Jurors, opposing counsel, even judges make decisions immediately about trial attorneys based on what they can perceive in a matter of seconds. According to some researchers, most of these impressions are reached subconsciously. Often, this first impression lingers and can influence the level of credibility that decision-makers assign to the arguments and witnesses. When entering the courtroom, or even the alternative dispute resolution setting, it is helpful to understand why all people (jurors included) are so susceptible to snap judgments-why a juror is more likely to form a mistaken first impression in the courtroom, what the trial attorney can do to put his or her best foot forward and why who the trial lawyer seems to be may affect the outcome of the case.
The old adage, “You never have a second chance to make a first impression,” is as much a reality in the courtroom as anywhere else. When considering jurors’ perceptions of counsel, it may even be more apt than in other instances. Research shows that people make determinations about each other very quickly, sometimes within milliseconds. These first impressions are often startlingly accurate, but sometimes incredibly wrong, leading the observer down the wrong path.
