Our office has repeatedly used Jeff and his team to assist us in the selection, preparation and trial of our lawsuits. They are smart, practical and have impressed me with the quality of the insights they have provided us.
Bill Barton
Barton Trial Attorneys
Newport, OR
Inductee, Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame
President, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association
President, ABOTA – Oregon chapter
Author, Recovering for Psychological Injuries
Member, ABOTA
Working with Jeff Boyd is always a seamless experience. His professionalism and preparation make the entire process smooth and efficient. The insights gathered from our focus group sessions are always incredibly enlightening. Jeff provides a clearer understanding of juror attitudes, which directly influence our case strategy. The data we obtained from our sessions has proved crucial in shaping my approach to both settlement discussions and trial preparation. Working with Jeff is a collaborative experience in which everyone shares ideas as we refine our focus. I always felt supported throughout our partnership. Working with Jeff Boyd has helped my clients tremendously, and it also happens to be fun. His ability to distill complex information into actionable insights has been a game changer for our cases.
Brent Barton
Barton Trial Attorneys
Newport, OR
I recently retained Boyd Trial Consulting to assist me in preparing for a Murder trial. Jeff and Deborah were easy to work with and assisted us in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of our case. The process was invaluable in developing the themes for the case and identifying which jurors were least likely to agree with our argument. Jeff and Deborah also identified the State’s strongest arguments and how we might best attack these arguments. With their help, I have never been more prepared for trial and confident in my trial strategy – and I obtained an acquittal for my client.
Whitney Boise
Boise Matthews
Portland, OR
Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers Criminal Defense
I have used Jeff and Deborah as my trial and focus group consultants for the past several years. They have been instrumental in helping us closely evaluate several high value (7 and 8 figure) cases of ours that we have used to help us obtain unusually exceptional results while in settlement talks and/or mediation. I would not hesitate to use them again. They deserve my highest recommendation for any trial lawyer that truly wants to know their case before it is tried or settled.
Chris Davis
Davis Law Group
Seattle, WA
Jeff is a total pro. He's able to get a group that is as diverse as the potential jury pool, and present the good, bad, and ugly to them in a way that doesn't feel forced or one-sided. His process holds lawyers to account in a way that prepares them for all of the nuances of trial with his grasp of the rules of evidence and local practices regarding voir dire and jury selection.
His presentation gave us confidence that we were presenting the correct themes of the case. The mere fact that we focus grouped with Jeff was the strongest endorsement of our case at mediation. His reputation for correctly reading the room when it comes to what a real jury will decide -- on liability and damages -- gave us the juice that we needed to put the fear of God into the defendants and raised the value of our case by at least double. It also gave us the confidence we needed to definitively try the case unless the defendants came to where the focus group decided the case needed to be.
Ryan Dreveskracht
Galanda Broadman
Seattle, WA
From start to finish, working with Jeff Boyd and his team is a seamless operation that gives invaluable insight into your upcoming trial. Jeff uses methods to ensure mock jurors are from the venue of your case and are an accurate reflection of a real venire. He devises great strategies to test themes and potentially harmful evidence. At the end, Jeff gives a thorough and helpful executive summary of the session that helps determine key settlement and trial strategies.
Kevin Hastings
Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala
Tacoma, WA
The process Jeff walked my client’s case through helped me see the case through the eyes of people on the street.The case was complicated, but BTC’s approach helped simplify the issues in terms of presentation and views of the outcome possibilities. My experience included a criminal case, and, despite my client’s view of his innocence, it was an awakening to his weaknesses in testifying. Observing the moderated focus group discussion on the issues was fascinating, and really helped ground me in the real issues of the case. Perhaps the most enlightening conclusion I was able to make followed the group’s roughly 50/50 split in outcome. I had to face the reality that despite learning ways to optimize the presentation at trial, the reality was we’d be fighting for a hung jury. Working with Jeff and his staff was methodical. They had reasonable expectations of the material I would provide; and they gave more than adequate attention to the questions I had leading up to the process. The focus group session was, indeed, focused. It was provocative. And it was valuable!
