases. After the […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 3, 2019

“Talk to the boss” was an early, and painful, lesson learned in the early days of Magnus Research Consultants. Related to this learning experience was the realization that, when a client says, “The check is in the mail” or something similar, the check might not actually be in the mail (or sent via overnight delivery […]

Hiring an Unqualified Consultant is Like…

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 17, 2019

Category: Business Frustrations, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

As I write this, David is attending a series of out of town marketing meetings. David is meeting with clients, as well as with prospective clients, in the never ending task of obtaining new business for Magnus. Even though my career is nothing new and I have been working in the field of litigation consulting […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 17, 2019

This topic is a bit of a recurring one for us, in some variation. For a number of reasons, our profession has been under appreciated regarding what it means to be a qualified professional. Though many professions require credentials, qualifications, licenses, and tests, ours does not. This leaves the customer to sometimes buy from less […]

Faces of Jurors: “3 week trial” “Duty as Citizens” “As Pleasurable as Possible”

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 10, 2019

Category: Jury Behavior, Jury Consultants, Jury Deliberations, Litigation Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Trial Consultants

In my 30 year career as a jury/trial consultant, I have assisted attorneys in the jury selection process in over 200 trials. (And, just to be clear, I really don’t want to hear about the 1 time you were on a jury. I really don’t.) All of the trials on which I have worked are […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 10, 2019

Category: Jury Behavior, Jury Consultants, Jury Deliberations, Litigation Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Trial Consultants

I have not sat in the seat Melissa mentions looking into the faces of the jurors, but I have been one of those being questioned a few times. And, I’ve seen some faces made by those among the venire along the lines she described. (Some of the faces looking at the venire members were not […]

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Archive | Litigation Consultants

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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