![]() First, it guarantees that you will have a diverse group of participants, who are very representative of the jury pool. Typically, jury consultants use temporary agencies or market research firms to find focus group members. Putting up a sign that says “Focus Group, this way” with an arrow, is an ideal choice for covering the firm’s name. You don’t want participants using their mobile devices to find out that you represent plaintiffs. If you choose to use your own offices, you should cover up the name of your law firm on the door (or building) before the participants arrive. Since the focus group will be held in the evening, there must be safe parking. ![]() The space needs to be completely wheelchair accessible, as do the bathrooms. Third, you need to find space that is accessible to the participants, regardless of whether they are traveling by car or public transportation. In the event that you don’t know anyone with an office in the jurisdiction, you can often rent office space from a court reporter, or an executive suite. Your office might do nicely, but if your case is not being tried locally, you will have to find space that you can use for a single evening. Second, you need to conduct the focus group in the county in which the case is venued, so that your focus group participants will be drawn from the potential jury pool. Don’t forget that the location should be accessible after normal business hours, and that you should have adequate air conditioning. It is important to emphasize that the offices do not have to be ornate or elegant, but simply large enough to hold everyone and be equipped with chairs that people can sit in for a few hours. Ideally, you want a space that has three separate areas: a large conference room that will hold the participants, two lawyers, and your video equipment a second room in which you can set out food and drinks, and another conference room or office in which members of your team can sit and observe the proceedings remotely. You should try to schedule your focus group for a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evening, taking care to avoid all religious holidays, and major sporting events.įirst, you need space sufficient to host all of the participants, which includes both the individuals who are part of the focus group, and the members of your team. Typically, a focus group is conducted on a weekday evening, after work, and lasts about three hours. The logistics of the focus group are pretty straightforward – you have to pick a date and time, a location, and the focus group participants. However, conducting a focus group during discovery can be equally useful, as the discussions often pinpoint new areas of inquiry. Viewed from this perspective, a focus group is a useful tool in virtually any case.Īttorneys usually conduct focus groups on the eve of trial, in the hopes of refining their themes before they present their case to a jury. ![]() A focus group can however, provide extremely useful information regarding case themes, evidentiary issues, and juror reactions to witnesses and potential “problems” in a case. As any jury consultant will tell you, a focus group (or even a mock jury) cannot predict the outcome of your case. In the legal setting, focus groups allow attorneys to explore the attitudes of individuals who are demographically representative of the jury pool where a case will be tried. In fact, focus groups have played a prominent role in a number of episodes in the hit drama “Mad Men.” This article primarily addresses how to set up a do-it-yourself focus group, with a brief discussion of the methods for conducting the focus group itself.įocus groups originated about 80 years ago as a tool used by advertising agencies to test consumer attitudes regarding the marketing of new products. While there are certainly cases that justify such an expense, the small size of a case – or your bankroll – should not dissuade you from using a focus group. Many of these articles are written by attorneys who handle multi-million dollar cases, and can afford to spend tens of thousands of dollars to hire a jury consultant to conduct the focus group. Open any legal magazine with an emphasis on litigation and you are likely to find an article extolling the virtues of focus groups.
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