Magna Legal Services Named a 2025 “Best Of” Winner by The Recorder
PHILADELPHIA, June 27, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Magna Legal Services is proud to announce its recognition as a top service provider in four categories in The Recorder’s 2025 “Best Of” survey, published by ALM.
“Our Language Services and Record Retrieval departments have seen huge growth since being established in-house a decade ago. It’s great to see the dedication of each department’s staff reflected in year’s rankings.” -Peter Hecht, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of Sales
“Our Language Services and Record Retrieval departments have seen huge growth since being established in-house a decade ago. It’s great to see the dedication of each department’s staff reflected in year’s rankings,” said Peter Hecht, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of Sales at Magna Legal Services. “We are honored to be recognized by The Recorder again for our outstanding services and grateful for all our California clients that voted for us.”
Each year, The Recorder invites its readers—including legal professionals throughout California—to participate in a comprehensive online survey identifying the top providers in legal support services. The results, based entirely on reader input, are showcased in a special issue honoring excellence in the legal community.
The “Best Of” rankings spotlight the industry’s most trusted names, particularly those supporting the intersection of law, business, and technology. Magna’s consistent presence among the winners reflects its deep commitment to serving law firms, insurance carriers, and in-house counsel at Fortune 100 companies and beyond.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see the impact of our litigation, jury, and trial consulting work reflected in this feedback from the legal community,” added Mark Calzaretta, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of Litigation Consulting. “We take pride in delivering exceptional service across the board.”
Attorneys spend months preparing their case, but once trial begins, everything depends on how jurors respond. Jury selection plays a major role in this. Finding out who might support or oppose your case before it ever reaches court can make a difference. One of the most reliable ways to do this is through a mock trial.
What Is a Mock Trial?
Mock trials give attorneys a chance to test their case in a controlled setting before it reaches a real courtroom. They present arguments to a group of people who reflect the makeup of the actual jury pool. The goal isn’t to win. It’s to understand how jurors respond, what influences their thinking, and which arguments stick.
These sessions mirror real trials but allow more flexibility. Lawyers can try out different strategies, adjust their approach mid-presentation, and ask questions throughout. Most mock trials end with jury deliberations, which reveal how jurors process the evidence together and where confusion or disagreement starts. This feedback shapes everything from voir dire to closing arguments. It also helps attorneys recognize which types of jurors are likely to favor or resist their case.
Why Attorneys Use Mock Trials
Attorneys use mock trials to find out what works and what doesn’t before the real trial starts. Every trial has strengths and weak points. A mock jury will help show where jurors lose interest or stop believing a witness.
Lawyers also use mock trials to practice the rhythm and timing of their presentation. It’s one thing to plan a strong opening; it’s another to see how it lands with a jury that doesn’t know the case. Sometimes a key detail needs to be explained more clearly. Other times, jurors make up their minds early and stop listening. That kind of reaction is hard to predict without testing it first.
Mock trials also help attorneys recognize what kind of jurors they want. If certain backgrounds or attitudes tend to support one side, the legal team can tailor voir dire to find them or avoid them. That’s not guesswork. It’s targeted preparation.
How Mock Jury Results Guide Case Strategy
Once the mock trial wraps up, the real work begins. Consultants and trial teams analyze the juror feedback, look at verdict trends, and examine how individual traits connect to decision-making. This step helps build profiles of who is most likely to vote for the plaintiff or the defense.
These profiles come from watching how different people react to the same case facts. Sometimes the result points to a specific group being consistently skeptical of one party. Other times it reveals that certain themes need to be highlighted or downplayed.
The data from mock trials doesn’t just help with jury selection. It can shape the entire trial strategy. Lawyers can cut weaker parts of their case, bring stronger witnesses forward, or rethink their cross-examinations. In some cases, it leads to settlement talks when the likely trial outcome looks worse than expected.
Finding the Best and Worst Jurors for Your Case
Every trial team wants to know which jurors will support them and which ones might be a problem. Mock jury research helps make that clearer. A lawyer might assume that someone with a legal background will favor the defense, but the mock trial may show the opposite. Or, a juror with a personal experience related to the case might be more open-minded than expected.
Mock juries allow attorneys to stop relying on assumptions and start working with evidence. The feedback helps teams draft better voir dire questions and strike jurors who are most likely to hurt the case. It’s a smarter, more focused way to prepare.
Mock trials are also a good way to test how jurors interpret case themes. In an employment case, for example, jurors might respond strongly to fairness and respect. In a personal injury case, they might care more about accountability. Knowing which messages stick helps attorneys keep their arguments focused and persuasive.