Lance Hester
Hester Law Group
Tacoma, WA.
Boyd Trial Consulting have repeatedly proven their value by case results. My experience with Boyd Trial Consulting convinced me of their importance on the trial team.
Paul Luvera
Luvera Law Firm
Seattle, WA
Inductee, Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame
President, Washington State Association for Justice
President, Inner Circle of Advocates
Trial Lawyer of the Year, Washington State Association for Justice Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
Member, ABOTA
We retained Jeff’s firm to perform a series of focus groups in preparation for trial. Jeff’s approach was effective, thoughtful, and thorough, and the information we obtained was extremely helpful.
Greg Hitzel
EEOC
Seattle, WA
Working with Boyd Trial Consulting was a wonderful experience. Jeff knew the material and was well prepared to get answers from our focus group participants. We were able to identify strengths and weaknesses in our cases-some known and some unknown. The analysis was prompt and detailed. Preparing for trial with BTC gives you a tremendous advantage over your opposing counsel.
Alex Wilschke
Leventhal Puga Braley
Denver, CO
We found the experience of working with Boyd Trial Consulting to be immensely valuable. First, in preparing for the focus group sessions, BTC really helps you focus on the critical issues in your case. The process of succinctly presenting your best arguments and themes (and those of your opponents, as well) is, by itself, critically important. During every one of our experiences with BTC, we have learned something new, unexpected, and critically important about the case we were presenting. Jeff’s ability to elicit insightful comments from the focus group is truly remarkable. Many times lawyers get too close to our cases to see them through an objective lens. BTC’s work really helps you get back to seeing your own case clearly and, most importantly, to understand what matters most to a jury. One of the best parts of collaborating with BTC is that they help demystify the focus group process and provide incredible expertise at each step of the way. We always value our opportunities to work with BTC and will continue to use them as much as possible.
Marty McLean
Hagens Berman
Seattle, WA
I’ve had the pleasure of working with Boyd Trial Consulting (BTC) on a number of important cases over the past few years and would highly recommend them to any lawyer preparing a case for trial or mediation. I appreciate how BTC analyzes demographics data and survey responses to select a mock jury that closely mirrors the jury you’ll get at trial. This analysis and preparation on the front end allows you to rest assured that the focus group will yield feedback and results you can actually use in your case preparation and settlement negotiations. I've also found that BTC is laser focused on helping you to distill your case to its core elements — that is, the facts and themes that will actually impact and resonate with the human beings on the jury. The insights gleaned from this process are invaluable to uncovering the strengths and potential pitfalls of your case and allowing you to develop a winning strategy.
Carson Phillips-Spotts
Schroeter Goldmark & Bender
Seattle, WA
Working with Jeff as our co-counsel and jury consultant was an exceptional experience. He made the entire process smooth and informative, providing clear guidance every step of the way. Jeff’s insights were invaluable in helping us make well-informed trial decisions and strategically select the best jury. His professionalism, deep knowledge of jury behavior, and approachable manner made him a trusted partner throughout the case. I highly recommend Jeff for anyone seeking effective, practical, and easy-to-implement jury consulting services.
Tad Thomas
Thomas Law Offices
Louisville, KY
President of American Association for Justice (2022-23)
I am privileged to have worked with Jeff and his team on several matters in recent years. Jeff’s guidance in handling challenging cases is a true talent. His skill and insight in managing difficult witnesses at trial and in developing themes for the effective presentation of cases during trial is invaluable. Jeff’s calm manner in speaking with clients and counsel is a talent that few possess. You will find that Jeff is a consummate professional and that he will bring value to your representation.
