Law Related Specialties Consultants: 21

Fred P. Smith President - has retained over 600 times as an expert in intellectual property, and product liability cases where I have testified regarding claim construction, infringement, invalidity, breach of warranty, negligent misrepresentation. He has testified in court over 40 times in multiple state courts, Federal Court, before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the International Trade Commission (ITC).  

Mr. Smith has over 70 patents on such products with a number of patent applications still pending. He received the Utah Genius Award for being one of Utah’s top inventors. He has directed the development and improvement of a wide variety of products including:

hydraulically operated equipment, trucks, and related equipment, trailers, aerial lifts, industrial equipment, farm equipment, mobile equipment, material handling, forklifts, boom trucks, suspension systems, man lifts, garbage trucks, cranes, lift gates, pneumatic dump, front loaders, side loaders, automated loaders, rear loaders, recycling trucks, patient lift system, lawnmowers, roll-offs, liftgates, ziplines, and many consumer products.

Expert Witness Services Professional Expert Reports Testing Forensic/Failure Analysis Accident Reconstruction Demonstratives Inspections/Measurements Compliance with Standards Expert Testimony Patent & Patent Related Issues Patent Searches Provisional Patent Complete with Illustrations Patent Infringement Review

Product Development Innovative Concept Multi-Industry Experience Powerful Design Tools Full Service Fabricating Materials Design Analysis Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Electrical Structural Integrity Tests Value Analysis

Michael Nranian, JD, MBA, MS has over 30 years experience focusing in Product Development, Intellectual Property, Patent Litigation, Legal and Technical Compliance, and Product Liability Litigation. He is a licensed attorney in Michigan, Texas, & the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Mr. Nranian is a Six Sigma Black Belt, Professional Engineer, & Certified Project Management Professional. He has an in-depth background and education in Law, IP, Electrical, Chemical & Computer Engineering, & Business. He has testified extensively as an expert witness in depositions, hearings, and trials in state & federal courts.

Mr. Nranian conducts Product and Technology Analysis, Patentability & Prior Art Research,and provides Technology & Litigation Support for Intellectual Property. His litigation background includes patent infringement / non-infringement under literal infringement and the doctrine of equivalents, patent validity / invalidity, prior art, & file-wrapper estoppel, for both ITC and Federal cases, including Inter Partes reviews. He conducts analysis of patents and products, prepares claim charts, & expert witness reports. This includes testimony and document preparation for cases before state, and federal court jurisdictions, and the International Trade Commission and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

Mr. Nranian is thoroughly familiar with all 101, 102, 103, 112, and other enablement and prior art arguments. His experience includes Technology Standards Boards and Licensing Authorities, Antitrust / DOJ, Technology Development and Transfer, Patents, Trademarks, Trade Secrets, and Copyrights, Licensing, Unfair Competition/Trade, False/Deceptive Advertising, & Lanham Act Actions, & Class Actions.

His Product Liability Expert Witness litigation background includes all types of Safety Systems, Electrical Systems, Fires, Accident Reconstruction, and Evaluation of Alternative Designs for Automotive, Medical and other industries. He has over 29 years of experience in Automotive Safety Systems, Sensors, Seatbelts, Airbags / Curtains, Seats, Diagnostic Systems, Crash Recorders, Crash Pulse Analysis, System Diagnostic, Fault Codes, Structure (including roof-crush and door) and front, side & roll-over systems (including sensing and algorithm development) for domestic and international corporations. He is thoroughly familiar with all regulatory (including FMVSS), and corporate due-care requirements, & preemption arguments, occupant kinematics, & injury causation.

BHK Associates, Inc. (BHK), is a Banking / Finance firm comprised of former bank presidents, chief executive officers, chief creditor officers, and chief lending officers. BHK clients include banks, credit unions, title companies, financial institutions, and insurance companies.

Advisory Services - BHK Associates, Inc., provides a broad range of advisory services to the financial industry and its clients, involving a number of disciplines: Banking Industry Standards & Best Practices, Strategic Planning and Performance Reviews, Banking Operations, Construction Lending, Due Diligence Reviews, Merger & Acquisition Reviews, Troubled Debt Restructuring, Real Estate Appraisal Issues, and more.

