Laura Dominic

Senior Jury Consulting Advisor Laura Dominic is a nationally prominent thought leader in her field who joined IMS Legal Strategies with the acquisition of Tsongas Litigation Consulting. She has extensive experience as a strategic advisor on more than 500 cases in all areas of litigation. Whether she is mentoring witnesses for confidence on the stand, customizing mock trials and focus groups, assisting in the development of opening and closing argument themes, or consulting on jury selection in high-profile cases, Laura excels at developing verbal and nonverbal communication strategies to drive success in every engagement.

In addition to consulting, Laura is a dynamic speaker and educator who frequently presents at legal conferences and continuing legal education seminars throughout the US. Her sessions cover a wide range of topics, including jury selection, jury behavior, trial graphics, opening and closing arguments, motivated reasoning, and effective communication—especially for women. She specializes in translating complex behavioral science into actionable strategies that resonate in the courtroom.

Laura received her master’s degree in speech communication from the top-ranked program at San Diego State University. Her research focused on juror perceptions of witness credibility. As a lecturer at SDSU, she developed and conducted programs in public speaking, nonverbal communication, advocacy, and persuasion. She previously provided communications consulting services for the San Diego Consulting Group and the Leadership Research Institute in San Diego.

Outside of her professional work, Laura is committed to civic education and youth development. She volunteers as a mock trial judge and serves as a board member at the Classroom Law Project and supports Active Children, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth through health, education and community programs.

Education

• MA, Speech Communication, San Diego State University
• BA, Speech Communication, San Diego State University

Affiliations

• Classroom Law Project, Board Member, June 2017 – Present
• American Society of Trial Consultants, Member, 1997 – Present
• Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Litigation Management College, Instructor, 1998 – 2017
• American Society of Trial Consultants, Visibility Committee, Member, 2004 – 2008

Notable Publications and Presentations

• Dominic, L. (2021). Implicit Bias in Jury Decision Making. Multnomah County Bar Association.
• Dominic, L. (2021). Best Practices for Trying Remote Cases. Oregon Association of Defense Counsel Annual Convention, Sunriver, OR.
• Dominic, L. (2020). Trying Cases Against Law Enforcement. Gus Solomon Inn of Court.
• Dominic, L. (2020). The Nuts and Bolts (and Beyond) of Jury Selection. Forseburg & Umlauf.
• Dominic, L. (2019). Tips for Voir Dire. Women’s Trial Academy, Portland, OR.
• Dominic, L. (2017). Four Design Strategies to Bring Your Timeline to Life. The Advantage, April 15, 2017.
• Dominic, L., Knutson, A. (2017). Giving Your Witness a Leg Up Before Stepping into the Courtroom. King County Bar Bulletin, March 2017.
• Dominic, L. (2017). Alternative Facts Don’t Fly in the Jury Room. The Advantage, January 28, 2017.
• Dominic, L. (2016). Trial Consulting Back in the Public’s Eye. The Advantage, June 2, 2016.
• Dominic, L. (2016). From Good to Great: Communication Tips to Address Two Common Communication Barriers Women Face. WDTL Defense News, Summer, 2016.