The Most Important Juror: Embrace the Winning Story in Jury Selection, Opening Statement & Rebuttal

“Almost as soon as we can understand words, we are attentive to and swayed by story. This is an inbred trait of the human mind and it stays with us for the rest of our lives—including our lives as jurors. Largely due to where we first heard stories, they create rapport with jurors and act as a preconstructed framework for everything jurors hear and see during the case. Good stories well told are a key that lets us into the minds of jurors. But few trial lawyers can tell good stories. And other than Jim Perdue and Joshua Karton, there’s a surprising scarcity of people who have any idea of how to teach us to create and use story in trial. Jesse’s first book opened the doors and this new one walks us through; it’s a practical, how-to-do-it guide through each element of trial. The book provides ways to fill in the story as trial progresses. Of course those fill-ins will vary trial to trial and preference to preference, but this book shows what to do whatever fill-ins you need. The book is simultaneously a primer (Storytelling in Trial for Dummies) and an advanced guide (Storytelling as Surgical Persuasion). Master Perdue’s work, try to work with Karton, and read this book along with Jesse’s first—and the insurance companies will never think about you in the same way again. Good story makes jurors want what we want. Good story rivets attention, creates motivation, and wipes the opposition off the map because the defense rarely has any story at all, much less a good one. Jesse joins the scarce few in gifting you with that ability.”

“I started reading Jesse’s new book and could not put it down as I was so mesmerized by his captivating stories on the art of jury selection, opening, and closing rebuttal. Jesse magically transports you from the theatre to the courtroom in this brilliant portrayal of telling the winning story. He lays out simple principles on storytelling to use in your cases to tell the best and most impactful story of each of your client’s cases. Reading his book was like taking a journey with Jesse’s own personal experiences as an actor and one of the nation’s top trial consultants. Whether you are preparing for your first jury trial or are a seasoned veteran of the courtroom, this book will help you become a more successful trial lawyer. Period. Dot. Period.”

“Jesse Wilson’s The Most Important Juror is a must-read for trial lawyers. Wilson brings his unique expertise in theater and communication to the courtroom, arming lawyers with the tools to tell compelling stories that resonate with jurors on the deepest human level. This book is not just another dry legal manual. Wilson’s engaging style and insightful observations make The Most Important Juror a thought-provoking and enjoyable read. He emphasizes the importance of abandoning the old scripts and formulas, encouraging lawyers to be like water, adapting and responding to the unique circumstances of each case. The book delves into the psychology of jurors, exploring how to understand and address their biases. Wilson emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and authenticity, urging lawyers to be real with jurors and to trust the strength of their client’s victor story. The Most Important Juror sets itself apart by focusing on the often-overlooked power of joy in the courtroom. Wilson challenges the conventional wisdom that legal proceedings must be somber and serious, advocating for the strategic use of joy to create a more engaging and compelling narrative. The power of joy that Jesse teaches was also instrumental in helping my client and trial team obtain a $30 million verdict in Dekalb county, Georgia. Wilson’s innovative approach to trial strategy, his deep understanding of human psychology, and his passion for helping lawyers connect with jurors make The Most Important Juror a valuable resource for any lawyer who wants to win in court. I couldn’t recommend Jesse’s book and approach enough.”

“Jesse Wilson’s The Most Important Juror is a must-read for trial lawyers. His proven methods transform tough cases into compelling stories that move jurors to act. Practical and easy to apply, the methods in this book will revolutionize how you connect with jurors and win cases.”

“Building on his first book, Jesse takes us deeper into the trial skills necessary to tell a compelling and winning story. If you do not know—Jesse is a Juilliard-trained actor. He is not an attorney. Thank goodness. He thinks like your audience, the jury. He is a communication guru and a persuasion expert. More importantly to us, he has a core desire to truly help us better represent people who have been injured and face the challenging odds of getting justice. In this book, he teaches us how to direct a story that is compelling, entertaining, and riveting to the jury. Who doesn’t want to see the jury focus on the story you are presenting, while becoming disinterested and bored by the opposing counsel’s story? As Jesse says in the book: ‘It’s a powerful thing to watch what happens when trial lawyers adopt the role of the director versus the storyteller in front of their jurors.’ He provides guidance and answers to some of the toughest questions trial lawyers face: When you are directing your client’s story in the courtroom, what is the story that should be told? Who is the story about? What are the emotions and truths you want to communicate and for the jury to experience? Needless to say I have become a fan of Jesse Wilson and what he is trying to do: helping us by providing us with useful tools to better organize and present a winning case for our clients. Buy this book! You will gain wisdom, knowledge, and confidence in the courtroom, I know I have.”

