Meet the Experts

What’s your area of expertise?

Human factors and Occupational Safety. Most of my practice deals with serving as a warnings and occupational safety expert.

Why did you become an expert?

By chance. I had no idea what an “expert” or that there is a group of people serving as experts in litigation cases until my first job.

Tell us one “pet peeve” that you have when working with attorneys.

Getting me involved in a high exposure case at the last minute when most of the discovery has already occurred, I cannot help with strategy, and the deadline is within 4-6 weeks away.

Did you enjoy your direct examination at Magna’s Battle of the Experts 2022? Were there any good objections? Don’t be shy!

I did enjoy the experience. I do mostly defense work and I was acting as a plaintiff’s expert in the battle; it was tough to put on a good case analysis with the case facts I was dealt but we tried. I had fun.

What’s the one question a client should ask a perspective expert before retaining them?

Do you think we need other experts on our team? In most cases, yes! Unless your case is simple, chances are that more than one expert may be needed to properly defend plaintiff’s experts’ arguments. If your expert is trying to rebut all of plaintiff’s claims, that should raise red flags.

What’s your area of expertise?

My team of certified digital forensic examiners and I have expertise in computer forensics, cell phone forensics, location forensics, in-vehicle infotainment and telematics forensics, and video/photo forensics. 

Why did you become an expert?

I did not set out to become an expert.  My father and I operated an information technology company.  A client of ours asked us to perform an investigation.  We invested in forensic training, hardware, and software to do so.  We enjoyed it so much that we closed the IT business and started Guardian Digital Forensics, which was acquired by Envista Forensics in 2016. 

Tell us one “pet peeve” that you have when working with attorneys.

I don’t have any pet peeves.  We are all in the service business and it has unique challenges that we all share in.  Even the best of our clients forget to respond to emails or to notify us of impending deadlines.  Part of being an expert is the ability to solve problems on time and on budget in the face of challenging circumstances.  That being said, timely communication and getting experts involved early in a case can save clients a lot of future pain and expense. 

Did you enjoy your direct examination at Magna’s Battle of the Experts 2022? Were there any good objections? Don’t be shy!

This was my second time participating as an expert.  My first experience was cross-examination only, which was extremely fun.  The direct examination was just as entertaining and effective.  It was exciting to see a juror flip based on the direct.  Credit for that goes to Dan Rhynhart for the exceptional direct. 

What’s the one question a client should ask a perspective expert before retaining them?

Can you testify on complex topics while presenting information in a way that’s accessible and interesting to a jury? And make them prove it. 

What’s your area of expertise?

I have a background in chemical engineering (bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD) and my expertise focuses on the development, examination, and root cause analysis of products and processes involving complex chemistries. I apply my expertise in a wide range of industries including energy, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and chemical.

Why did you become a consultant?

During my PhD studies, I learned about engineering and scientific consulting careers, and it sounded very appealing. The fact that technical consultants often work on both industrial and legal projects intrigued me.  After completing my doctorate, I joined Exponent to work as a consultant and just fell in love with it.  I have been with Exponent for almost five years now, working on a variety of different projects and still learning every day. It is not a career for the faint of heart — it keeps you on the edge of your seat and it makes every single day exciting.

Did you enjoy your direct examination at Magna’s Battle of the Experts 2022? Were there any good objections? Don’t be shy!

It was a great experience! Not surprisingly, Magna threw an amazing event. Being able to speak with the audience and listen to their feedback made this event unique. Overall, I would rate it as a 10 out of 10 experience.

Interests & Hobbies:

• Hiking
• Skiing
• Cooking
• Traveling

What’s your area of expertise? 

I am employed as a Civil Engineer for Robson Forensic, Inc and deal with commercial claims and personal injury litigation involving construction practices, construction cost and damage estimates, premises and construction site safety, civil engineering, construction, project management, and failure analysis.

Why did you become an expert?

Becoming an expert in the construction industry has been the natural career destination for me.  Working with great clients and educating those involved in matters involving the industry I respect so much is a constant reminder of the sense of fulfillment my role as an expert has brought to my work life. 

Tell us one “pet peeve” that you have when working with attorneys.

Robson prides itself on providing high value to our clients.  For my part I look to contribute to a cohesive approach to the matters I am involved in from initial engagement to case completion.  A pet peeve of mine is when this cohesive approach is disrupted (most times outside of the team’s control!) which can jeopardize our goal of providing very high value to our client. 

Did you enjoy your direct examination at Magna’s Battle of the Experts 2022? Were there any good objections? Don’t be shy!

I tremendously enjoyed my examination at Magna’s Battle of the Experts 2022!  Only one objection was sustained by Justice Medina involving the description of a fact pattern from my direct examination.  This was a little jarring at the moment, but my examining attorney shifted quickly with very little impact to our direct examination!

What’s the one question a client should ask a perspective expert before retaining them?

Clients should ask experts how familiar the potential expert is with recent and current activities/trends in the expert’s field of expertise.  And don’t be shy to ask for a case budget from your expert!