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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Jury Planner Intern

💰 $ - $

LegalConsultingResearchInternship

🎯 Role Definition

A Jury Planner Intern is a crucial member of a trial consulting or litigation support team, operating at the intersection of psychology, law, and data analysis. This role is pivotal in helping legal teams understand the human element of a trial by providing data-driven insights into potential juror attitudes, biases, and decision-making processes. The intern actively supports senior consultants in designing and executing pre-trial research projects, such as mock trials and focus groups, and analyzing the resulting data to help shape case strategy, theme development, and jury selection. This position offers a unique, hands-on opportunity to learn how social science methodologies are applied in high-stakes legal settings to forecast and influence trial outcomes.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Current Law School (JD) Student
  • Graduate Student (MA or PhD) in Psychology, Sociology, or Communications
  • High-achieving Undergraduate in a relevant field (Pre-Law, Political Science, Social Sciences)

Advancement To:

  • Jury Consultant / Trial Consultant
  • Litigation Research Analyst
  • Director of Jury Research

Lateral Moves:

  • Market Research Analyst (with a qualitative focus)
  • Litigation Paralegal or Trial Technology Specialist
  • Corporate Communications or Strategy Associate

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Assist in the end-to-end coordination and execution of pre-trial research projects, including mock trials, focus groups, and community attitude surveys.
  • Participate in the recruitment and screening of mock jurors, ensuring project demographics accurately reflect the trial venue's population.
  • Prepare and organize research materials, including case summaries, exhibit boards, video depositions, and juror questionnaires for research events.
  • Observe live or recorded mock jury deliberations and focus group discussions, taking meticulous notes on juror reactions, key arguments, and group dynamics.
  • Conduct qualitative data analysis by coding and identifying key themes, arguments, and points of confusion from deliberation transcripts and video recordings.
  • Perform quantitative analysis of juror questionnaire data using statistical software to identify patterns and correlations between demographics, attitudes, and verdict leanings.
  • Contribute to the drafting of comprehensive post-research reports and client-facing presentations that summarize findings and offer strategic recommendations.
  • Conduct in-depth research on trial venues, analyzing local media coverage, community attitudes, and recent verdicts to inform case strategy.
  • Assist in the development of Supplemental Juror Questionnaires (SJQs) designed to uncover potential biases relevant to a specific case.
  • Analyze completed SJQ responses from the jury pool to help attorneys make more informed decisions during the voir dire process.
  • Support senior consultants in developing effective voir dire questions aimed at eliciting candid responses from potential jurors.
  • Help prepare witnesses for deposition and trial testimony by serving as a mock juror and providing feedback on their clarity, credibility, and persuasiveness.
  • Create and refine visual aids, graphics, and PowerPoint presentations intended to simplify complex legal arguments for a lay jury.
  • Manage and organize large volumes of case documents, deposition transcripts, and evidence for use in research projects.
  • Monitor online discussions and social media trends related to high-profile cases or specific legal issues to gauge public sentiment.
  • Shadow senior consultants during client meetings, strategy sessions, and, when possible, live court proceedings to gain exposure to the full scope of trial consulting.
  • Assist in building and maintaining an internal knowledge base of past case research, juror profiles, and venue-specific data.
  • Conduct literature reviews on topics in legal psychology, persuasion, and decision-making to support the firm's methodologies.
  • Provide direct support to attorneys and senior consultants during in-person or remote jury selections by tracking juror responses and managing data.
  • Contribute to the development of compelling case narratives and trial themes that resonate with the target juror population based on research findings.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to uncover novel insights for ongoing cases.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap by helping to organize and archive past research data.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements for new research tools or databases.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering or research technology team if applicable.
  • Assist with administrative tasks related to project setup, client billing, and vendor management.
  • Help prepare marketing materials and case studies that showcase the firm's capabilities and past successes.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Qualitative & Quantitative Data Analysis: Proficiency in analyzing both unstructured data (like discussion transcripts) and structured data (like survey responses).
  • Statistical Software: Experience with or a strong aptitude to learn statistical packages like SPSS, Stata, or R for running descriptive and inferential statistics.
  • Microsoft Office Suite: Advanced proficiency in PowerPoint for creating compelling presentations and Excel for data manipulation, pivot tables, and charting.
  • Survey Design: Understanding of the principles of effective questionnaire design, including question wording, scaling, and bias avoidance.
  • Legal Research: Familiarity with legal research databases such as Westlaw or LexisNexis to find case law, statutes, and legal documents.
  • Database Management: Basic understanding of how to organize, query, and maintain data within a database structure.
  • Presentation & Graphic Design: Ability to distill complex information into clear, visually engaging slides and graphics.

Soft Skills

  • Critical Thinking & Analytical Mindset: A natural ability to deconstruct complex problems, identify underlying assumptions, and evaluate arguments from multiple perspectives.
  • Exceptional Attention to Detail: The ability to work with precision and accuracy is paramount when dealing with sensitive data and high-stakes litigation.
  • Discretion and Confidentiality: Unwavering commitment to maintaining confidentiality regarding sensitive case information and client strategies.
  • Superior Written and Verbal Communication: The skill to articulate complex social science concepts and data findings clearly and concisely to a non-expert (legal) audience.
  • Objectivity & Intellectual Honesty: The capacity to set aside personal biases and analyze juror behavior from a neutral, scientific standpoint.
  • Adaptability & Poise Under Pressure: Thrives in a fast-paced environment where priorities can shift rapidly in response to trial developments.
  • Teamwork & Collaboration: A collaborative spirit and the ability to work effectively with diverse teams of consultants, lawyers, and support staff.
  • Inherent Curiosity: A genuine interest in human behavior, psychology, and the intricacies of the legal system.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Currently enrolled in or a recent graduate of an accredited Bachelor's degree program.

Preferred Education:

  • Currently enrolled in a Juris Doctor (J.D.) program, or a Master's or Ph.D. program in a relevant social science field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Psychology (especially Social, Cognitive, or Forensic)
  • Sociology or Criminology
  • Law / Pre-Law
  • Communications
  • Political Science

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 0-1 years of professional or academic research experience. This is an entry-level/internship role designed for learning and development.

Preferred:

  • Previous academic coursework or research projects focused on statistics, research methodologies, legal psychology, or public opinion.
  • Prior internship experience in a law firm, research institution, or government agency is highly valued.
  • Experience with public speaking, debate, or mock trial competitions is a significant plus.
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