Turn Mock Trial Feedback Into an Advantage
Magna Legal Services offers large-scale mock jury and profiling studies that give you detailed answers, not just surface reactions. Our team studies how jurors’ backgrounds, attitudes, and experiences affect their verdict choices. We build juror profiles by tracking patterns and drawing real conclusions from the data.
We use mock trials and focus groups to refine those profiles and zero in on what matters most. This research helps you shape voir dire and draft juror questionnaires that work. You’ll know what to ask and who to strike, based on real evidence, not guesswork.
Make Jury Selection Smarter With Real Feedback
If you want to stop guessing about jurors and start building a case strategy based on real reactions, a mock trial is your best tool. Magna Legal Services can help you find the strongest arguments, avoid costly mistakes, and get ahead of jury bias before trial begins. Let us help you test your case, identify key jurors, and walk into court with confidence. Contact us today.
Jury selection is a critical part of a trial. The people who make it into the jury box bring their life experiences, beliefs, and biases with them. Attorneys and their teams do everything they can to learn who those jurors are before making their decisions. But with courts limiting access to jurors more than ever, that job has become harder. That’s where online activity can offer a big advantage.
Why Online Activity Matters During Jury Selection
In most cases, lawyers only get limited access to a juror’s background during jury selection. Voir dire might give some helpful answers, and public records can add a little more. But that barely scratches the surface. People share far more online than they do in a courtroom. Public social media posts, blog entries, usernames, and comments can all help build a clearer picture of how a juror thinks.
Online activity may reveal how someone feels about political issues, religion, law enforcement, or civil rights. It may show strong opinions about issues directly related to the case. If a person is highly vocal online about workplace discrimination, for example, and they’re sitting on a panel in an employment trial, that’s something an attorney needs to know.
Magna Legal’s JuryScout uses this kind of information to support smarter, more informed jury selection.
How JuryScout Builds Juror Profiles
JuryScout works alongside traditional jury selection methods. It doesn’t replace voir dire or background checks; rather, it strengthens them. The tool scans public online behavior and compiles a digital profile for each juror. These profiles include:
How often a juror posts, comments, or shares photos
The number and types of social media accounts they have
Whether their content is public or private
How many usernames or aliases they use
The kind of topics they discuss in public spaces
This data helps attorneys decide whether a juror may carry bias into the courtroom. Maybe a juror runs a personal blog where they’ve written strong opinions on healthcare policy. If the trial involves a healthcare provider, that post becomes highly relevant.
JuryScout also tracks whether jurors continue posting during trial or after a verdict. Courts usually instruct jurors not to discuss the case, but not everyone listens. Some jurors have posted about trial details in real-time, violating those rules and risking the fairness of the process.
Using Online Habits to Spot Bias
Bias isn’t always obvious. Jurors don’t always say how they feel during questioning. But online, they might show it. A juror might “like” dozens of posts related to a specific social cause or share memes that suggest a strong opinion on law enforcement or the court system.
Let’s say a juror frequently shares posts about distrust in large corporations. That could matter a lot in a product liability trial. Or maybe their public comments show a strong loyalty to a political party, which could affect how they view government regulation, taxes, or civil rights.
This kind of online behavior gives attorneys better information during jury selection. Instead of guessing, they have facts.
The Real-World Impact of JuryScout
After a high-profile trial involving sexual harassment, Magna Legal Services was hired post-verdict to review the jury’s online behavior. The verdict had gone against the defendant, and the legal team suspected misconduct.
Magna Legal used JuryScout to pull cached online data from before and during the trial. The tool found four jurors who broke the judge’s rules. They had looked up case information, posted about the trial online, and discussed it with others. This information became key evidence in an appeal. Without JuryScout, those jurors’ actions may have never come to light.
Stay Ahead with Smarter Jury Selection
Lawyers can’t afford to guess during jury selection. They need every piece of information they can legally gather, and online activity is one of the richest sources available. Courts continue to limit what attorneys can ask jurors in person, and jurors continue to reveal themselves online. JuryScout helps bridge that gap and gives your team a sharper toolset.
Discuss Your Next Case With Magna Legal
Every juror makes a difference. Don’t leave your case to chance. Talk with Magna Legal about how JuryScout can support your trial strategy. Whether you’re preparing for voir dire or handling a post-verdict review, our team gives you the information you need to make smart choices. Reach out today and get the clarity you deserve before your case reaches the jury box.
Choosing a jury isn’t about luck. It’s about asking the right voir dire questions that help attorneys build trust, identify bias, and select jurors who can be fair. In both civil and criminal trials, these questions can shape everything that follows. The way a juror answers often gives you more than a yes or no. It gives you a glimpse into how they think, what they fear, and what may push them toward one side. Here are some of the most effective voir dire questions for both civil and criminal trials to get you on the right track for conducting a voir dire.
