Archive | Trial Consultants

PowerPoint Exhibits: Good-Bad-Ugly

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 21, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Research, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Workplace Technology

I had an interesting conversation today with a client who was preparing a PowerPoint presentation for an upcoming mock trial. As we discussed his plan, he mentioned that he was planning to use 20 slides for a 10 minute presentation. I tactfully suggested that 1 slide every 30 seconds is too many. This led to […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 21, 2021

Death by Powerpoint. That’s what I call the majority of Powerpoint and other, similar, electronic presentations. I have witnessed countless attorneys “kill” their audience with electronic presentations that contain words, then more words, then even more words. These well meaning attorneys, in their quest to educate the jury about their case, put everything they can […]

Ed Groot

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 14, 2021

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Business Relationships, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Partnerships, Trial Consultants

Way back in 1993, Melissa and I first started contemplating opening our own trial consulting practice. Pretty soon, those discussions included a third individual, Ed Groot. The three of us were working for another trial consultant in what can simply be described as a toxic work environment. The three of us started planning what became […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 14, 2021

I’m not sure why I was compelled to search for Ed Groot on my computer today, but something kept nagging me to do it. I immediately came across his obituary and read that he passed away on November 30, 2020. He would have been 80 years old on January 2, 2021. When David and I […]

Listen as Much as, or More Than, You Talk

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 5, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Business Relationships, Careers, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

Sometimes, these posts almost write themselves. This is one of those times. I am a regular reader of advice columnists in newspapers. (Yes, I still read newspapers, several, in fact, on a daily basis.) “Dear Abby” recently provided some sage advice that included a suggestion for the reader to “listen as much as you talk.” […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 5, 2021

To borrow from Alex Lifeson of Rush – “Blah blah blah. Blah blah blah, blah, blah, blah.” Some of you may recognize this from Alex’s speech following Rush’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It was an amazing thing to hear and watch – because one could, or at least I could, […]

When is the Last Time You Learned Something?

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 29, 2020

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

One of the strangest objections I have heard, relatively often, during my career as a jury/trial/litigation consultant goes something like this: “Well, I have been a VERY successful trial lawyer for many, many years and I have never, ever, hired a trial consultant. What in the world could I possibly learn from you, or another […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 29, 2020

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

This phenomenon exists in many contexts, but given that Melissa and I have spent decades working with attorneys, it hits us from time to time, right between the eyes. One of my college professors told me that a sign of intelligence is knowing what you don’t know. I think about this whenever I hear the […]

I’ll ask my parents

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 24, 2020

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

One source of material for these posts over the years has been the things Melissa and I have heard from employees that took us by surprise. This one is among my favorites, after the fact. We usually hire recent college graduates for our Research Associate position. Many years ago, we hired a typical, fresh from […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 24, 2020

Many people have asked me if I have any kids. I don’t know why they ask this personal question, but I always respond with, “Yes, I have had between 40 and 50 kids; they are of were my employees.” As David said, recent college graduates have been Magnus’ Research Associates since we founded Magnus in […]

When things don’t make sense: 28 days off

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 17, 2020

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Litigation Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

The work we do as trial consultants requires us to work closely with our attorney clients for several weeks or months, or even years. Clients are typically respectful and courteous. But, as we have written before, there are a few outliers – clients who abuse everyone around them, including us. We have had a few […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 17, 2020

One of the most interesting aspects in my career as a jury consultant is unrelated to the expertise I provide to my clients on things such as trial strategy, jury selection, and witness preparation. This interesting aspect of my job happens when my clients, all of whom are educated and intelligent attorneys, forget I am, […]

Technology simplifies our lives, right?

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 10, 2020

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

Another clean out story. In purging the old equipment to prepare for the Magnus’ move to new office, we came across VCRs, VHS tapes, cassette recorders, cassette tapes, DVD duplicators, and more. These are a history of the technology evolution in our lives. Yet, it was also a reminder of simpler times. When we first […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 10, 2020

I don’t endorse the premise that technology simplifies our lives. Sometimes, it does, sometimes it doesn’t, and sometimes, there is no noticeable difference between old and new technology within the realm of simplicity. I don’t mind change; in fact, I thrive on it. And, it is relatively easy for me to learn new ways of […]

Altruists and Narcissists

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 8, 2020

Category: Business personalities, Business Relationships, Careers, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Giving Back, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Jury Behavior, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Psychology, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

As a follow up to my last post containing the self assessment survey, I will outline several characteristics that differentiate altruists from narcissists. First of all, some definitions are in order, lest there be any doubt about these terms. An altruist is a person who has concern for other people’s welfare. He or she can […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 8, 2020

Givers or takers. Perhaps that is another way to relate to this topic. The world has too many examples of narcissists; it is easy to identify many of them in the political realm. Because politics is public, it is easiest to see them, though narcissists are certainly not limited to politics. Examples from the business […]

Putting Technology to Use

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 3, 2020

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

I was prompted to write this, and the prior post, because of Magnus’ recent move. The move necessitated discarding many tools which have been useful during our careers in trial consulting. When we started Magnus in late 1993, Melissa began to receive invitations to speak to groups of lawyers, insurance adjusters, and law school students. […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 3, 2020

Thanks, in large part, to David, Magnus has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to using the most up to date technology. I have been making presentations to large audiences for my entire career. In the old days, when I was Director of Marketing Research at a large urban hospital, an A/V […]

Show Don’t Tell

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 26, 2020

Category: Careers, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting, Workplace Technology

Trial exhibits are a big part of all properly conducted litigation. Most lawyers learned long ago that showing, and not just telling, is important. Some lawyers are more effective than others with this but most of them seem not to think visually. Once again, it’s Rush to the rescue. The first track on their 1989 […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 26, 2020

Remember when we, as children, were subjected to “show and tell” by well meaning teachers? I had little use for these trivial displays, finding most of my classmates’ showing and telling dreadfully boring. However, this being said, the “show and tell” experiences from many people’s childhood illustrates the fundamental concept that a visual representation of […]

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Archive | Trial Consultants

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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.

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