OHIO’s Pre-Law Day keynote to feature attorneys Sonya Pfeiffer and David Rudolf examining cognitive biases in high-profile trials

Ohio University will host its 2026 Pre-Law Day keynote on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. at the Athena Cinema. The keynote will feature attorneys Sonya Pfeiffer (BSJ '95) and David Rudolf who will explore how cognitive biases influence wrongful convictions and decision-making in the legal system. The event is free and open to the public.

Drawing from the high-profile trial of Michael Peterson, the subject of the Netflix documentary series “The Staircase,” Pfeiffer and Rudolf will provide an inside look at how subconscious “mental shortcuts” can shape investigations, courtroom strategies and public perception.

Through a real-life case study, the husband-and-wife legal team will examine how unconscious bias affects attorneys, investigators, journalists and jurors, and why understanding these cognitive patterns is critical to ethical decision-making in high-stakes cases.

Pfeiffer, a former television journalist who covered the Peterson trial before becoming an attorney, and Rudolf, who represented Peterson, have secured major verdicts and settlements in complex civil litigation and defended clients in some of the most high-profile criminal investigations in the United States. Together, they also co-host the Webby Award-winning Audible podcast “Abuse of Power.”

Pre-Law Day is a two-day program designed to give Ohio University students an in-depth look at law school and careers in the legal profession. The keynote will be followed by panels, roundtables and networking opportunities on Friday, Feb. 27, on the second floor of Baker Center.

This year’s Pre-Law Day is co-sponsored by the Center for Law, Justice & Culture, the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, the Honors Tutorial College and the Ohio University Alumni Association.