Wednesday, July 22, 2015

First Impressions Last


We’ve all been in the poor position of making a bad first impression, then spending hours or even years trying to dig ourselves out of that hole.  Recent research in an article from Forbes has confirmed the importance of making good first impressions, since people tend to view what they learn later about a person through the lens of what they initially believed.  Regardless of whether a person’s first impression accurately represents his or her character, humans by nature trust it.

First impressions also matter in the courtroom, where jurors will likely continue to refer back to the initial story you tell them for the duration of the trial.  We have worked on hundreds of cases and seen jurors sway back and forth between verdicts.  However, the vast majority of jurors reach a verdict that is consistent with their initial gut reaction.  Our research with more than 6,000 focus group participants shows an overwhelming 83 percent submit the same verdict at the end of the study that they reached after reading and discussing the initial case fact pattern.

That’s why it is so important to define your case’s narrative up front, establishing early on the most important themes and mitigating the most troubling opposing arguments.  Framing a compelling story that resonates with jurors’ perceptions is the key to ensuring they may interpret what they hear later in a way that benefits your client.

Additionally, humanizing your client on the stand could be the best way to change stubborn plaintiff-leaning jurors’ initial opinions.  Forbes explains first impressions can be overcome when the relationship is important to a person.  We suggest asking your client or other witnesses on the stand how they got started in their career, or include small details about their family life.  What some may view as minor or irrelevant can be crucial in creating juror appeal.

If you need help creating the best first impression for your jurors, please contact Senior Vice President Claire Luna at cluna@juryimpact.net or 714.754.1010.

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