Our Services
Our goal is to help you be successful in trial. We look forward to discussing your unique matter and finding ways to ensure your case is presented as effectively as possible in the courtroom. We offer a variety of services to achieve that goal:
Focus Groups
Focus groups are the most important trial preparation tool in an attorney’s arsenal. They are the best way to test how a jury will respond to various arguments, testimony, exhibits, and themes. Focus group results provide attorneys with a map for navigating the various issues in any specific trial. We provide various kinds of focus groups, tailored to the specific needs of the attorney and the specific issues in the case.
We know it sounds self-serving, but you simply should not be going to trial in any case without having run at least one focus group. If it's a case worth trying, it's a case worth focusing.
Mock Trials
Mock trials provide attorneys with an opportunity to test every aspect of their case, from voir dire through closing argument and jury deliberations. While mock trials require a tremendous commitment of time and effort, they also provide a valuable opportunity to test every argument and every piece of evidence before an actual trial begins
Theme Development
Far more often than not, the party that wins a trial is the party with a lawyer who has created themes that resonate with the jury, and appropriately woven those themes into the course of the trial. We work with attorneys to develop themes that are appropriate for the case and that will have a powerful impact on a lay jury, and we assist attorneys in working to incorporate those themes effectively at every phase of the trial. A good theme can and should be used in not just in opening and closing, but also in voir dire, direct examination, and cross examination.
Witness Preparation
Jury Selection
Shadow Juries
Little can sink a case as quickly as a witness who talks too much or too little, who comes across as aloof or offensive, or who fails to communicate the necessary information to the jurors in a way that they can understand. We work with witnesses and their lawyers to prepare effective trial (or deposition) testimony, including, when appropriate, using focus groups to gauge reactions to the testimony of a witness.
As every trial lawyer knows, jury selection is a misnomer. Attorneys don’t select jurors, they de-select them. Lawyers can’t ensure that any given panel member is on the jury, but they can ensure that any given panel member is not. Through the use of focus groups, we can assist attorneys with determining what types of juror traits they should look to remove from the jury. Through working with counsel on particularized voir dire questions, we can assist in detecting which members of the jury pool possess those juror traits that will be harmful to the case. And through assistance with the actual jury selection process at trial, we can work with counsel to populate the jury with individuals who are most likely to be receptive to the arguments and evidence that the lawyers will put forth at trial.
We'll be direct: shadow juries are often a waste of money. Most cases don't need them, and even in cases that do, most lawyers don't have the skills to utilize shadow jury input in the midst of trial. In the right case, however, and with the right lawyer, shadow juries can be an immensely effective tool. A shadow jury is a group of lay people that attend the actual trial as it happens. Our trial consultants will interview the shadow jury during the trial itself – on breaks, at lunch, and at the close of each day – to get the best possible sense of how the actual jury is responding to the evidence and allow skilled trial counsel to adapt strategy accordingly.
Have Experience Leading Your Own Focus Groups?
Camillus Trial Consulting offers expertise in organizing and handling the recruitment and administration of Focus Groups. If you are an experienced focus group leader, our firm is able to assist you in the basic administrative functions in order to make sure your session runs smoothly.
We are able to provide services including:
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Participant Recruitment (including recruitment based on particular diversity factors relevant to your case)
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Facility Reservations
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Food & Beverage Delivery