Tom Withers
Withers Law Firm
Savannah, GA
Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
When I first met Jeff, I was impressed. He came in prepared and asked questions that got right to the heart of my case. He immediately understood the issues I was struggling with, so I knew he was going to provide useful insight for trial. Jeff carefully and thoughtfully presented information to the focus group participants. The information we learned from the groups was eye-opening for every level of the case. The groups Jeff ran clarified how to refine the case’s narrative and highlighted facts for me to emphasize. The groups were an opportunity for me to peak behind the curtain to see how real people perceive lawsuits and, more particularly, my case.
I think every lawyer should work with Jeff at least once in their practice.
John Avondet
Beard St. Clair Gaffney
Idaho Falls, ID
I was excited to hire Jeff Boyd to facilitate a focus group for one of my cases and was very impressed with the work he did. Jeff is a smart, articulate attorney but more importantly he is empathetic to the needs of the people in the focus group and the needs of the attorneys he works with. An important distinction is how Jeff dealt with people of different personalities and viewpoints in the focus group; making sure that each of their opinions were respected but also challenging them to clarify what their beliefs were based upon. Jeff’s organized process provided a comprehensive analysis. The feedback and results we received were very helpful not only in analyzing our case but also in understanding the value of our case.
Bruce Braley
Leventhal Puga Braley P.C.
Denver, CO
Former U.S. Congressman (Iowa)
President of Iowa Trial Lawyers Association
Howard Twigs Award, American Association for Justice
Jeff is organized, efficient, and capable. He comes in and gets the job done. As a trial lawyer he understands the issues. We tested two hypotheses in a somewhat complicated case and Jeff’s work confirmed what we had suspected. This helped us explain to our client that our strategy was correct, and gave us confidence in how to move forward in mediation with the opponent. I would definitely hire Jeff again.
Patrick Broom
Russo, Russo & Slania, P.C.
Tucson, AZ
After working with Jeff Boyd, it is hard to imagine ever again preparing for a large case without doing a focus group. Jeff’s well-organized focus groups allow me to gain perspective on cases and recognize weaknesses and strengths that I may have not realized without his strategic guidance. Jeff has a way of getting group participants to speak their true minds. As a litigator, I want honest feedback to help formulate my cases, and his ability to elicit what individuals truly think is remarkable. His guidance allows me to better prepare for trial and make better decisions about my cases.
Ed Budge
Budge & Heipt, PLLC
Seattle, WA
Trial Lawyer of the Year, Washington State Association for Justice
Jeff is very pleasant to work with. He’s professional and clearly knows what he’s doing. Working with Jeff helped us identify the critical issues of the case, and how to approach them. Jeff is very thorough. He proceeded very efficiently – much more efficiently than other focus groups I’ve been a part of. He did a great job selecting the participants and his analysis was spot on. The focus group that Jeff moderated ended up being very predictive of how the jury viewed the case. I’d use him again.
Stephen Bulzomi
Evergreen Personal Injury Counsel
Tacoma, WA
President of WSAJ (2013-2014)
If I have a high-stakes case going to trial, I wouldn’t go to trial without working with Jeff Boyd first. The focus group process Jeff uses is invaluable to understanding the nuances in your case. The hard part as a trial lawyer is, we know way too much about our own cases making them hard to simplify. Jeff is incredibly smart so he can figure out what the issues are and condense the facts and issues down to something digestible that a jury can swallow. Jeff is thoughtful, knowledgeable and patient. Working with Jeff definitely made a difference in my case.
Fred Burnside
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Bellevue, WA
Jeff is a consummate professional. He establishes a tremendous rapport with folks who come in for mock juries. He puts them immediately at ease, which of course has the side effect of putting the lawyers immediately at ease. He consistently demonstrates a great understanding of the case materials, which helps ensure that the results from the focus groups are reliable and extremely helpful as we craft our trial narratives. Before hiring Jeff, I had basically been doing focus groups and mock juries in house. After watching him work, and getting a chance to absorb the product he created for us after the focus group, I’ll be using him on every case from now on. The themes that Jeff was able to distill are the themes that you can be confident will resonate with juries in trial. The results have been
so reliable that by including these themes in your voir dire and opening statements you can be assured that you will be answering questions your real jurors have.
