FOCUS GROUPS
ABOUT US
A Focus Group is not a crystal ball – but it can give you a glimpse into the strengths and weaknesses of your case.
The first thing you need to know about running a Focus Group is that you will ALWAYS learn something. It might be something that makes you feel good, like discovering that your evidence and exhibits are compelling. Or it could be something that scares you, like finding out that potential jurors don’t trust your star witness or can’t relate to your narrative of events.
Focus Groups are powerful research tools because of one simple fact: the group is more like your jury than you are. You’re a lawyer, not an ordinary person. No matter how down-to-earth you may be, you will inevitably think about a case as a professional, not like a regular person.
More importantly, you can’t predict everything no matter how good you are. Some of the best attorneys in the world have walked into a courtroom, brimming with confidence, hands full of expensive exhibits, only to find that their case was a loser because they didn’t consider how the jury might see things differently.
Some law firms take a lazy approach to Focus Groups, presenting evidence to family, friends, and colleagues. This is a great way to give yourself moral support and to feel good prior to losing a case. But it won’t reveal the information you need to know, because your “jury pool” all think and feel the same way you do.
What makes for effective Focus Groups? First, an open attitude. You have to be willing to hear negative comments about your case and how you plan to present it. And you have to really listen to what people are saying, not just pick and choose what you want to hear.
Next, you need to avoid fixating so much on “demographics.” Yes, you want a representative mix of age, race, employment, income, education, and so on. But what you really want is a healthy balance of attitudes and values. You need to hear from people who agree with your case and others who may be hostile toward it. This is the only way to find out what you don’t know and discover both the strengths and weaknesses of your case.
Lastly, you must understand what a Focus Group is and is not. It is not a crystal ball to predict an outcome. There are too many variables, including the personality of the judge, the temperament and skill of opposing counsel, and the crap shoot of the jury pool.
It is, however, a glimpse into how a jury may view your case and all the various issues, witnesses, and facts involved. It is also a good way to take a hard look at how a jury might react to you and your presentation. Every case narrative will sound like a symphony in your head, but could sound to a jury like fingernails on a blackboard.
Focus Groups are not always fun. But they can give you winning ideas and help you answer the important questions: What do the jurors care about? How do they feel about your case? What else do they need to know? What evidence strikes them as irrelevant? What am I forgetting? What is my best storyline?
ABOUT ME
Attorney Leigh E Johnson
Background:
Proven history of working under extreme pressure and in highly stressful conditions.
- 5 years in the United States Air Force as a Mobile Combat Specialist providing critical communications behind unfriendly lines.
- 12 years as Air Traffic Controller providing radar control for aircraft into and out of the three major Bay Area airports.
- 7 years as a Biological Scientist assisting in the production of high grade pharmaceuticals for people with congenital defects, such as Hemophilia and Alpha One deficiencies.
- 20 years as a trial lawyer fighting and winning justice for the people.
Attorney Leigh E Johnson can help you turn Focus Group results into winning case strategies!
Legal Admissions:
- Attorney: The State Bar of California: 2003
- Registered Patent Agent/Attorney USPTO: 2002
Trial Advocacy:
- 15 years experience training attorneys in basic to advanced skills for court presentation, story discovery, and diversity in jury selection.
- Ongoing training of monthly Bay Area trial skills group since 2010.
- 14 years experience in psychodrama and case reenactments.
- 12 years experience in conducting focus groups and preparing reports.
- Certified Psychodramatist utilizing action methods to find and tell case stories.
- Training in Storytelling & Storyline Development.
Court Licensing:
- All Superior Courts in the State of California
- Northern District of the U.S. District Courts
- Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
- United States Patent and Trademark Office
- United States Supreme Court
Education:
- Doctorate of Jurisprudence, John F. Kennedy University School of Law, Orinda, CA
- Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, California State University, Hayward, CA
- Associate Degree in Social Work, Merritt College, Oakland, CA
- Certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling, Merritt College, Oakland, CA
- Certificate in Storytelling, The Film School, Seattle Washington
- Certified Practitioner, Psychodrama, ABE
- Numerous classes in psychology and human behavior
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