FAQs

IMS offers customized search services for expert witnesses. For each project, we dedicate a unique search team to source, recruit, and manage our client’s expectations. The expert witness search team consists of researchers, recruiters, associate recruiters, quality assurance staff, and a dedicated schedule coordinator. Our researchers conduct custom searches to locate the best talent and our recruiters thoroughly vet and qualify each expert candidate.

When an attorney contacts IMS about an expert witness need, we utilize our best-in-class sourcing processes to locate experts that fit the client’s specifications. We conduct a collaborative specification call with the client and IMS search team to gather search requirements. We then locate and contact expert candidates to confirm qualifications, availability, and interest, and ensure they are conflict-free. The most highly credentialed and experienced candidates who meet the project needs are then presented to our client. After the client reviews presented candidates, IMS facilitates the coordination and kick-off of an expert-client interview.

Once the client selects an expert for engagement, IMS handles the administrative actions for the contracting process. Upon engagement, the expert is matched with a dedicated engagement manager who becomes their primary point of contact for all case milestones and project-related inquiries. They set the stage for the continued success of a project and allow the expert to focus on delivering the highest value for the client.

Each expert search runs through our internal conflict-checking process to ensure there is no conflict with IMS taking on the new project. To conduct our conflict check, IMS needs the case caption and venue, the parties-in-suit, any relevant case documents, the patent number (if applicable), and counsel representation for the parties.

An IMS client relationship manager will schedule a 30-minute specification call with the client and the internal IMS search team to gather all requirements for the client’s expert request.

Our experienced team of Client Relationship Managers facilitate the entire expert search process for our clients and their litigation teams. This tenured group of professionals have worked with the top law firms in the nation and their Fortune 500 clients since 1992. Our focus is centered around a long tradition of high client satisfaction.

We conduct our expert witness searches based on each client’s needs. Our standard turnaround and search completion date is 10 business days, unless the client’s need is more urgent. IMS sends expert candidate options on a rolling basis during that timeframe.

Please click here for more information.

IMS pioneered the executive-recruiting approach to align clients working in complex commercial litigation with the very best subject matter experts across all industries.

IMS now provides consultative trial and expert services for our attorney-clients. We offer expert witness, litigation consulting, visual advocacy, and presentation technology services. These offerings deliver five essential tools to our clients, including a compelling case story, testifying experts who clarify and inform, jury research to test and validate counsel’s strategy, visual advocacy to engage and educate, and courtroom presentations (on-site and online).

Our consultants provide a full range of services to support the nation’s top lawyers throughout the lifecycle of complex litigation, including:

• Early Case Assessment
• Theme Development
• Community Attitude Surveys
• Focus Groups & Mock Trials
• Mock Arbitrations & Bench Trials
• Witness Communication Training
• Juror Profile Development
• Mock Voir Dire
• Voir Dire Strategy & Development
• In Court Jury Selection Assistance
• Supplemental Questionnaire Development
• Jury Selection Assistance
• Juror Social Media Search & Analysis
• Juror Evaluation Research
• Opening & Closing Development
• Shadow Juries (Mirror Juries)
• Trial Observation & In-Court Monitoring
• Post-Trial Interviews

All of our litigation consulting services may be conducted remotely. From shadow juries to voir dire preparation to social media searches, IMS meets clients’ needs even from afar. In fact, virtual jury research is invaluable for gaining case insights from representative jurors while reducing travel, facility, and associated expenses. It can be a robust, effective, and efficient option for the majority of cases, even complex matters.

While online exercises are conducted in much the same way as their in-person counterparts, it is important to explore your project goals and structure the research to suit the virtual format. We have significant experience conducting online jury research and have identified many important considerations that guide us in our approach.

We have more than three decades in the business. Our litigation consultants offer unmatched real-world experience and a deep knowledge of cognitive psychology, communication theory, and juror decision-making. Built on the foundation of several key consulting-firm acquisitions—The Focal Point, Litigation Insights, Tsongas, and MMG Consulting—our team and national reach are extensive and only continue to grow.

We design and staff our jury research projects to generate actionable data and qualitative feedback. Our recommendations inform clients’ voir dire and trial strategies through science, not superstition. We recruit mock jurors to match the precise demographics of a typical jury panel in your venue—a step that ensures reliable results and sets us apart from many competitors. Following each jury research project, clients receive a written analysis and/or detailed presentation of the top findings and practical recommendations for trial strategy.

