Strategies for Witness Preparation

For more than two decades, Chris has counseled clients on cases ranging from everyday casework and ADR to some of the nation’s highest profile, highest stakes trials and multidistrict litigation. While his experience is broad, he specializes in strategy and speechmaking.

Dr. Jill Leibold has 20 years of trial consulting experience and has applied her expertise in juror decision-making to hundreds of cases across all genres of litigation. Our clients rely on her skills in preparing challenging witnesses for deposition and trial, as well as her extensive experience in jury selection for both civil and criminal cases. At IMS, Jill specializes in developing statistically based juror risk profiles to identify jurors for cause and peremptory strikes, and she applies the qualitative analyses to develop case stories and themes.

Keith Pounds, PhD brings nearly 20 years of litigation consulting experience to his role at IMS Legal Strategies. He is adept at helping clients identify and develop compelling case themes and presentation strategies. Dr. Pounds provides IMS clients with quantitative and qualitative analysis through focus groups and mock trials, in addition to assisting attorneys with witness preparation, voir dire, and jury selection. He enjoys working with attorneys on complicated cases and finding ways to make the story resonate with jurors.

Dr. Melissa M. Gomez has worked on over 1,000 jury trials across the United States with a focus on the psychology of learning, behavior, and decision making. She has close to three decades of expertise in research design and methodology, as well as in behavioral and communication skills training. From the very start of litigation, she assists counsel in targeting discovery efforts and then developing a case strategy with an end goal of favorable resolution—whether at the negotiating table or at trial. To that end, Dr. Gomez designs and conducts mock trials and focus groups; assists with witness preparation and jury selection; and develops educational and persuasive strategies for trial. Through years of research, she has developed an extensive national database containing key preconceptions, attitudes, and experiences of over 5,000 jury-eligible adults.

Theodore (Ted) Prosise has more than 20 years of experience working with litigation and trial teams. Ted has applied his skills and knowledge to hundreds of jury trials throughout the country, including in Washington State, California, Oregon, Nevada, Montana, Texas, and Ohio, among many other venues. He has prepared over 1,000 witnesses for deposition and trials, conducted over 250 mock trials and focus groups, selected over 200 juries, and conducted dozens of shadow juries. Ted’s recent focus has been on trial case strategy and theme development, witness preparation for medical professionals and foreign witness preparation for those testifying in depositions and trials in the United States. He assists in developing compelling narratives and persuasive strategies for opening and closing statements and pioneered the “process-graphics” strategies for the most effective closing arguments.

Dr. Merrie Jo Pitera is a psychology and communication expert who specializes in complex litigation and trial consulting. With more than 30 years of experience in the field, Merrie Jo has managed hundreds of cases and understands what is at stake. Her areas of expertise include intellectual property, employment, commercial, environmental, transportation, insurance bad faith, and product liability/personal injury litigation. She is a perceptive listener and observer of jury dynamics and sentiments, and she provides clear insights into how they are likely to impact the decision-makers in a case. Merrie Jo’s insight and guidance has been deemed “invaluable” by multiple clients. In addition to being a jury specialist, Merrie Jo prepares witnesses for deposition, trials, arbitration, and congressional hearings.