What the Devil’s Advocate Teaches Us About Jury Selection.

There’s a reason courtroom dramas like The Devil’s Advocate continue to fascinate lawyers, jurors, and anyone who’s ever imagined standing before twelve strangers with a client’s life in their hands. Beyond the theatrical cross-examinations and the moral dilemmas, movies like this can actually teach us something real about the art — and psychology — of jury selection.

1. Charisma Isn’t Strategy

In The Devil’s Advocate, Kevin Lomax (played by Keanu Reeves) wins cases through charm, confidence, and showmanship. He reads juries as if they’re an audience, not decision-makers. That might make for great cinema, but in real trials, charisma alone doesn’t win verdicts — insight does.

In the real world: Jury selection isn’t about “gut feeling” or charisma; it’s about methodical analysis of human behavior. The best trial lawyers and consultants use structured questioning, pattern recognition, and psychological profiling — not instinct — to identify bias and predict decision-making.

2. Morality and Bias Are Always in the Room

One of the film’s central themes is moral blindness — the willingness to overlook ethical red flags in pursuit of victory. In voir dire, that’s precisely what we’re trying to uncover: the hidden moral frameworks that shape how jurors perceive evidence, witnesses, and justice itself.

Takeaway: Every juror carries a worldview into the courtroom. The key isn’t to find people without bias — that’s impossible — but to identify the biases that matter for your case.

3. The “Devil’s Advocate” Is Real — and Valuable

Al Pacino’s John Milton (the literal Devil) forces Lomax to confront uncomfortable truths. In trial preparation, that same dynamic is essential. A good jury consultant or co-counsel plays devil’s advocate — challenging assumptions about case theory, themes, and juror persuasion.

In practice: The strongest trial teams welcome internal debate. If everyone in your trial prep room agrees, you’re probably missing something.

4. Ego Can Blind Strategy

Lomax’s downfall isn’t about losing a case — it’s about losing perspective. Ego, pride, and the obsession with winning cloud his judgment. In jury selection, ego is the enemy.

Lesson: Great trial lawyers listen more than they talk. They observe. They adapt. They accept that control is an illusion once the jury is seated. The smartest move is humility — letting the data, the jurors’ words, and the psychology lead the strategy.

5. The Jury Is Always Watching

Even when Lomax thinks no one’s paying attention, they are. Every gesture, tone, and reaction communicates something. The same is true in real courtrooms.

Practical insight: Jurors read everything — body language, microexpressions, side glances. A consultant’s role is often to help lawyers understand not just what jurors say, but what they see.

Final Thought: Fiction Often Reflects Truth

Movies dramatize the courtroom, but they also mirror something deeper — our fascination with persuasion, morality, and human judgment. The Devil’s Advocate reminds us that jury selection isn’t mystical or instinctive. It’s about understanding people at their most human — their fears, beliefs, and the stories they tell themselves about right and wrong.

That’s where real advocacy — and real consulting — begins.

Learn more about the role movies can play in shaping jurors’ thoughts in Kassius Benson’s “Learning from Hollywood Jury Rooms” presentation and workshop.

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