Articles/Reviews

Article from Lawyers Weekly
by Nora Lockwood Tooher, Staff writer

Trial consultant Eric Oliver has come up with a new twist on the old "story model" for juror decision-making.

But in his new book, "Facts Can't Speak for Themselves," (NITA, $60), Oliver, who is head of MetaSystems, a trial consulting firm in Canton, Mich., explains that the trick isn't finding the "right" juror, but discovering through focus groups how to create the most effective case story, regardless of jurors' personal backgrounds. Read Article

 

Book Review by Joshua Karton,
Trial Consultant

Oh, The Places You'll Go!
I kept thinking of Dr. Seuss'S book Oh, the Places You'll Go while reading Eric Oliver's book, (and achievement) Facts Can't Speak for Themselves. All the places each and every listener goes, as we tell our story to the, places unknown to us, unless we ask, and even when we do ask, we first get only titles for their home movies of the self, tab markers, at best captions. It takes awhile and skill to invite people to want to open these archives, because the filing system is so idiosyncratic, and the table of contents in on- linear, non verbal. Read Review

 

Book Review by E. H. Uwe Beltz
Associate Director, Texas Tech University Law Library, Lubbock

Practice & Procedure
Telling stories, and how that can result in decisions in favor of an attorney's point of view, is a major theme in the trial practice genre. This book twists that perspective slightly by emphasizing the personal and individual stories jurors bring with them to a trial. Written by Eric Oliver, a consultant with over 20 years specialization in trial communication skills for attorneys, the major premise of this book is that jurors each have their own stories. Read Review

 

Book Review by Kathleen R. Pasulka-Brown,
New York Law Journal

New York Law Journal Book Review
Eric Oliver's book, "Facts Can't Speak for Themselves: Reveal the Stories That Give Facts Their Meaning," demonstrates why attorneys need to adopt new ways of thinking about how to prepare and present their cases and explains how attorneys can implement required changes. Attending to and applying the teachings in this book will enhance attorney presentations and substantially increase the likelihood of favorable results for their clients. Read Review