5 Advantages of Online Mock Trials
In the age of social distancing and Zoom jury trials, legal professionals have had to adjust the way they work. At Bonora Rountree, one of the bigger shifts has been conducting our mock trials and focus groups online. Online mock trials provide ways to get information about the strengths and weaknesses of your case. Below, we discuss the benefits of these research exercises and how, in some cases, they might be a better fit for your research needs than in-person mock trials. (For a counterpoint to these advantages, see our post, 4 Disadvantages of Online Mock Trials)
Online Mock Trials Are Less Expensive
Doing mock trial research online means no research facility, hotel costs, or food and beverage costs, which are a large portion of the expenses for in-person research exercises. We have conducted small online mock trials for clients for half the cost of an in-person research exercise.
Case Narratives Can Be Adjusted Over Multiple Rounds
Because online mock trails are less expensive and take less time to conduct, multiple rounds of research are more feasible than with in-person research exercises. Additional iterations allow attorneys to adjust and refine their themes for subsequent rounds of research.
Insightful Participants Can Be Called Back
There are instances when counsel may want to gauge whether case narratives have improved in subsequent rounds of online research. In addition to engaging with a new group of participants, counsel also has the option to call back participants from prior rounds to see if case narratives have strengthened. Those participants can be separated from the rest of the group for an online discussion.
Videotaped Presentations Do Not Require Additional Attorney Time
We recommend that the team prerecords the attorney presentations they want to be shown during the online research. Consultants can use those presentations to conduct multiple mock trials.
There’s More Flexible Scheduling
Online research projects can be scheduled for any time during the day or evening. Further, if the presentations are prerecorded, participants can be recruited to complete the online mock trial asynchronously at a convenient time for them. Our online survey software allows us to monitor participants’ responses to ensure they are conscientiously reviewing the presentations and answering questions regardless of when they are completing the research.