Not least, IMS litigation consultants are exceptional storytellers. We help clients turn the bare case facts into something jurors will care about and remember. Through decades of jury research and hundreds of trials, our team has tested countless narrative themes and their outcomes across a vast range of litigation genres. We work with your team to isolate what works and develop talking points that stay with jurors as they enter the deliberation room.

IMS litigation consultants have supported leading trial teams on thousands of matters across all industries and practice areas. Our consultants see more courtrooms in a year than litigators may see in their lifetime, and this experience allows us to become a trusted partner from start to finish.

Our consulting team has particular expertise in litigation related to product liability and toxic torts, mass torts including transportation, professional negligence including medical malpractice, intellectual property disputes including patent infringement, and insurance coverage including bad faith cases.

IMS consultants use jury research to test mock jurors’ reactions to key issues, measure the effectiveness of arguments, and learn what questions still need to be answered. We leverage your research data to produce a statistical Juror Profile for jury selection—identifying the attitudes, experiences, and demographics most likely to inform plaintiff and defense leanings. Altogether, jury research feedback helps define a compelling narrative, strategic next steps, and the best audience for your case.

From focus groups to mock trials to hybrid designs that incorporate deliberations and moderated discussions, we tailor each jury research project to our clients’ specific dispute, venue, and research goals. We are happy to discuss your case with you to offer guidance on how jury research can best fit your needs.

Contact us to request a consultation or read more below:

Using Jury Research to Benefit Your Case Story & Strategy | Jill Leibold, PhD

Mock Trial Versus Deliberation Group: What Is the Difference? | Merrie Jo Pitera, PhD

We offer several jury research designs customized to your particular goals

While we are often referred to as jury consultants, jurors are not the only triers of fact. And because judges and arbitrators are prone to many of the same cognitive biases as lay jurors, tight messaging is just as important. IMS consultants can conduct research with qualified mock judges and arbitrators that align as closely as possible to those overseeing your litigation, offering crucial feedback no matter your ultimate audience.

Juror attitudes and experiences are far more predictive than standard demographics when it comes to trial outcomes. But rarely does voir dire allow enough time to glean all relevant information. Luckily, jurors often leave clues online.

Using the court-provided list of potential jurors, our team of skilled internet researchers conducts juror social media research. Based on a juror’s available footprint, we can gather information about their family life, religious beliefs, political affiliation, job history, education, interests, stances on current events, and more. Our litigation consultants then review the search results to flag jurors whose attitudes may impact their view and understanding of your case and arguments.

Searches may be performed before jury selection when the court provides the venire list ahead of time, or in real-time as jury selection progresses.

A shadow jury, also called a “feedback jury” or “mirror jury,” involves participants watching your trial unfold and providing daily feedback through facilitated discussions with a jury consultant. By recruiting shadow jurors (often a group of three to six) who closely align with the actual panel’s demographic and attitudinal backgrounds, trial teams receive direct, actionable feedback on how the evidence and legal arguments are sitting with jurors. The trial team learns what’s working, what isn’t, and what participants are struggling to grasp—all in time to refine messaging, clarify complex evidence, guide witness follow-ups, and press on the opposition’s weaknesses.

The Advantage^TM can be used during mock trials, focus groups, community attitude surveys, and similar types of jury research models.

The Advantage^TM can be accessed from your personal computer, tablet, and/or mobile phone.

The Advantage^TM provides immediate access to mock trial data to quickly assess the strength of your themes, evidence, and witnesses. With this interactive platform, you can consume and drill down into your mock trial data using dynamic visualizations, filtering by group and individual demographics in just a few clicks. You can also examine juror leanings and sentiments at multiple points to see if you have moved the needle. The Advantage^TM shows how jurors interpret your case, giving you powerful insights to inform your trial strategy.

The Advantage^TM is highly customizable to suit a wide range of jury research projects. Whether you are conducting a mock trial, focus group, or another form of jury research, our platform can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your case, including unique visualizations and analysis tools.

We designed The Advantage^TM technology in a compelling way to give you meaningful, actionable insights during jury research projects. This exclusive platform is customized to achieve your unique research goals and provides a deeper understanding of your mock juror data, immediately and throughout the life of your matter. There are three leaning visualization options—pie charts, bar charts, and ribbons—and each provides a different way to understand juror sentiment about the story of your case.