“I have read Jesse’s books, and I work with him. Why? Because he and I are aligned in our core beliefs about what jurors respect and reject. Americans respect people who buck up and reject those who give up. The quickest way to lose is by whining. Jesse’s first book was about taking the whimpering out of plaintiffs. Now he is helping lawyers carry that victor’s message from the beginning of trial to the end. I will be telling all of our lawyers to read it.”

“In his first book, Jesse’s victim to victor theme is so simple and yet when delivered correctly, so powerful that it is genius! Jesse’s second book will teach the value of YOU being the underdog (and what that actually means and looks like), and how to turn that into the most valuable asset in your case. I have been practicing law for almost thirty years and working with Jesse for more than five years. I can honestly say this book and Jesse’s advice have been transformative in my career as a trial lawyer. I was very excited to learn that he was going to write this book. I am confident that you will agree.”

“I’ve frequently watched in awe as Jesse interacts with my clients, thoughtfully and with care, to reveal and understand the multiple stories (that I didn’t know about, despite my efforts) that give depth and clarity to the betrayal and harm they’ve endured. This book is no different. Jesse’s gift of seeing, feeling, and effectively communicating the emotional truth of our clients’ stories comes to life in The Most Important Juror, and gracefully reminds us why every trial lawyer representing human beings MUST abandon the cookie-cutter storytelling techniques proudly taught in law schools across the country. Jesse shows us how to play with (initially) counterintuitive story sequencing techniques that allow us to find the story that embraces the thorns of our case, successfully tells the emotional truths of our client, and motivates the jury to act. I can’t read this book and tell my clients’ stories like I used to. The Most Important Juror is a gift to every trial lawyer ready to find, see, feel, and tell the stories of their client, and, most importantly, have a jury that’s now ready and willing to do something about it.”

“Jesse Wilson shifts the paradigm from the client as victim to the client as victor and shows you how to embrace this powerful concept in jury selection, opening statement, and rebuttal. This forever changes the lawyer’s task; the lawyer is equipped to tell the client’s story and the jury is empowered to embrace the client’s story and make it their own story of courage, grace, and strength. In so doing, our jobs as lawyers in the courtroom are elevated to champions for the client, for justice. If you want to win your case, embrace this work. It will change your work in the courtroom forever.”

“Jesse Wilson’s new book is a masterpiece for the trial lawyer. Beyond understanding the fundamentals of persuasion and storytelling, he lays out the tools for presenting the case and preparing witnesses in the most understandable way. No trial lawyer should ever again think that they have to recite a script handed to them by someone else. Instead, by following Jesse’s brilliant, yet easy to understand insights, we learn how to make the plaintiff’s story persuasive, enabling every advocate to present their case convincingly. This book is a must reading for new trial lawyers and the most seasoned lawyers among us.”

“In The Most Important Juror, Jesse shakes up traditional courtroom storytelling by encouraging trial lawyers to present our clients as victors instead of victims. He urges us to ‘embrace the suck’ and find the winning story for our trials while eschewing ‘templates’ and ‘formulas.’ His fresh approach, backed by real-world data and compelling case examples, highlights how framing clients as fighters on a journey to overcome their struggles can resonate more deeply with jurors. The Most Important Juror is packed with practical tips from accomplished trial lawyers around the country, making it a useful guide for lawyers who want to connect more authentically with their juries. This is not a book that will sit quietly gathering dust in the corner book shelf. Instead, you will dog-ear and highlight pages as you return to it frequently for inspiration on the journey to find ‘the winning story’ for each of your significant cases.”

“Jesse’s compelling new book delivers actionable techniques that elevate trial advocacy to an art form. His approach is honest and powerful—embracing, rather than sidestepping, the truth of each case. Drawing from cinema and theater, he gives examples of scenes that inspire and shows how directing techniques can transform courtroom storytelling. I recently worked on a wrongful death case with Jesse that went to trial and in my client’s case in chief, I chose to call the company to complement their safety practices and called the truck driver in a soft cross that started with ‘I like you.’ The jury returned an $18.5 million consortium-only verdict for the death of a twenty-one-year-old unmarried person. This is what happens when you take the counterintuitive approaches Jesse details in his book.”

“Jesse shares with readers what has previously only been shared with the lawyers he works with to prepare for trial. Real trials, real stories, and real application of Jesse’s powerful insights and methods. I employ Jesse’s insights in every trial and to great effect. This book will change the way you try cases. It will change your results. It will change you.”

“With his first book (Witness Preparation), Jesse Wilson helped us prepare our witnesses. Now with this sequel, Jesse dives deeper into his transformative victim-to-victor methods to help us—trial lawyers—prepare ourselves to tell the winning story throughout the trial. Packed with detailed explanations and real-world examples of jury selection, opening statements, and closing arguments, The Most Important Juror provides a winning formula for obtaining outsized verdicts without ever being formulaic. It deserves a spot in the library of every trial lawyer committed to obtaining full justice for their clients.”