practice area
Class Action, MDL, and Bellwether Trials
Strategic Insight for Complex, Coordinated Litigation
Class actions and MDLs present unique challenges, including massive case files, diverse plaintiff pools, and heightened scrutiny from courts, media, and stakeholders. Bellwether trials, in particular, carry outsized influence, shaping settlement trajectories and signaling risk to both sides. DRC helps trial teams navigate these high-stakes environments with clarity, precision, and strategic foresight.
Our multidisciplinary team of litigators, psychologists, data scientists, and information designers supports counsel in developing persuasive case narratives, preparing witnesses across jurisdictions, and crafting demonstratives that resonate with judges, jurors, and mediators. Our work is grounded in behavioral science, litigation strategy, and a deep understanding of how coordinated proceedings unfold.
why work with us?
Our Class Action and MDL Expertise
Bellwether Trial Strategy
DRC has supported trial teams in bellwether cases involving pharmaceuticals, consumer products, environmental claims, insurance, and financial services. We help identify themes that unify complex fact patterns, test narrative resonance through focus groups and juror research, and refine presentation strategy to maximize impact in early trials that set the tone for resolution.
Testing Representative Plaintiffs
Testing class representatives is critical to shaping case strategy. DRC assists counsel in evaluating how different class representatives present to a jury. We test how class representatives are perceived by jurors and assess their ability to embody the broader class without introducing distracting individual issues.
Proving Class Cohesion
Class cohesion is often challenged by differences in geography, demographics, or alleged harm. DRC helps trial teams develop unifying narratives and visual strategies that bridge these distinctions. Our research identifies which differences matter to jurors and which can be neutralized through framing, sequencing, and strategic storytelling.
Juror Research Across Venues
In MDLs and class actions, venue matters. DRC conducts venue-specific juror research to uncover regional attitudes, biases, and expectations. Our insights help counsel tailor voir dire, witness preparation, and trial strategy to the demographics and psychology of each jurisdiction.
Coordinated Witness Preparation
We prepare corporate representatives, experts, and fact witnesses for testimony across multiple proceedings. Our approach ensures consistency in messaging while adapting to the procedural and cultural nuances of each forum. We help witnesses communicate clearly, credibly, and in alignment with broader litigation strategy.
Sophisticated Visual Strategy
DRC’s demonstratives simplify dense regulatory, scientific, and financial evidence into compelling visual narratives. In coordinated proceedings, we design graphics that maintain thematic consistency across trials while adapting to the needs of specific audiences—judges, jurors, mediators, or settlement negotiators.
"DRC is simply the best. From jury selection to focus groups, they are an all-in-one firm that I would not consider going to trial without.”
Jerry Lefcourt, Gerald B. Lefcourt, P.C.
“Truly indispensable jury services. Don't go to trial without consulting them first.”
Michael L. Bloch, Partner, Bloch & White LLP
“DRC’s plus is that they do all of it, and they do it all extraordinarily well. They are out and away the best because they dig in, really understand the case and the law.”
In-house Counsel, DRC Client
“I’ll give DRC a 10, but I would give them an 11 if I could. I have found that the people they hire are great, think outside the box, and are consistently top-of-the-line.”
Business Owner, DRC Client
“Their jury consultants and graphics people are highly knowledgeable.”
In-house Counsel, DRC Client
Why DRC?
Class actions and MDLs demand strategic discipline, coordination, and adaptability. DRC brings nearly three decades of experience in litigation consulting to these complex matters, helping trial teams align their strategy across jurisdictions and phases. Our consultants include lawyers, psychologists, and designers who understand how mass litigation unfolds and how to influence its trajectory.
Whether you're preparing for a bellwether trial, selecting class representatives, coordinating nationwide witness testimony, or crafting a visual strategy for multidistrict proceedings, DRC equips your team with the insight to anticipate, the clarity to persuade, and the strategy to prevail.
experience
Discover our Class Action, MDL, and Bellwether experience
Our portfolio features cases that define the cutting edge of litigation, handled in courts across the country, and involving the most pressing legal challenges of their time. See how DRC’s strategic insight has guided clients through matters of extraordinary complexity and significance.
services
Strategic Services for Class Action, MDL, and Bellwether Trials
- Community Attitudes Surveys
- Jury Focus Groups
- Judge/Arbitrator Focus Groups
- Demonstrative Aids
- Jury Selection
- Trial Strategy Consulting
- Witness Preparation
- Trial Technology
Community Attitudes Surveys
DRC’s online Community Attitudes Surveys provide a “barometer reading” of how hundreds of potential jurors view the parties, the issues, and the evidence. We use the survey results to create a profile of the best and worst jurors for your case.
Jury Focus Groups
Jury focus groups test case themes, evidence, and witnesses. Conducted within the jurisdiction, clients observe live deliberations and get both qualitative and quantitative feedback. This helps DRC shape trial strategy and is often an effective risk management tool to guide potential settlement.
Judge/Arbitrator Focus Groups
DRC partners with former judges and arbitrators from JAMS/AAA to hear cases and issue written opinions. Judge and arbitrator panelists provide strategic feedback about case strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes, they can provide insight into the judge or arbitrator assigned to the case.
Demonstrative Aids
DRC’s strategists and designers apply innovative design principles and leverage jury research to ensure that your trial graphics reinforce both oral and visual advocacy.
Jury Selection
DRC develops reliable jury profiles to identify negatively biased jurors for de-selection. DRC thoroughly researches and ranks each potential juror, regardless of the jury pool size. We draft voir dire questions, jury questionnaires, and pre-trial motions related to jury selection.
Trial Strategy Consulting
At DRC, we build our trial strategies around cohesive and compelling case narratives. By simplifying complex issues that appeal to both logic and emotion, we ensure that trial presentations resonate with decision-makers, guiding them toward the right outcome.
Witness Preparation
DRC prepares the most important and difficult witnesses to testify at depositions and trials. Our approach familiarizes witnesses with the rules for direct and cross-examination, providing guidance to ensure maximum clarity and credibility.
Trial Technology
DRC provides trial technicians (“hot seat” operators) to ensure that your trial presentation is smooth and seamless. Our consultants have each worked on hundreds of trials and are accustomed to the rigors of ultra-high-profile and high-stakes trials.