With The Advantage^TM, you can dive into juror’s evaluations of the witnesses in your case and compare their credibility assessments to our extensive historical witness data.

You can request a consultation here or by sending an email to contactus@imslegal.com. Visit this page to meet the IMS team and contact a specific consultant. Click here to learn more about the jury research services we offer.

From physical to digital, our design team employs a variety of mediums to provide stand-alone visual support and comprehensive multimedia presentations for any phase of litigation or alternative dispute resolution. Using a variety of mediums, such as custom illustrations, 2D & 3D animations, and photography, our graphics can be used in the following areas:

• Bench & jury trials
• Mediation & arbitration
• Expert witness reports & presentations
• Focus groups & mock trials/arbitrations
• Pre-trial & summary judgment hearings
• Tutorials & Markman hearings
• Opening statement & closing argument
• Witness statements & testimony
• Internal client presentations
• Press conferences & public hearings

The process can vary based on the needs of a case, but it usually starts with the attorney client providing our team with reading materials allowing us to familiarize ourselves with the case issues. This would be followed by a kick-off call to discuss our general thoughts and provide graphics suggestions. We have some clients who really enjoy collaborating on the process, while others heavily rely on our trial consultants and graphic designers to analyze the case materials and develop an initial visual strategy.

In either scenario, our visual advocacy team would prepare a first draft of the demonstratives, requesting supporting documents where necessary, and send everything to the client for feedback. This iterative process continues until it is time to finalize and/or prepare exchange files for trial. We are accustomed to supporting trial teams remotely and providing on-site support in the war room and courtroom.

Our visual advocacy team can begin working on an initial draft of trial demonstratives with some basic reading materials, exhibits, and/or an outline.

At IMS, we pride ourselves on providing each client with a dedicated team. This typically includes a trial consultant and graphic designer who partner with the client’s legal team from start to finish.

This largely depends on the type of graphics project we have been engaged for, e.g., reworking and cleaning up an existing presentation versus creating a new 3D animation or complex illustration. The short answer is always “The sooner we engage, the better.” However, our litigation consulting and visual advocacy teams span six time zones, so we are in a strong position to meet critical deadlines.

Presentation technology is a comprehensive service provided by IMS that offers expert support in presenting cases seamlessly during all phases of litigation. Our nationwide team ensures that clients deliver flawless courtroom presentations, captivate decision-makers, and effectively convey legal arguments.

IMS’s senior technology consultants have a minimum of 10 years’ experience in court or 100 trial completions. Our experienced technicians support trial teams in complex and high-stakes litigation across the country. We offer proprietary technology with our TrialLink® virtual services and a production workflow that provides support at any point in the trial timeline.

Trial presentation seamlessly integrates at various litigation stages. We offer strategic support not only during trial but also in the preparation and planning phases, ensuring comprehensive case presentation throughout dispute resolution.

IMS’s presentation services include “hot seat” assistance, strategic courtroom setup guidance, precise video deposition editing, and innovative virtual support through TrialLink®. Our experienced team provides seamless support in the war room and courtroom.

IMS specializes in virtual presentations for trials, hearings, and arbitrations in the US and worldwide. Our exclusive TrialLink® virtual services were developed to give lawyers a competitive advantage in any online setting and allow them to make their case without touching the technology. TrialLink® includes real-time document display, exhibit management, and evidence presentation—all overseen by skilled technicians.

Another popular offering is our professional remote set (or “Zoom Studio”) that IMS can implement entirely for clients and the parties involved. The virtual proceeding can be transmitted to any videoconferencing platform over a secure connection. All parties utilizing the broadcast are visible on the same screen in one viewing box. Additional features are available, such as transcript captioning and simultaneous display of documents.

For more than three decades, we have been at the forefront of developing compelling presentations that have played pivotal roles in some of the most prominent and impactful legal cases in modern history. To date, our team has worked on numerous international disputes across every region including Europe, the Middle East, Far East, and Australia as well as North and South America.

Our visual advocacy team hails from a diverse array of backgrounds as varied as law, technology, design, and communication. Our consultants utilize their multifaceted perspectives to create strategic presentations in a variety of practice areas, with particular expertise in construction, intellectual property, environmental, insurance, and financial matters.

