Looking Ahead: 2025 Trial Services Trends

Litigation frequently relies on trial services—jury and trial consulting, trial graphics and demonstratives, and trial presentation and technology services. High-risk cases often involve complex information, data, facts, and processes. Proper research and planning is critical to developing a persuasive case strategy and theme, while compelling demonstratives and trial graphics are key to helping jurors understand and retain the facts of a case. 

How and when do litigators leverage trial services? What do they look for when selecting a trial services partner? What technology are they leveraging to present in the courtroom? 

We look to answer these questions, and more, in our litigation trends survey. Each year, we look at trends and insights and offer an analysis of trial services usage, vendor selection, future expectations, and more. 

From our recent survey, here’s what to look for in 2025.

Trial Services Usage in Litigation

Year-over-year, we’re seeing a significant growth in the use of outside vendors to provide trial services. In particular: 

• Trial graphics – 35% of firms in 2024 chose to leverage outside experts for trial graphics services, compared to just 22.74% in 2023. That’s an increase of over 50% in percentage point change, showing that strategic trial graphics and demonstratives are a fast-growing area of importance for court cases.

• Trial presentation technology – Smaller but still noticeable growth was seen in the use of external trial presentation technology services, with 21.43% of firms using outside vendors in 2024 vs. 19.02% in 2023. When it comes time to present your case, having a clear and concise electronic courtroom presentation can increase jurors’ understanding of the case and enhance memory. So, it’s no surprise that trial teams are increasingly turning to the help of experienced trial presentation professionals. 

Vendor Preferences for Trial Services

Firms largely rely on outside vendors for specialized trial services, but how do they choose who to partner with? Responsive, cost-effective, and efficient trial services help firms strategically prepare case themes and persuasive presentations to achieve the best possible outcomes.

The top three vendor criteria remained consistent from 2023 to 2024: 

• Responsiveness
• Speed
• Fair pricing 

However, some increases were seen in the number of vendors used, suggesting that firms increasingly seek specialized services from trusted vendors.

Trial Graphics and Trial Presentation Technology Vendors

In 2024, most firms—41.01%—use two to four outside vendors to handle trial graphics and technology services. That is a small increase from 38.24% in 2023, where the two-to-four category was also the majority. 

2024 trial graphics and trial technology changes include: 

• Fewer firms handle trial tech internally: 27.85% in 2024 vs. 32.70% in 2023
• Fewer firms are using 5+ vendors: 13.06% in 2024 vs. 14.63% in 2023
• More firms working with a single vendor: 18.09% in 2024 vs. 14.43% in 2023

Trial and Jury Consulting and Jury Research Vendors

The year-over-year changes for trial and jury consulting and jury research services were similar, but with smaller margins: 

• Most firms used 2 – 4 vendors in both years: 33.77% in 2024 and 31.66% in 2023
• Slightly fewer firms handled these services internally: 39.13% in 2024 vs. 40.96% in 2023
• Slightly more firms worked with a single vendor: 10.72% in 2024 vs. 10.53% in 2023

The Rise of Virtual Trials and Trials Services

Following the adaptation of videoconferencing for trials during the pandemic, many firms, attorneys, judges, and other leaders in the legal community recognized the benefits of incorporating more virtual proceedings—not the least of which is cost savings. 

The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) offers guidelines, tools, and supportive resolutions for virtual proceedings.¹ They’ve also tracked the study and implementation of remote court proceedings at state levels, identifying the numerable task forces and workgroups, administrative orders, state laws, court rules, and resources across all 50 states and the District of Columbia—both those in place and continuing to emerge.²

Along these lines, 31.67% of firms reported in our 2024 survey that they expect their use of virtual mediations and arbitrations to increase in 2025, remaining steady from last year. 

We’re also seeing an uptick in the use of virtual formats for trial services. Remote formats for jury research, mock trials, witness preparation, and more offer a cost-effective way to prepare for trial. 

Trial Technology

Firms are still largely relying on internal resources like paralegals to manage trial technology, but outsourcing this function to third-party consultants is increasingly favored for complex matters. Collaboration with external partners ensures access to specialized expertise without overburdening internal teams.

Year-over-year survey results include: 

• Vendor use – An increase in third-party trial consultants operating trial technology in 2024 (21.97%) over 2023 (17.66%).

• Internal drop – Conversely, a slight decrease in the use of internal support staff to operate trial technology, with 29.50% doing so in 2024 compared to 30.66% in 2023.

Partner with TrialQuest to Meet 2025 Challenges 

Expert trial services are increasingly vital to litigation preparation, playing a key role in courtroom outcomes. U.S. Legal Support’s trial services division, TrialQuest, partners your firm with seasoned professionals who specialize in trial and jury consulting, trial graphics and demonstratives, and trial technology and presentation services. Let us help you meet your evolving needs for in-person and virtual trials in 2025.

Sources: 

1. National Center for State Courts (NCSC). Remote Hearings & Services. https://www.ncsc.org/consulting-and-research/areas-of-expertise/access-to-justice/remote-and-virtual-hearings
2. National Center for State Courts (NCSC). National scan of authority for remote or virtual court proceedings. https://www.ncsc.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0029/94556/National-scan-of-authority-for-remote-or-virtual-court-proceedings-2023.12.20.pdf

Julie Feller

Julie Feller is the Vice President of Marketing at U.S. Legal Support where she leads innovative marketing initiatives. With a proven track record in the legal industry, Juie previously served at Abacus Data Systems (now Caret Legal) where she played a pivotal role in providing cutting-edge technology platforms and services to legal professionals nationwide.