Archive | Trial Consultants

Hurricanes and Jury Selections

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 25, 2020

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

Recently, residents of Florida were threatened by another hurricane. In Florida, hurricanes are as much a part of our existence as that famous mouse in Orlando. Sooner or later, we Floridians will have to stop what we are doing and prepare, whether we like it or not, whether we have something better to do, or […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 25, 2020

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

I’m writing this following another hurricane non-event. A near miss – really near, less than 100 miles. We did get some wind and rain, but we were ready. We spent a full day preparing, a “wasted” Saturday effort as it turns out, and a full day resetting everything, a “wasted” Sunday. I can only say […]

Nuclear Verdicts: Part 2

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 20, 2020

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

Face it, some trials are bad, there is liability, there are real damages. Evaluating those honestly and without bias is what we, as trial consultants, help our clients accomplish. And, that said, the other issue in mock jury research when we work for the defense is that the plaintiff’s argument, when presented during the mock […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 20, 2020

Over the years, I have heard some interesting remarks from defense attorneys and insurance adjusters following their observations of mock juries deliberating on their case. One client, who is a defense attorney but who was, for reasons unknown to me, hired to represent numerous plaintiffs in a billion dollar class action case, told me that […]

Nuclear Verdicts: Part 1

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 13, 2020

Boom – the verdict is in and it is explosive, shocking everyone involved. These verdicts are referred to “nuclear verdicts,” with the implication that they are both large and unreasonable. I read about this phenomenon regularly. It is a trend that frightens one side of the “v.” – the defense side, and emboldens the other […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 13, 2020

When David and I founded Magnus in 1993, we used a slogan in our marketing materials, “Reducing Uncertainty.” We know, based on our experience in conducting mock trials, focus groups, and attitude surveys, that our research results provide our clients with information about which they would have never known without our help. Knowing this information […]

We Don’t Have to do Anything

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 11, 2020

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

I meet a lot of people in my work as a jury/trial consultant and in my “other life” as a musician. David says I don’t often respond to meeting new people very well, however, I believe many people I meet aren’t the kind of people with whom I would like to become further acquainted. A […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 11, 2020

From time to time I’ve observed these “have to do” clients and Melissa is right, it is a negative mindset. We’ve had clients call and say they have to do a mock trial because their client is making them do it. (With that attitude, I think the clients are on to something about how the […]

Front of the house and back of the house

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 4, 2020

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

David and I are fortunate to have excellent restaurants located near our home in south Florida. To us, an excellent restaurant is not a chain restaurant; rather, it is a local, family owned restaurant whose proprietors take as much pride in their food and libations as we take in owning and operating our business. An […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 4, 2020

Melissa’s comparison to front of house and back of house is interesting as we often struggle to figure out the division of labor. But, she’s right in that though I participate in day of research duties and report writing, that’s her bailiwick. She, like the chef, creates the “meat” of what we do as trial […]

Dr. John C. Brigham

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 7, 2020

Category: Careers, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Consultants, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Partnerships, Psychology, Trial Consultants

I have been planning to write this post for a long time. Today is the day. As I mentioned in my previous post, my major professor is Dr. John C. “Jack” Brigham. As hard as it is for me to believe, I met Jack in 1980, 40 years ago, when I was trying to decide […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 7, 2020

Category: Careers, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Consultants, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Partnerships, Psychology, Trial Consultants

One never knows the future impact of making connections. Jack has been a great mentor to Melissa, and others, for a long time. In the academic world, these connections are like family trees. I didn’t always know that, but I learned it years ago by getting to know Jack and many others in Melissa’s psychology […]

Racial Attitudes in America

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 30, 2020

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Getting Through Life and Work, Giving Back, Jury Consultants, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Mental Health, Psychology, Trial Consultants

Racial Attitudes in America is a scholarly book published in 1972 and written by Dr. John C. “Jack” Brigham. Dr. Brigham is not only one of the most highly regarded social psychologists in the world, he is my major professor. (For non academic readers of this post, a major professor is the primary professor of […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 30, 2020

Little did I know, when I met Melissa, how immersed in the world of psychology, specifically social psychology, I would become. It has been quite an education, and a positive one at that! I took psychology 101, and another psychology course or two in college; more in grad school. But, my real psychological education has […]

“I’ll be there on time if…”

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 23, 2020

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Travel, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Mental Health, Partnerships, Psychology, RoadWarrior, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

Magnus Research Consultants has, for many years, employed on a part time basis people who work with us exclusively on research days. We call our wonderful part time staff members Research Technicians because they handle numerous technical aspects of our research, including video camera operation, video editing, and oversight of our mock jurors. The majority […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 23, 2020

I never thought I’d get schooled in racism along the way when hiring employees. But, it has happened! While Melissa has observed more of these racist incidents directly than have I, ensuring that our team is not negatively impacted by these experiences has forced me into some uncomfortable roles, and required some creativity. With regard […]

Learning New Tricks

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 11, 2020

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Business Travel, Careers, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Small Business Success, Travel, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting, Workplace Technology

As I write this, it has been just over a month since the world’s doors slammed shut. Or, at least the doors in the U.S.A, or at least, in Florida. Well, more or less shut – it changes day by day. As we’ve posted and will continue to do a few more times, COVID-19 has […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 11, 2020

I mentioned to a friend of mine, who is a retired attorney and, prior to retiring, was a long time client of Magnus’, that David and I are in the process of re-inventing ourselves, and Magnus, in this time of social isolation. He remarked that it seems a shame for me to have spent my […]

Lost Productivity from a Disaster

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 4, 2020

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Mental Health, Psychology, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants

Everyone has to find a way through disasters. Hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, these are some of the usual suspects. In 2020, it is a pandemic. I’m writing this in part just to vent about all of the extra work required to get through such things. We at Magnus have been through it multiple times with hurricanes. […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 4, 2020

In the month since the world closed its doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Magnus, like almost every business worldwide, has been negatively impacted in ways I would never have imagined. Although we are certainly “all in this together,” I am finding that most people with whom I am in contact are focused on the […]

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Archive | Trial Consultants

A Point of View

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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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.

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