Using visual demonstratives can provide several benefits for the judge or tribunal evaluating the case. They clearly convey information, clarify complex concepts, and enhance the overall understanding of the case.

• Enhanced Understanding: Complex legal concepts, technical information, or intricate details of a case can be difficult to grasp fully solely through verbal descriptions. Visual demonstratives help clarify these concepts, for adjudicators.
• Clear Communication: Visual aids can bridge communication gaps by providing a visual representation of facts, evidence, timelines, and relationships. This is especially important when dealing with complex evidence or expert testimony that might be difficult to crystallize otherwise.
• Engagement: Visuals engage the audience’s attention more effectively than spoken words alone. Arbitrators and other decision-makers are more likely to stay focused and attentive when presented with visual materials that complement verbal arguments.
• Memory Retention: People generally remember visual information better than spoken information. When people associate key points with visual aids, they are more likely to retain that information throughout the proceedings.
• Strategic Impact: Visual demonstratives can be strategically designed to enhance the effectiveness of arguments. For example, a well-designed chart or graph can highlight trends, discrepancies, or correlations that support a particular side’s narrative.
• Credibility: Presenting information through visual aids can enhance the credibility of the legal team’s arguments. Well-prepared visual materials demonstrate that the legal professionals have thoroughly reviewed and analyzed the evidence.
• Efficiency: Visual demonstratives can help streamline the dispute resolution process by presenting information more efficiently. Instead of spending excessive time explaining complex concepts verbally, lawyers can use visuals to convey information more succinctly.
• Uniformity: Visual demonstratives provide a consistent reference point for everyone involved in the trial. Arbitrators, witnesses, and legal teams can all refer to the same visual materials when discussing specific points, reducing the risk of misunderstandings.
• Witness Testimony: In addition to supporting expert witness testimony, visual aids can be particularly effective during cross-examination or when presenting a rebuttal. They allow legal teams to immediately respond to opposing arguments by displaying relevant evidence or countering claims with visual representations.
• Accessibility: Visual aids can be particularly useful when dealing with an audience from different backgrounds and language barriers or accessibility needs. Visual information transcends language barriers and can ensure that everyone understands the information being presented.

Working with a visual advocacy consultant is a valuable way to enhance advocacy efforts by incorporating visual elements and strategies. Our experienced consultants specialize in creating compelling visual content and strategies that effectively communicate a message, engage an audience, and drive advocacy goals. Here is a guide to the visual advocacy process:

• Initial Scope Call: Clients will have an initial call with their assigned visual advocacy consultant to clearly outline goals, key dates, and general scope of the project. This will serve as the foundation for the visual content and strategies the consultant will create.
• Consultation: The visual advocacy consultant will work with the client to understand the case themes and begin to develop an idea on complexity of demonstratives, scope of work, budget, etc. The consultant will provide the client with a proposal, and, if accepted, an engagement agreement will be sent and work will officially begin.
• Share Information: The client will then provide the visual advocacy consultant with any relevant information on the matter, including background materials, existing content, data, and any branding guidelines or visual assets available to begin creating demonstrative content.
• Collaborative Planning: The consultant will work with the client via email or phone/video calls to develop a visual advocacy strategy. This might include deciding on the types of visuals to be used (timelines, technical tutorials, etc.) and the overall visual style that aligns with the case.
• Concept Development: The consultant will develop concepts and ideas for the visuals and overall presentation content. They might provide sketches, mock-ups, or written proposals to the client to help visualize their ideas.
• Content Creation and Feedback: The consultant will work with our in-house design team to execute the visual strategy and create the demonstratives. The consultant and the client will have an iterative relationship where the visuals will be revised and refined until they are ready to be presented at the hearing.

The IMS physical footprint includes Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Oakland, Pensacola, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, and the UK. With expertise in virtual hearings and a strong remote workforce, we are primed to deliver visual advocacy services worldwide.

Our team pioneered the use of interactive technology in legal proceedings and offers industry-leading multimedia services, including:

• Timelines: easily navigable timelines with clickable events that link to documents, videos, photos or other exhibits
• Maps: with zooming and panning features and layers of clickable icons that link to photographs, documents or other exhibits
• 3D Electronic Models: with full interactions that allow moving the camera viewpoint around and into a complex structure or device
• Custom Presentations: bespoke interactive combinations of 3D models, exhibits, photographs, video, maps, and/or timelines to tell a strong story