by Ken Lopez
Founder/CEO
A2L Consulting
 
If the creation of litigation graphics were as simple as some people make it out to be, you would never need a litigation graphics consultant. Yet litigation graphics consultants of varying skill levels are everywhere these days. Clearly, there is a need for them. But why? What value do litigation graphics consultants add? It’s a fair question, and here are 12 good answers.
 
1. Contrary to what some think, litigation graphics are more than electronic versions of printed documents: Many litigators make the mistake of thinking they are fully utilizing litigation graphics when they hire a trial technician who does nothing more than show documents on screen. See Why Trial Tech ≠ Litigation Graphics
 
2. Real litigation graphics consultants are storytelling experts, not PowerPoint experts: The technology isn’t what matters. As with lawyers, there are wildly differing levels of talent and education among litigation graphics consultants. The very best, like those on the A2L team, are true experts in helping to craft a story using visuals. These experts add value, not just slides. See Patent Litigation Graphics + Storytelling Proven Effective: The Apple v. Samsung Jury Speaks and $300 Million of Litigation Consulting and Storytelling Validation
 
3. Litigation graphics consultants provide the creativity that your trial team may not have. When it comes to litigation graphics, our customer surveys tell us that it is our creativity that is valued most by our clients. See Working in Parallel vs. Series with Trial Presentation Consultants
 
4. Your time is too valuable. You need to focus on the “law track,” which is what lawyers are best at. You must consider the order of how you will present your case, how to develop an evidentiary record and how to prepare your witnesses. Allow litigation graphics experts to do the heavy lifting in the persuasion area. See Planning For Courtroom Persuasion? Use a Two-Track Trial Strategy and How Valuable is Your Time vs. Litigation Support's Time?
 
5. We have dozens of psychological tricks for influencing people with pictures. We have written about some of these: See Font Matters - A Trial Graphics Consultant's Trick to Overcome Bias and Could Surprise Be One of Your Best Visual Persuasion Tools?
 
6. We have a kind of magic that you don’t have in your law firm. Even if you have some graphics people in your firm, there is no one in your law firm who can do the kind of work illustrated here: 16 PowerPoint Litigation Graphics You Won't Believe Are PowerPoint. Although there are rare exceptions, artists within law firms are usually either not the best or are on their way to working somewhere else: 13 Reasons Law Firm Litigation Graphics Departments Have Bad Luck
 
7. We understand the psychology of a jury and how you can use psychology to your advantage. We also know how you can hurt your case when you use litigation graphics the wrong way. For us, this is second nature. For litigators, this is not common sense at all: See Why Reading Your Litigation PowerPoint Slides Hurts Jurors and 12 Ways to SUCCESSFULLY Combine Oral and Visual Presentations
 
8. We can help you spot dirty tricks by the opposition. There are many subterfuges in litigation graphics consulting, and you will mostly likely overlook them but you shouldn't. Many of the tricks are objectionable and offer an opportunity for you to score points with judge and jury by pointing them out, but you have to see them. See 5 Demonstrative Evidence Tricks and Cheats to Watch Out For
 
9. Your colleagues are doing litigation graphics all wrong. They're good people I'm sure, and we know they are smart too. However, the normal instinctive way to use PowerPoint (bullets, text, reading slides) is precisely the wrong way. Unfortunately, that's what we see most often. See 12 Reasons Bullet Points Are Bad (in Trial Graphics or Anywhere) and The 12 Worst PowerPoint Mistakes Litigators Make
 
10. We spend a lot more time in courtrooms than you do. The same trial lawyers who used to go to trial every year 10 or 20 years ago, now often go to trial only every three, five, or even seven years. In stark contrast, our team may go to trial 50 or even 100 times every year. Common sense should tell you to trust what we have to say about how visuals will land with a judge and jury. See With So Few Trials, Where Do You Find Trial Experience Now?
 
11. Whenever a well-educated fresh pair of eyes works on your case with you, you will find something incredibly valuable about it. See 21 Reasons a Litigator Is Your Best Litigation Graphics Consultant and How I Used Litigation Graphics as a Litigator and How You Could Too
 
12. Anyone can make a PowerPoint, but only an experienced trial consulting team like A2L can make a PowerPoint that is convincing.

Other articles and resources related to litigation graphics, trial graphics and demonstrative evidence consultants from A2L Consulting: 

• Free Webinar: PowerPoint Litigation Graphics - Winning by Design™
• Free Webinar - Watch Anytime - Patent Litigation Visual Persuasion Techniques
• Using & Creating Litigation Graphics to Persuade - An E-Book for Litigators and Litigation Support Professionals
• Litigation Graphics, Psychology and Color Meaning
• 6 Studies That Support Litigation Graphics in Courtroom Presentations
• Litigation Graphics: Timelines Can Persuade Judges and Juries
• Why Expensive-Looking Litigation Graphics Are Better
• 5 Settlement Scenarios Where Litigation Graphics Create Leverage
• 10 Reasons The Litigation Graphics You DO NOT Use Are Important
• Litigation Graphics: It's Not a Beauty Contest
• 5 Problems with Trial Graphics