Voir Dire Questions That Work in Civil Cases
Find Out How Jurors Feel About Lawsuits
Some jurors believe most lawsuits waste time. Others think businesses never take responsibility. You can’t afford to guess.
Ask this:
“Have you ever been involved in a lawsuit, whether as a plaintiff, defendant, or witness?”
This question helps identify jurors with personal experiences that might affect how they see your client. Follow up by asking how that experience felt and whether they thought the outcome was fair.
Ask this:
“Do you think people file lawsuits too easily these days?”
People who agree may see your client as part of the problem—especially in personal injury or product liability cases.
Spot the “Nuclear Jurors” Early
A nuclear juror tends to favor massive damage awards, no matter the facts. You don’t want one deciding your client’s future.
Ask this:
“What do you think is the best way to hold a company accountable for wrongdoing?”
Jurors who mention large financial penalties may push for verdicts based on emotion, not evidence.
Ask this:
“Do you think high verdicts are a way to send a message to big companies?”
If the juror agrees, be ready to follow up. You need to know if they’ll listen to facts over feelings.
Test Their Comfort With Experts and Technical Evidence
Civil trials often depend on expert witnesses. But not every juror trusts them or even understands what they’re saying.
Ask this:
“How do you feel about experts being paid to testify in trials?”
This question can reveal distrust. You can also ask whether they think experts tend to “take sides” based on who pays them.
Ask this:
“If this case involves technical or scientific evidence, would you feel comfortable making a decision based on it?”
Some jurors feel overwhelmed by technical language, especially in medical or engineering cases. If they say no, that’s a red flag.
Learn About Personal Grudges or Biases
Everyone brings personal baggage. Your job is to find out what it is before opening statements.
Ask this:
“Have you had a bad experience with a company, service provider, or insurance claim?”
A negative story from years ago could turn into bias against your client. This is especially important in insurance defense or product cases.
Voir Dire Questions That Work in Criminal Cases
Check for Bias About Police and the Justice System
Many criminal cases rely on police testimony. Some jurors trust law enforcement completely. Others don’t trust them at all.
Ask this:
“Have you or someone close to you had a negative or positive experience with police or the legal system?”
You’ll learn more than just opinion. You’ll often hear personal stories that shape how they see authority.
Ask this:
“Do you believe the criminal justice system treats everyone fairly?”
Jurors with strong views here might lean heavily toward one side before hearing any evidence.
Make Sure They Understand Presumption of Innocence
Some people walk in assuming guilt just because there’s a trial. You need to fix that before it hurts your case.
Ask this:
“If you were accused of a crime, would you want jurors to wait until they hear the full case before forming an opinion?”
This flips the situation and helps them think more personally.
Then ask:“Can you do that for this defendant?”
If they hesitate, they may not be right for this trial.
Look for Strong Views on Crime and Punishment
Some jurors see criminal trials as a chance to push a moral agenda. That can create problems, especially if the case is emotional.
Ask this:
“Do you believe people who break the law deserve second chances?”
This helps you understand how they feel about rehabilitation, punishment, and the idea of redemption.
Ask this:
“What do you think about plea deals in criminal cases?”
This shows how they see the prosecution process. Some jurors see plea deals as unfair, which can shape how they view the defense or the system as a whole.
Uncover Bias Based on the Type of Crime
Every juror has lines they won’t cross. Some crimes trigger deep emotional responses. You need to know those limits.
Ask this:
“Are there any kinds of criminal charges that would be hard for you to stay neutral on?”
Don’t sugarcoat this. If someone says they can’t stay open-minded in a drug or sexual assault case, they shouldn’t be on the jury.
Your Voir Dire Questions Should Match Your Case
Every trial is different. The best voir dire questions help you spot hidden bias, encourage honesty, and build a jury that’s willing to listen. Start with general questions, then go deeper. Pay attention to body language, tone, and hesitation. The goal isn’t to trip anyone up. It’s to create a fair trial from the very first step.
If you’re not sure where to start or need help sharpening your voir dire strategy, you don’t have to handle it alone. Jury consultants and legal support teams can help you plan and test your voir dire questions before trial even begins.
Get Support That Strengthens Your Case from Day One
Jury selection can make or break your trial. Great voir dire questions do more than gather information. They help you connect, uncover bias, and guide your trial strategy. Magna Legal Services offers trial consulting, mock jury testing, and support with voir dire preparation for both civil and criminal cases.
If you’re preparing for trial and need help fine-tuning your voir dire approach, Magna Legal is ready to support you. From identifying nuclear jurors to strengthening your jury strategy, we’ll help you walk into court with confidence. Contact us today.
