Testimonials

Testimonials

"As a perpetual student and practitioner of communication and persuasion skills, I approached Facts Can't Speak for Themselves with high anticipation. As usual, Eric's brilliance and insights concerning storytelling, focus groups and communication principles are exceeded only by his unique application of those principles to real cases. Many of us have profited, both intellectually and financially, from Eric's wisdom in the past and, regardless of our current level of knowledge and expertise, this contribution will help trial lawyers learn new skills while honing old ones. This book will help us help our clients."
- Howard L. Nations, Attorney at Law, Houston, TX

"What could be more fundamental to those of us who are in the profession of trial litigation then an accurate understanding about how people process information? Yet many trial lawyers accept folklore about the process to their disadvantage. Facts Can't Speak for Themselves clears away these mistaken beliefs and provides a correct explanation about how judges and juries really utilize our communications. Applying his knowledge and understanding in this book will improve every lawyer's skill and ability. Over the years I have known Eric he continually has given me fresh insight about this subject to my great benefit as a trial lawyer. This is a book every trial lawyer should own."
- C. Paul Luvera, The Luvera Law Firm, Seattle, WA

"Eric Oliver is one of the most insightful trial consultants working today. Savvy trial attorneys are aware of the story model of juror decision-making, but even they seldom know how to apply that research to improve their case presentation. Eric suggests that no universal case story exists: each juror develops his own story of the case drawing on his own life experience. Eric teaches how to mine those individual stories during the research phase for ways to develop a persuasive case presentation that will appeal to the widest audience. This is a groundbreaking work. Eric's thesis that so much of what influences juror and other decision-makers happens at the unconscious level is important and will change how you conduct and analyze focus groups. Leave it to Eric to listen to what jurors are not saying. This thoughtful, well developed analysis will be invaluable to the practitioner. Read this book and significantly improve your ability to persuade jurors, judges, arbitrators and other decision-makers."
- Carol L. Bauss, Senior Trial Consultant, National Jury Project

"I was not at all surprised at the superior quality of Eric's book, having had the pleasure of knowing Eric for a long time and benefiting enormously from his unique and masterful expertise in conducting focus groups. Facts Can't Speak for Themselves achieves a daunting goal - codification of his creative and powerful cutting-edge techniques for communicating with jurors. This book contains powerful tools that will profoundly enhance a lawyer's most important skills - really talking, and listening, to juries. This may be the most important book a lawyer will ever read."
- Keith Hebiesen, Clifford Law Offices, Chicago, IL

"In Steven Spielberg's classic movie, Amistad, the lawyers who are representing the Africans charged with murdering their captors approach John Quincy Adams, played by Anthony Hopkins, to ask him to assist in their defense. Adams at first refuses but asks, "What is their story?" He then explains to the entreating trial lawyers that cases are won by the person who has the strongest story. Eric Oliver has reminded us of this principle and carries it one step further: it takes twelve stories to win. The trial lawyer is not presenting the case to an audience of twelve, but rather to twelve audiences. Facts Can't Speak for Themselves is a must read for all those who desire to improve their persuasive skills."
- Jim M. Perdue, The Perdue Law Firm LLP, Houston, TX;
Author of I Remember Atticus and Winning with Stories

"It takes a while to get through it, but once you've read this book, you'll never look at your cases in the same light again; the light in which you view them will be brighter and clearer."
- Bob Gerchen, Senior Trial Consultant, Litigation Insights; Author of 101 Quick Courtroom Tips for Busy Lawyers

"Impressively informed by science and experience, Eric Oliver brings our understanding of the story model to a new level. It is an essential guide to how jurors think and feel about cases - and how they arrive at verdicts."
- Neil J. Kressel, Ph.D.; Coauthor of Stack and Sway: The New Science of Jury Consulting

"After 33 years in the courtroom and a few hundred jury trials, what's new and worth studying? The short answer is Eric Oliver's book Facts Can't Speak for Themselves. Read this book and new explanations for your old losses creep into view. Taking advantage of Eric's insights requires thoughtful reading and some reflective quiet time. It's nice to be a 57-year-old freshman, new and better."
- William Barton, Barton & Strever PC, Newport, OR

"Eric Oliver offers us such a richness of perception and depth of understanding, we are overwhelmed by it. Facts Can't Speak for Themselves is a gift. In this amazing window into the decision making of jurors, he leads us to the essence of what we must know if we are to be successful: that what is going on in the unconscious minds of jurors is where we must search for the key, and that is indeed possible to find our way if we are willing to learn when and what to ask, and how to listen for the answers. Eric first leads us through the process of story building, then teaches us how to use focus groups to discover what stories of our case the jurors build and how, and finally how to deconstruct and rebuild a presentation that the jurors will embrace in the journey to a verdict favorable for our clients. We must lose control to gain control. And, if we listen to Eric, and trust him, we will find ourselves exactly where we want to be when the twelve come back to announce their verdict."
- Elizabeth F. Kuniholm, Kuniholm Law Firm, Raleigh, NC