Darrell L. Cochran
Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala
Tacoma, WA
President of Washington State Association for Justice (2017-2018)
Trial Lawyer of the Year, Washington State Association for Justice
Member, ABOTA
Jeff is a consummate professional; extremely well prepared and hard-working. He takes his job seriously and strives to do everything possible to get you necessary information to help win your case. Jeff takes the time to truly learn the intricate details so that he can accurately present all critical information to a focus group. In describing the case, he introduces the facts in a slow and meaningful manner, getting the jury to pay attention to important nuances so that you can see how those jurors react to different aspects of the case. In observing this process, you are able to witness juror reactions first hand, providing important insights that allow you to carefully hone your presentation at trial.
John R. (Jack) Connelly
Connelly Law Office
Tacoma, WA
President of Washington State Association for Justice (2005-2006)
Trial Lawyer of the Year, Washington State Association for Justice
Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers
Member, ABOTA
Jeff Boyd is an accomplished trial lawyer who uses his background to provide a valuable experience that other lawyers need. It is easy for us as lawyers to fall in love with our case, but in reality, a good chunk of jurors may not agree. Jeff does a great job of drawing out the “perception gap” between the lawyers and the likely jurors and, most importantly, helping us with specific changes to address those issues. Part of the appeal of the focus-group method is that he takes a lot of work off of the lawyers. We provide Jeff with the basic case information and arguments, then he distills it down for the focus group. This allows us to sit back, listen to the focus group, and analyze. Jeff Boyd is super-efficient, providing a great amount of value for your budget.
Frank Cordell
Gordon Tilden Thomas & Cordell LLP
Seattle, WA
Jeff is very timely and detail oriented. He provided a lot of value in understanding the issues associated with the case and helped us get a better idea of how a jury and defendant would perceive the case. When it comes to focus groups, Jeff does a great job selecting a realistic pool of potential jurors. He asks insightful questions that get people talking candidly about their thoughts and opinions related to the case. Jeff also provides a great written product at the end of the case. Our focus group provided great insight for our trial strategy as well as our settlement strategy, which ultimately led to the case resolving appropriately.
Matthew Crotty
Riverside NW Law Group
Spokane, WA
As a trial lawyer and consultant, Jeff's seen and reviewed a multitude of cases, and he really knows what he's doing. He understands people, he understands jurors, and he understands what it's going to take to win your case. Jeff and Deborah create a very relaxed environment during focus groups, and they make it very easy for attorneys to participate in the process. You learn what issues are most important to focus on and you learn how to better prepare for your case. In some instances, you may even determine you should not be litigating the case at all - an important realization.
Tom D'Amore
D'Amore Law Group
Lake Oswego, OR
President of Oregon Trial Lawyers Association
Member, ABOTA
Jeff Boyd’s focus groups helped our trial team develop persuasive themes and stories for presenting our case to a jury. Jeff is very adept at understanding and responding to the wide range of views and backgrounds brought by the members of a focus group or jury pool. He really listens and was an excellent coach and advocate for continually getting us to hone and simplify our case. We thought we had a simple case when we hired Jeff, but he helped us see its complexities and to figure out how best to communicate and explain them. His energy and dedication to his work is impressive and his passion for it definitely comes through.
Stuart R. Dunwoody
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Seattle, WA
We hired Jeff to help us with a case that had a lot of complicating factors and legal issues. We needed to be able to predict how folks on a jury might react so that we could effectively plan our presentation. In the past we conducted focus groups ourselves, but after working with Jeff we learned doing so isn’t always the best option. There’s a certain amount of bias that can arise when you bring people to your own office. They often glean which side you represent and because of this, their answers may not be representative of what they would be in an actual courthouse setting. By handing over the focus group to Jeff, we were able to sit back and watch, which was very enlightening for us. His ability to get people to speak from the heart without any bias is impressive. He makes it clear that he’s not on any side, which is hard to emulate. We got a lot of feedback about what the mock jurors felt was interesting, confusing, and concerning, and it helped us figure out how to approach the strengths and weaknesses of our case. Jeff’s skills are unique – there really aren’t a lot of trial consultants with as extensive experience as a trial lawyer as he has. This is what sets Jeff apart. It was an excellent experience, and we will definitely hire him again.
