High-stakes: If the client and representing lawyer feel that they can easily move on after a negative outcome, then the stakes probably aren’t that high.

High-cost: In no other profession do people spend so much time and money on a single venture without first researching the likely pay-off. When it comes to complex litigation, this happens all the time. For these high-cost cases, financial risks can be reduced when a mock trial is included in the litigation budget. At Jury Solutions, research projects typically cost 1-2% of what a litigant stands to gain or lose.

Complex: When a case is a quagmire, lawyers often think a mock trial can’t do it justice. The fact is, these cases benefit the most. The mock trial format requires lawyers to tell their story concisely. Because research shows that jurors inevitably simplify complicated stories, it pays to know the simple answer well in advance of trial.

Difficult or unrealistic client: This is a litigant who resists his lawyer’s recommendations, cannot see how his behavior relates to his legal troubles, distrusts anyone who disagrees with him and is insulted by the prospect of settling, etc. Sometimes these clients are hopeless but sometimes, a mock trial can open their eyes.