Jury Consultant Jobs

Typically, a jury consultant works in cooperation with a trial lawyer during the jury selection process, during the actual trial, and possibly post-trial in many different capacities – mostly as a commentator and a reviewer of an attorney’s effectiveness with a jury. Unlike the profession’s characterization in John Grisham’s novel The Runaway Jury, professional jury consultants are not commonly committing illegal actions, including round the clock surveillance of jurors or attempts to manipulate or buy verdicts.

Successful jury consultants are usually extremely skilled behavioral observers, frequently holding a degree in psychology or the behavioral sciences – or possibly a law degree coupled with a major or minor in criminal justice. Many jury consultants work on high-profile or high-stakes cases. The profession, however, is definitely not an exact science, as prominent jury consultants were involved in selecting the jury for the O.J. Simpson case (remember that one?) and worked closely with defense counsel on the headline-grabbing Scott Peterson case. Nobody bats a thousand, right?

As the name jury "consultant" implies, most are independent contractors who are paid similar to the way attorney are paid. In other words, the sky is the limit, depending upon the success rate, skills, and profile of the jury consultant.