Scott Edwards
Schauermann Thayer Jacobs Staples & Edwards
Vancouver, WA
Jeff Boyd is an experienced and extremely qualified trial lawyer. Combining his in-court experience and qualifications with his consulting and analytical skills provides a unique opportunity for trial lawyers to begin effective case framing. Once the factual information was provided to Jeff and his team, the process was easy. I took no active role in the sessions. His approach allowed me to simply observe, focus, take notes, and analyze. In addition to his honesty and candor, Jeff is hard-working, insightful and thorough. Those characteristics can facilitate constructive disagreement with rationale which can provide insight into addressing the positions of opposing counsel. I encourage and fully endorse Jeff and his team and believe his services are an important tool for quality trial preparation.
Roger Felice
Felice Law Office, P.S.
Spokane, WA
President of Washington State Association for Justice (2001-2002)
Trial Lawyer of the Year, Washington State Association for Justice
In the 52 years that I have been practicing law I’ve done a lot of conflict litigation and used a number of focus group professionals. I can honestly say that Jeff Boyd is the best I’ve ever worked with. The feedback he is able to extract from the participants and the analysis he provides after the sessions are done is extremely valuable. In addition, his video streaming technology is unbelievable. Whether you are sitting in the focus group room or across the country, you have the ability to watch the discussions live. Nobody can compete with Jeff Boyd - he’s that good.
James R. Gilreath
The Gilreath Law Firm, P.A.
Greenville, SC
Working with Jeff Boyd was an extremely easy and rewarding process. From the beginning, Jeff and his team made the focus group work easy and logical. I learned several valuable things during the process including the benefit of doing a focus group sooner rather than later, before I do my discovery. It also became evident that the roadmap of how I get from point A to point B with jurors is more clearly defined the earlier a focus group is done in the trial prep process. Working with Jeff was a worthy investment and an exceptional experience. I can’t say enough good things about Jeff Boyd and his trial consulting services and would absolutely use his services again.
Natasha Hanna
Law Office of Natasha M. Hanna, PC
Myrtle Beach, SC
Jeff Boyd is a tremendous asset to my firm’s litigation practice. He helps us prepare jury selection, craft opening statements, and develop trial themes. He has a unique way of challenging attorneys to step back from the details of a case and see the big picture. His professionally run focus groups show us what matters most to our potential jury pool, which gives us the confidence we need to go to trial. This, in turn, leads to bigger pretrial settlements and better trial results. Jeff is an expert in his field. Attorneys don’t think twice about hiring expensive expert witnesses, and they shouldn’t think twice about hiring Jeff Boyd. I cannot recommend Jeff highly enough—he’s worth every penny.
Erik J. Heipt
Budge & Heipt, PLLC
Seattle, WA
I had previously worked with Jeff Boyd at an AAJ Case Plus workshop. So, when I was brought in on very short notice to try a case, I immediately reached out to Jeff to help me conduct some focus groups. I have a great appreciation for the way he works with the focus group participants as well as his general trial strategy, insight, and advice. Jeff works very hard to establish credibility with the jurors. He is polite, yet he keeps them on track. He maintains his neutrality (which is important), and is always looking to solicit more, potentially helpful information to help me prepare for the case.
