Archive | Magnus

10,000 Hours

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 25, 2019

Category: Careers, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Trial Consultants

There is considerable research on what level of effort is required to perform at “master” or “expert” level at a variety of skills. Malcolm Gladwell expounded on this concept in his 2008 book, Outliers. Much of the focus of this research has revolved around becoming expert at a skill like chess or mastering a musical […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 25, 2019

Category: Careers, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Trial Consultants

I don’t know how many hours it takes to gain expertise on something, but I do know expertise cannot be achieved without effort and experience. The characterization of an attorney as a “trial lawyer” is, in my opinion, misplaced unless the attorney has considerable courtroom experience. These days, many attorneys who call themselves “trial lawyers” […]

Gone Fishin’

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 18, 2019

Category: Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Magnus, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants

I recently went fishing – but without a fishing pole. It was a marketing trip and somehow, the analogy of marketing and fishing clicked for me. There are many forms of marketing, including advertising; direct sales calls on the phone, via email, or in person; and, increasingly, via the internet or social media. As entrepreneurs, […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 18, 2019

Category: Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Magnus, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants

David’s fishing analogy is a funny one! Unlike David, I neither fish nor hunt, however, I do appreciate his attempt to portray his hard work of marketing for Magnus as similar to fishing. In my part of this post, I will continue to use David’s fishing analogy to describe what we, at Magnus, do when […]

Confirmation Bias, Part 2

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 11, 2019

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

In thinking about my prior post on confirmation bias, I thought about one aspect of being hired as a professional trial consultant. It happens that I recently saw an announcement of a bar association seminar on do it yourself (DIY) mock trials. I know that mock trials are often expensive when conducted by a qualified […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 11, 2019

I’ll begin my part of this topic by saying that, if social psychologists, who study confirmatory bias and are, therefore, presumed to be experts on it, are subject to confirmation bias in their decision making, then almost anyone can engage in this type of biased information processing. Attorneys may be more educated and more intelligent […]

The day after a research day is not a holiday

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 9, 2019

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Business Travel, Careers, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Research, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

Conducting mock jury or focus group research is hard work. I am the first to admit this. After working as a jury/trial consultant for 30 years, I know everyone who works with Magnus does a great job, for long hours, in difficult environments, with demanding clients. I get it. I really do. I am right […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 9, 2019

It is interesting, and often frustrating, working with new hires whose perspectives on work have been formed in less demanding environments, if they have even worked in a professional environment. The day(s) after research are critical for assimilating the data collected, the videos uploaded, and addressing client concerns which emerged on the research day. As […]

Confirmation Bias, Part 1

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 4, 2019

Category: Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Research, Litigation Research, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Research, Psychology, Trial Consulting

I read an article recently about confirmation bias and how it negatively impacts social science research and progress. Confirmation bias is “the tendency to seek, interpret, and create information in ways that verify existing beliefs.” (Brehm & Kassin, Social Psychology, 1989. Which is, coincidentally, a textbook for which Melissa co-authored the Instructor’s Manual and Study […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 4, 2019

Category: Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Research, Litigation Research, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Research, Psychology, Trial Consulting

David’s post is interesting to me in two regards. First, it is interesting that David, and not I, chose a topic related to my background as a social psychologist. Second, it is interesting that David focused his post on confirmation bias in social science research. Recently, the media have frequently mentioned confirmation bias, as if […]

Travel to maximize office/work time

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 2, 2019

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Business Travel, Careers, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Travel, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

The late Wayne Huizenga, who founded several major corporations and owned several professional sports teams, was quoted in a news article many years ago as endorsing the view that he and his employees traveled on business during the time most people are home, spending time with their families. For Mr. Huizenga, it was more important […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 2, 2019

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Business Travel, Careers, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Travel, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

There is certainly a balance in scheduling work and work travel to meet the clients’ needs. Without imposing on our employees’ personal time or incurring too much expense related to overtime work, the clients’ needs must come first. And, one thing, I suspect, is not taught at law school is that the life of a […]

Jury Consultants Are Not Just for Jury Trials

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 20, 2019

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

In the vein of prior posts, this is an attempt to clarify another misconception about what we do as trial or jury consultants. Usually in the context of an introduction, I hear what might be called “sales objections.” There are varieties of these objections, but one is this, if introduced as a “jury consultant” I […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 20, 2019

I prefer the term, “litigation consultant” to other terms more frequently used to describe the kind of work I perform. When I am asked what I do for a living, I rarely say I am a “jury consultant” or a “trial consultant.” Few laypersons know the meaning of any of these expressions and surprisingly, some […]

Have Brain-Will Travel

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 18, 2019

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

“Have Gun-Will Travel” was a Western radio and TV series starring Richard Boone that was broadcast from 1957 to 1963. The lead character was named Paladin; he was a gunfighter who traveled around the old west while working for people who needed his help solving their problems. Paladin charged a lot of money for his […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 18, 2019

Many jobs require a lot of “stuff.” The tools of many professions such as Melissa’s, however, require a sharp, focused mind, and little else. A pen and paper for note taking are probably the minimum in these occupations. However, despite the fact that Magnus is essentially paid for brainpower, certain aspects of the work we […]

Trial Consultants Are Not Just for Trials

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 13, 2019

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

It happened again. I am introduced to a new, prospective client, a lawyer at a very large firm – one with a nationwide presence, hundreds of lawyers, and many offices. This is the kind of attorney whom I assume understands the concept of what a trial consultant does. But, no. I send an email introduction […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 13, 2019

There are many people who believe they know more than they, in reality, actually know. Prospective clients who presume to know more than I know about the field in which I have been employed for the past 30 years are, in my opinion, rarely going to become Magnus clients. The misnomer “trial consultant” notwithstanding, it […]

Can Do

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 11, 2019

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees

“Can Do” is one of my mantras. I adopted it from Claudia Taylor Johnson, more commonly known as “Lady Bird” Johnson, the wife of President Lyndon Baines Johnson. Lady Bird Johnson was our First Lady from 1963 to 1969. On her desk was a paperweight with the “Can Do” motto on it, to signify that […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 11, 2019

It is refreshing when the can do attitude is demonstrated by a stranger, a store clerk, a server in a restaurant, and of course, an employee. I was once complimented by a customer to whom I was selling a camera in a retail setting. I didn’t think I was doing anything special, but he noticed, […]

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David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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