Redefining Justice: Alicia Campbell and the Rise of Trial Science
Alicia Campbell (’06) is at the forefront of a revolution that’s changing trial law. As one of her field’s early champions, she calls her work trial science, an empirical, data-driven approach that asks not just what lawyers think matters in a courtroom but what the jurors actually do.
“We call ourselves trial scientists because we are studying the way that jurors respond to cases, and the way that we do that is by statistical analysis,” Campbell explains. “There is an art to lawyering ... but what we’ve figured out is there is also a science to lawyering, right? Not all of our instincts as trial attorneys are necessarily in line with what jurors think.”
The Power of Big Data
Rather than relying on small focus groups, traditionally consisting of a dozen or fewer participants, Campbell and her team harness the power of numbers. The sample sizes that they use are very large, so instead of having focus groups of 12, they can have focus groups of 300 people. They have also run focus groups with 700 jurors. “We’re really relying on that statistical power to help [provide] information and guide lawyers in their choices throughout their cases,” says Campbell.
The effort has been transformative. “What’s probably most tremendous out of that experience,” says Campbell, “besides litigating [the cases] and seeing the jurors in action — because you always had that sense, [that] Atticus Finch sense of, ‘Hey, we need to go in to court and stand up for what’s right’ — but studying cases, the one thing I can tell you is that jurors work very hard to do good jobs and they want to do what’s right, even in the online studies.”
Campbell said one of the best parts about doing this every day is getting the chance to merge the two fields of law she has worked in into one: “Having tried cases and understanding that the jurors are trying to do a good job, and then having the trial science and knowing [that they are], because I’ve seen them do a really good job.”
From Mortgage Fraud to Method
Campbell’s journey toward trial science began after founding Campbell Law in 2009. She worked on mortgage fraud cases and really enjoyed them. Around the same time, her husband, John (’06), received a job offer to be a law professor at the University of Denver in 2012. “What we figured out is maybe Campbell Law can live a little bit on the edge,” Campbell recalls.
Relocating to Denver opened a new realm of collaboration, especially with academic researchers studying jurors. “[John] started dealing with academics who are regularly studying jurors, and he had this revelation of, ‘Wait a minute, these academics are making up scenarios to [...] get juror feedback,’” but he knew many lawyers who had real scenarios.
Campbell saw the power of bringing big data to bear on trial preparation, discovering not only what jurors felt but also which facts truly mattered to them. This allowed her to make smarter decisions about settlement and trial strategy.
Today, Campbell lives in Madrid, where she continues to lead the transformation of trial law through her innovative approach to trial science.
Tools, Books and a Community for Change
Campbell’s work helped launch a new ecosystem. The Big Data Revolution is Here: Jury Ball, a book and conference series co-developed by her husband, John, and Nevada attorney Sean Claggett, demonstrates how lawyers can effectively apply trial science.
“[Jury Ball] explains our processes. It explains a lot of the results that we’ve seen, because obviously, over 1,000 cases, we have a lot of trends and patterns that we notice over certain types of cases,” said Campbell. Initially, it evolved into the Jury Ball method and conferences.
Advice and the Value of Justice
Asked what advice she offers new lawyers, Campbell is direct: “Don’t be afraid to hang up your own shingle if that is something that excites you. It’s terrifying! I know there [were] many sleepless nights when I opened up Campbell Law. But now with the work that I put in and the help of many people in law, I’m very excited about where Campbell Law is, and I’m really grateful that I took the leap.”
She encourages students and alumni to stay open to new ways of practicing and never lose sight of personal values. “The way that people practice law is very varied ... Each person’s [style is] their own, so don’t forget that.”
For Campbell, trial science isn’t just about data but about trust — in the legal system, in jurors, and in each other. “Jury trials are very important, and no matter what anybody says, [jurors] are capable of doing the job and want to do a good job and they’re up to the task ... For me, that’s probably the most tremendous thing out of all of it is that it is accurate. Jurors do good jobs and lawyers do good jobs, and what results is justice more often than not.”
This article was originally published in the SLU LAW Brief alumni magazine issue 2025.