Stephen J. Herman
Fishman Haygood
New Orleans, Louisiana
President of Louisiana Association for Justice (2014-2015)
Harry Philo Award, American Association for Justice
Stalwart Award, Louisiana Association for Justice
Among the things that I like most about Jeff Boyd’s trial consulting approach is that he succeeds in getting your case tested with non-lawyer eyes and perspectives. He is vigilant about avoiding the pitfalls of viewing a case only from the perspective of a lawyer. Jeff has a unique ability to take his lawyer hat off and test the case and the issues it presents with everyday people. With Jeff’s considerable help, I’ve been able to advise my clients on what makes their cases strong and compelling -- and what minefields exist. In any case of significant magnitude or complexity, the expense of consulting with Jeff is quite minor when compared to the significant value of his help in assessing your range of outcomes and your opportunities to maximize a recovery.
Thomas H. Howlett
The Googasian Firm, P.C.
Bloomfield Hills, MI
I've worked with Jeff on a number of cases, and each time I've been impressed with his ability to quickly get to the heart of the matter. A trial lawyer himself, he's aware of how juror bias takes shape, and from his experience, he gets where we're coming from. Jeff understands G.l.G.O. (garbage in, garbage out); if you don't press focus group participants to go deeper, you're going to get surface answers that don't provide insight into how to craft your case. With Jeff, responses are thoughtful and candid. He takes charge, keeps people on course, and makes every minute count. I look forward to working with Jeff on future cases.
Keith Kessler
Stritmatter Kessler Koehler Moore
Seattle, WA
President of Washington State Association for Justice (1990-1991)
Trial Lawyer of the Year, Washington State Association for Justice
Outstanding Plaintiff Trial Lawyer, Washington Defense Trial Lawyers
Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
Member, ABOTA
Jeff Boyd is outstanding and superb in his field. He is professional and personable. He is capable and knowledgeable. I can't imagine an easier or better person to work with, or a person who has more experience. He's done hundreds of focus groups, he's got a background in psychology, and he's been a trial lawyer on many complex cases. When I hire Jeff, he helps me win the case, every time. In focus groups, he draws people out, listens attentively, and analyzes quickly; gathering information that provides real value, necessary reality checks, and positive outcomes. My confidence in Jeff's abilities is 100%. It's simple; when Jeff is involved, we get better results.
Mark Kitrick
Kitrick Lewis & Harris Co., LP.A.
Columbus, OH
President of Ohio Association for Justice (2007-2008)
President of Ohio State Bar Foundation
Lifetime Professionalism Award, ABOTA - Ohio Chapter
Harry Philo Award, American Association for Justice
Member, ABOTA
Put simply, Jeff knows what he's doing. He's insightful, thorough and easy to work with. Going through the focus group process with Jeff, I realized that our preconceptions and assumptions about the case were very different than how the jury would see the case. I was stunned by the information he extracted from the jurors. With Jeff's help, we re-designed our entire discovery plan and developed a strategic plan to eliminate the landmines that he had identified. Based on Jeff's work I was able to re-evaluate how
to successfully try the case. I look forward to the next one with Jeff.
Mark Kosieradzki
Kosieradzki Smith Law Firm LLC
Plymouth, MN
President of Minnesota Association for Justice (1994-1995)
President of ABOTA – Minnesota chapter
Author - 30(b)6: Deposing Corporations, Organizations and the Government
Author - Deposition Obstruction: Breaking Through
I have done multiple focus groups with Jeff, and I choose to do them not solely to determine the overall view of my liability case, but to assist in preparing and directing the focus of a case. I’m looking for how a jury might view a particular issue or situation. Sometimes I start even before discovery, so I can know what development of facts is likely to make the overall presentation stronger. Jeff is excellent at structuring a focus group to elicit the particular information you might be looking for. He is extremely skilled in providing group members not only the right volume of information but also the right information to tease out the issues you want illuminated. Jeff’s work reflects his skill as a trial lawyer; he is detailed, professional, and extremely organized. That’s why I hire Jeff - because I trust him to help me be better.
Mark Leemon
Leemon + Royer PLLC
Seattle, WA
Jeff is exceptional at what he does. He is intuitive, extremely professional and thorough. Jeff's experience and background as a trial attorney make him uniquely qualified. It's clear that he puts a lot of energy and effort into doing the best he can to mine useful information from the process. Jeff makes it easy for us plaintiff attorneys to trust the results.
