Jury Selection Under the Spotlight: A Conversation with Linda Moreno
May 6, 2026
Linda Moreno, Esq. is a Jury Consultant and Strategy Advisor at DRC and a nationally prominent criminal defense attorney who has tried over one hundred jury trials across the United States. She is widely recognized for her mastery of jury selection, voir dire and complex litigation strategy. Her successful defense of Noor Salman—the widow of the Pulse nightclub shooter—resulted in full acquittal, marking the first terrorism-related trial victory of its kind in the U.S. since 9/11. She also helped select the jury for Elizabeth Holmes in the Theranos trial, where Ms. Holmes was acquitted on eight charges and convicted on the remaining charges. Additionally, she played a key role in guiding jury selection and strategy for the defense in United States v. Sean Diddy Combs, a case in which Combs was acquitted of the most serious charges. Her work in these matters reflects the level of strategic rigor and jury expertise she brings to clients at DRC.
Even the best trial lawyers cannot predict how jurors will respond to complex litigation. That is where DRC steps in. In this conversation, Linda Moreno, Esq., shares a practical perspective on voir dire, trying cases under intense public attention, and the small decisions that shape who a jury becomes long before opening arguments begin. This conversation is particularly relevant for trial lawyers handling complex litigation, high-profile cases, or challenging jury dynamics, offering insight into how jury selection and voir dire shape trial outcomes.
Q: Trial lawyers often think of jury selection as a discrete phase. How do you think about it more holistically?
Linda Moreno:
I have always believed that jury selection is not a standalone exercise. It is the foundation of everything that follows; it informs openings, cross-examinations, and closings. Voir dire is the first time the jury begins to understand not just the facts of a case, but the human stakes behind them. You are not asking jurors to decide the case yet, but you are asking them, respectfully, to decide whether they are willing to listen with an open mind.
What I try to emphasize to trial teams is that jury selection should be informed by the same discipline we bring to opening statements and closing arguments. What assumptions are jurors bringing into the courtroom? What life experiences will shape how they hear certain words, or react to certain themes? Those questions do not disappear once the jury is seated. They echo throughout the trial.
When voir dire is approached with genuine curiosity and respect for jurors’ perspectives, it becomes less about winning the juror’s favor and more about deselecting the bad-fit jurors to build a fair decision-making body that can truly engage with the evidence.
Q: You have worked on cases that carry intense public attention. What changes when a defendant is a public figure?
Linda Moreno:
The biggest shift is acknowledging that jurors do not arrive as blank slates, and that pretending otherwise does not serve anyone. In high-profile cases, jurors may have absorbed headlines, commentary, or cultural narratives long before they ever receive a summons. The task is not to demand that they forget what they have heard. It is to understand how that information lives with them.
When working with a defense team on a celebrity case, I encourage openness and realism. Jurors tend to appreciate candor. If the courtroom feels like the only place where certain realities are being avoided, that disconnect can undermine credibility. The goal is to create space for jurors to recognize their own assumptions and still commit to evaluating the evidence carefully and fairly. However, one advantage in a high-profile case is the ability to obtain juror questionnaires that distill the prejudicial pre-trial publicity.
“When jurors are treated with respect and candor, they take their responsibility seriously, even in the most difficult cases.”
Effective jury selection requires a coordinated effort. Jury consultants, trial counsel, and the client all need to be aligned in tone and strategy. When that alignment exists, even the most complex or emotionally charged cases can be tried in a way that feels grounded and principled.
Q: How do you collaborate with trial teams during jury selection itself?
Linda Moreno:
Collaboration is everything. Jury selection works best when it is not driven by a single voice, but by a shared framework. My role is often to help the team slow down and notice patterns, body language, and moments of hesitation or engagement that might otherwise get lost in the pace of voir dire.
I also think it is important to leave room for intuition. Data and experience matter, but so does listening and watching closely in real time. Some of the most important insights come from a juror’s tone, their facial expressions, or the way they respond to another juror’s comment, rather than from a checklist of answers.
Ultimately, jury selection is about judgment, and collective judgment. When trial teams trust each other enough to weigh different perspectives thoughtfully, they tend to make stronger decisions.
Q: You have been involved in cases dealing with national security, terrorism, and intense public scrutiny. What has that taught you about juries?
Linda Moreno:
It has taught me not to underestimate jurors. Even in cases involving fear-laden subject matter or political overtones, jurors are capable of nuance when they are given the tools to engage seriously with the evidence.
In some of the most challenging cases I have worked on, including terrorism related prosecutions, jurors took their responsibilities incredibly seriously. They asked hard questions. They wrestled with uncertainty. And they were willing to separate emotion from proof when the process respected them as decision makers.
Those experiences reinforced my belief that fairness is not abstract. It is something jurors actively try to achieve when the system allows them to do so.
Q: What do you find most gratifying about working on high-profile or controversial cases?
Linda Moreno:
For me, the most gratifying part is helping ensure that the courtroom remains a place where the rule of law matters more than reputation, fear, or public opinion. High-profile cases test that principle in very real ways.
" High-profile cases test whether the courtroom can remain a place where the rule of law matters more than public opinion."
I have been fortunate to work on cases where the stakes were enormous, not just for the client, but for broader ideas about justice and due process. Whether advising on jury selection or trial strategy, my focus is always on helping the team present a case that jurors can evaluate fairly and thoughtfully.
When a jury reaches a verdict after a careful, principled process, regardless of outcome, that is meaningful work. It is a reminder of why trial advocacy, at its best, still matters.
Q: What advice would you give trial lawyers looking to sharpen their jury selection skills?
Linda Moreno:
Stay curious. About jurors. About yourselves. About the assumptions you bring into the courtroom. Jury selection is not just about identifying who might agree with you. It is about understanding how people make decisions when the stakes are real and the facts are still unfolding.
And do not lose sight of humility. Jurors can surprise you, in the best ways, when you give them room to do their jobs seriously and conscientiously.
Conclusion
Jury selection often determines the shape of a trial long before the first witness is sworn. As Linda Moreno’s experience makes clear, the most effective voir dire is grounded in curiosity, humility, and a realistic understanding of what jurors bring into the courtroom.
For trial lawyers facing heightened scrutiny or complex narratives, those principles remain essential to building credibility and trust with the people who ultimately decide the case. At its best, jury selection is not just a procedural step, but a critical part of trial strategy.
UPCOMING EVENT
Linda Moreno will be an instructor at the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Inaugural National Voir Dire College, taking place in New York City from June 4 to June 6, 2026. Learn more at 2026 National Voir Dire College.
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