Archive | Trial Consulting

Help the boss – it is why you have a job

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 17, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Over the years we have had a few employees who failed to comprehend that Job # 1 was helping the bosses help the clients. Regardless of what we as bosses are doing, we need the employees to be “support staff.” More than 1 employee has been fixated on a task to the point that we […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 17, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

I have never understood why some employees fail to realize their only purpose is to work for their employer. And further, I do not understand why some employees fail to realize that working for their employer means performing job duties requested by their employer. For me, the only point of going to work is to […]

Not your first gig; Not your first day on job

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 10, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Everyone who works had a first day on the job. A first time to interact with customers, a first sale, a first something. For my partner and me, when new employees are hired, they are trained and they ultimately participate on their first jury research project. New employees cannot be expected to know enough from […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 10, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Magnus Research Consultants has employed many people who are working in their first professional job following their graduation from college. Some of our employees have worked during high school and college, while others have never been employed prior to working for Magnus. David and I have spent considerable time over the years coaching these eager, […]

Make ‘em look good

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 3, 2016

Category: Business Relationships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

One aspect of our work as trial consultants is to evaluate cases so that our attorney clients learn how their case will be perceived by jurors, judges, arbitrators, or mediators. We always learn things that the attorneys and our other clients did not know or did not anticipate. The truth is, we may not have […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 3, 2016

Category: Business Relationships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

There are many ways an employee can help his/her boss look good. In the days when I worked for a large corporation and did not perform administrative tasks, I had a secretary. (I actually had a series of secretaries in the early days of my career, which dates back to the time when being a […]

Being ethical can be expensive

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 11, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

I have always enjoyed the intellectual aspects of considering the ethical aspects of life and work. One of my favorite graduate school courses was business ethics and I had other classes on the subject in college, and decades ago, in a church youth group. The topics often were mind opening – considering what to do […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 11, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

People have often criticized me for being too goody, goody; too prim and proper; and for taking an unpopular stance by not going along with the crowd. Upon receiving this criticism, I usually remark that I am not working on a popularity contest; I am working to do the right thing. As an example, I […]

Help people

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 9, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Tips, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

I have received a lot of help from people over the years, mostly from my two “big” brothers. As the only daughter of my parents and one considerably younger than my two dear brothers, I have turned to each of them on countless occasions for all kinds of help, including financial, advice on how to […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 9, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Tips, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

I grew up with parents who were always willing to help others. They would quickly invite my friends to visit, or come to dinner, including a near ritual Sunday night pizza feast that usually included several friends. In an open and non judgmental way, they were always willing to include an array of friends. My […]

Either you are wrong or I am right. Part 2: Clients

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 4, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Business Relationships, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Litigation Tips, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

As I was writing the post, “Either you are wrong or I am right,” I thought that, like the album title from which it came, About Face (by David Gilmour) there are perhaps more than 1 way to contemplate this lyric. In the first post I wrote about the implications of behaving, in a personal […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 4, 2016

I admit to being frustrated by some clients’ insistence that they know everything there is to know, including in an area in which they have zero expertise. However, I am somewhat entertained by their willingness to set themselves up for failure, when something happens to disprove their incorrect assumptions, and I usually ask them to […]

Grab your consultant only when the lights are out

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 2, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Trial Consulting

Unfortunately, for many women in all sorts of occupations, sexual harassment is a prevalent part of the work environment. I, like many women in my age cohort, have been sexually harassed by a variety of men (and a few women) in various contexts: bosses, co-workers, professors (when I was a student), fellow students, my students […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 2, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Trial Consulting

Many jobs and job functions put opposite, or even same, gender co-workers in awkward settings. A dark observation room was certainly one of those for Melissa. And, because she is quick to defend herself, against this indefensible behavior, a worse problem was averted. The fact that she had a boss who backed her up was […]

Client having an affair with key witness

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 26, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

Attorneys, particularly trial lawyers, are paid to talk. Most of my clients are excellent talkers/speakers. Psychologists, on the other hand, are paid to listen, to observe, and to notice things other people often do not notice. There are other differences between these two very different professions and the types of people who are drawn to […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 26, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

I don’t think I have been present during any of the scenarios Melissa has recounted in this series of posts, but I have heard about them 2nd hand, from her, and in some instances, others on our team. But, it is not just that these observations were made, or experiences endured; it is amazing that […]

Jumping up and down when TV breaks

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 19, 2016

Category: Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

Temper tantrums are never cute. They are not cute among children and they are certainly not cute among adults. (My husband’s relative had a temper tantrum in our home when he was way too old for such a violent outburst, resulting in my having to repair and re-paint the wall he repeatedly kicked, such that […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 19, 2016

Category: Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

Our work in the trial consulting arena necessitates the use of technologies that are not perfect. And, we work in unfamiliar places, with rented equipment like televisions, all of which lead to problems with some regularity. This is one of those areas where, in our work, “ it happens.” But, we are almost always able, […]

Boozing it up before lunch – jurors wondering what’s wrong

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 12, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

The vast majority of my clients conduct themselves in a professional manner when we are working together. Then, there are the others, who are anything but professional. My company, Magnus, works with highly skilled attorneys who pay us a handsome amount of money for our consulting services. Usually, they want to take full advantage of […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 12, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

I don’t know if there are any jobs for which drinking on the job is appropriate. Maybe wine taster, beer maker, etc., but certainly not anything that requires concentrated effort and attention to detail. And, a mock trial may be a day out of the office and to some, just a play acting exercise, but […]

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Archive | Trial Consulting

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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