Brad Moore
Stritmatter Kessler Koehler Moore
Seattle, WA
President's Award, Public Justice Foundation
Member, ABOTA
Jeff is creative. He has great follow through and attention to detail. With a background in psychology and a trial lawyer himself, he has the unique ability to get the best information from jurors, finding out exactly what it is we need to know to direct our efforts. Having this insight into juror attitudes and biases helped us try the case effectively. Even when there is a very complicated set of issues, Jeff has a way of getting to the bottom of it. He works hard and he works efficiently. He's an all-around great guy.
Wayne Parsons
Wayne Parsons Law Offices
Honolulu, HI
Founder and President of Hawai'i Association for Justice (1988-1992)
President of Hawai'i State Bar Association
Howard Twiggs Award, American Association for Justice
Boyd Trial Consulting is excellent to work with. I wouldn’t want to try a major case without doing a focus group with Jeff and Deborah. They have a special, simple approach that allows them to spot important jury attitudes that you might not have been able to think of on your own. Once you’ve given them the facts, all you have to do is sit in the back of the room and take notes. They are affordable and they get the job done quickly. They will help you obtain the information that will help you best take care of your clients at trial.
Kenneth L. Pedersen
Pedersen Whitehead & Hanby
Boise, ID
Trial Lawyer of the Year, Idaho Trial Lawyers Association
Jeff is a great resource for any attorney who would like an overview of his/her case, or has a particular issue they want jury feedback on. With so much experience as a lawyer himself, Jeff comes to the table with the right perspective and know-how. Jeff makes it easy. He's intuitive, he's a quick study, and he does a lot of the preliminary work himself. He puts together a good presentation in short order. We've hired Jeff to focus in on key elements we have questions or concerns about, and every time, we've received answers that allow us to make decisions about settlements and trial.
Mike Pfau
Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala
Seattle, WA
Member, ABOTA
Jeff and Deborah were very thorough in their preparation for our focus group -- they did their homework. Jeff was able to get the mock jurors to talk, open up, and reveal important information they might otherwise not have without an experienced facilitator. The information gained was instrumental in helping us identify weaknesses that needed to be addressed before we began litigation and before trial, and it helped us establish our case theme.
Bryan Pope
Pope Taylor
Dallas, TX
President of Dallas Trial Lawyers Association (2012-2013)
The thing I enjoy most about working with Jeff is his insightfulness and thoughtfulness about particular issues. He provides a much needed second pair of eyes to look critically at a case. The depth of Jeff’s experience comes through most in his approach to focus groups. In my opinion, it’s unwise for any lawyer to take a significant case to trial without doing a focus group at least once. I’ve worked with Jeff at least a half dozen times and believe every lawyer should give him a shot. You don’t know what you’re missing until you go through the process with him. He can take a good case
and make it stronger, and he can take a difficult case and make it winnable. Working with Jeff has proved invaluable.
Nathan P. Roberts
Connelly Law Office
Tacoma, WA
President of Washington State Association for Justice (2022-2023)
Member, ABOTA
Jeff is a real pleasure to work with. He understands focus groups and makes the entire process comfortable and easy, getting participants to talk and explain their concerns. Jeff’s approach is somewhat unique. He has an ability to take a day long focus group and all that is generated, and distill it down into usable, instructive, information that allows us to move forward in determining the strengths and weaknesses of our case. He really gets the most out of the experience.
Michael J. Rourke
Rourke & Blumenthal
Columbus, OH
Since juries are unpredictable and at times unsympathetic, case selection may be the most important part of a litigation practice. In working with Jeff on several cases, I finally learned the importance of doing focus groups early on in the case preparation process. Early focus groups allow attorneys to tailor discovery, trial exhibits, and witness preparation to address issues raised by prospective jurors. Jeff is professional and honest about what he thinks of your case. During focus groups, Jeff is able to take charge in difficult situations and is masterful at guiding jurors through the process and helping them focus on the case. Jeff is skilled at getting to the bottom of an issue and extracting the information you need for your case. I trust him!
Sidney Stillerman Royer
Leemon + Royer PLLC
Seattle, WA
Working with Boyd Trial Consulting was an amazing experience. Jeff has a calm way about him. He’s a gentleman. Despite Jeff’s talent and expertise as a trial lawyer and consultant, he is incredibly humble and approachable. During our focus group, Jeff emphasized neutrality without ever saying the word. His demeanor and skill allowed us to get an honest assessment from mock jurors. He got them to open up and share candidly. The notes and reports provided after the focus group were very helpful and informed how we proceeded with the case. I truly enjoyed working with Jeff. Considering all of the deliverables, the value is well beyond the cost. I really can’t give a higher endorsement.
J.D. Smith
Law Office of J.D. Smith
Mercer Island, WA
President of ABOTA - Washington chapter (2023)
Professionalism Award, Washington State Association for Justice
Professionalism Award, ABOTA - Washington Chapter
Jeff is a true expert. We hired him to help us evaluate a case in a circuit in which we had no experience with the judges or potential jurors. Jeff took charge of the challenge and got us the information we needed to effectively assess and try the case. He was efficient, kept us on track, and helped us find our focus for the jury. Hiring Jeff was well worth the investment.
Julie Vacura
Larkins Vacura LLP
Portland, OR
Member, ABOTA
Jeff is a very thoughtful, even tempered, diligent, and organized individual. I have hired him on several occasions, and he's done a great job. Working with Jeff forces us to sit down and plan ahead of time, making us more prepared in the long run. Sitting through Jeff's focus groups made us feel more confident about how we were going to proceed. He's got great people skills and knows how to give jurors just enough info to draw them out in order to bring the real questions to the surface, without interfering or trying to steer them in any particular direction. With such reasonable fees, hiring Jeff is well worth it.
Dan Volkema
Volkema Thomas
Columbus, OH
The methodology that Jeff uses for his focus groups is solid, and as a result, you get useful information to try your case. You really understand at the end of the process, which themes and arguments will resonate with the jury, and which won't. There's really no way you can finish a focus group with Jeff and not have a pretty good sense of the strengths and weaknesses of your case. Working with Jeff is invaluable. On top of this, he's pleasant and fun to work with.
Mike Wampold
PWRFL
Seattle, WA
President of ABOTA - Washington Chapter
Trial Lawyer of the Year, Washington State Association for Justice
Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
Member, ABOTA
Working with Jeff was shockingly easy. He’s an active plaintiff’s attorney, so he knows what’s important to process cases to conclusion. We had two mock juror panels and Jeff helped us focus in on the things that were obvious concerns to both. Jeff did fantastic follow-up, sending us questionnaires, background information, and his observations, and he helped us brainstorm sticky issues. We leveraged what we learned in mediation, ending in a very good settlement.
Tim Williams
Dwyer Williams Cherkoss
Bend, OR
Member, ABOTA
I have worked with Boyd Trial Consulting on many cases, ranging from personal injury, insurance bad faith, civil rights, and employment. Jeff’s work with focus groups helped us in many instances not only to fine-tune liability theories, but to test approaches to damages and even allow us to evaluate impact of certain evidence so we could determine whether to move to exclude it or not. In addition, Deborah has observed witness testimony during focus groups and been able to point to areas where a witness might be able to express themselves better. In working with witnesses, she formulates questions before trial with so much compassion and curiosity that witnesses were ultimately able to articulate themselves more comfortably in front of a jury. Our firm has a deep bench of experienced and effective trial attorneys that often workshop our cases. Even with those considerable resources, Jeff and Deborah have shown over and over the value of engaging BTC as they offer a unique set of tools to ensure that we present cases quickly, preserving court and client resources, and effectively.
Elizabeth Hanley
Schroeter Goldmark & Bender
Seattle, WA
President of Washington State Association for Justice (2024-2025)