Special Credits & Loan Workouts - Their experts have years of experience advising in the areas of special credits, loan workouts, and collection. Specific areas of expertise include: Problem Loan Review & Classification, Problem Loan Workout Strategies, Negotiating Loan Workouts & Forbearance Agreement, Asset Disposition and Loan Sales, Intra-bank disputes, Problem Asset Valuation, Loan Quality Assessment and Analysis, etc.

Brian H. Kelley, Founder and Principal, is a seasoned Banking Executive, Lender, and Attorney with over 30 years of experience in lending, top management, and legal positions for both regional and larger commercial banks in California, Arizona, Washington, and Oregon. He has served as the CEO of three successful community banks and the head of a Multi-Billion Dollar lending group with a large international bank.

Mr. Kelley earned his BA and JD from Brigham Young University. He has been admitted to the CA, UT, and HI Bar Associations. He also has extensive professional course experience in loan underwriting, credit analysis, corporate finance, and lending practices. Mr. Kelley has been a featured speaker and panelist for various industry groups, including the Mortgage Bankers Association and the National Hotel Finance & Investment Conference.

View Brian Kelley's Expert Witness Profile.

Amirhassan (Amir) Boozari, Esq., is a Foreign Law Expert specializing in Iranian / Islamic / Sharia Law. Dr. Boozari has decades of experience helping clients determine the degree to which a certain foreign jurisdiction diverges or converges in its methodological and interpretive framework with the one that the proceeding court has adopted. 

As a foreign law expert, Dr. Boozari is well versed in both the foreign jurisdiction's and the proceeding court's approaches to universally recognized concepts in the general theory of law, such as damage or compensation, and is able to disentangle the existing intertwined complexities therein.

Dr. Boozari received a Master of Law Degree, LLM, on International and U.S. Legal Studies from Case Western University School of Law, Cleveland, Ohio. He was awarded an International Business Law Certificate for a thesis on Comparative Analysis of WTO Rules and Foreign Investment Laws in Iran. 

Dr. Boozari earned his SJD from UCLA School of Law where he researched and wrote on Democracy and Islamic Law, Philosophy of Law, Right to Political Participation, and Constitutionalism in Islamic Law. He also researched and wrote on Comparative Constitutionalism in Iran, Egypt, and Indonesia. He has taught as an adjunct professor at UCLA and other law schools in California. He has authored a book, SHI'I JURISPRUDENCE AND CONSTITUTION: REVOLUTION IN IRAN (2011, Palgrave Macmillan) and contributed a chapter, Concept of State in Shi'i Jurisprudence, in ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK OF ISLAMIC LAW (2019, Routledge). 

Consulting Services - As an adviser and attorney, Dr. Boozari has negotiated and litigated for European companies’ legal interests and claims against expropriation and nationalization in the Islamic Revolutionary Courts and the Supreme Court. His knowledge of International Business and Comparative Law gives him an advantage when negotiating international business transactions. Dr. Boozari is fluent in Persian (Farsi), Arabic, Turkish, and English.

Areas of Expertise:

Islamic Law / Sharia Law Comparative Law Comparative Constitutionalism Political Crime Personal Status Law Philosophy of Law

International Human Rights International Business Transactions International Investment Law International Arbitration Law and Religion

View Dr. Amir Boozari's Expert Witness Profile.

Carlo Scevola & Partners is an International Fiduciary Company headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with branches in six continents. We specialize in International Planning, Strategic Consulting and Wealth Management. Our clients trust us for everything from setting up an Offshore Company to Mergers and Acquisitions to Business Finance and Asset Protection. 

CS&P’s customer-centric methodology ensures that each client gets a custom-tailored solution which addresses that business’ individual objectives and requirements. Our team has expertise in every functional category and every important geography. From finance to operations to human resources to marketing – from the Americas to Europe to Africa, Asia and Oceania – CS&P can bring together experienced executives who know how to advise you and will make your enterprise a success. All this while always protecting your privacy. 

Services Offered: Business and Strategic Consulting

• S.W.O.T. Analysis
• Pre-investment Feasibility Studies / Competitive Background Assessments
• Business Plan Research, Writing and Production
• Strategy Definition / Implementation
• Reworking of Operating Processes for International Suitability
• Industrial Partnership Scouting / Matching
• Tailor Business Model to Market Environment, Jurisdiction and Local Authorities Requirements 

Corporate Finance:

• Mergers, Acquisitions and CessionsCommercial Due Diligence or Investment / Financial Appraisals
• Company Reorganization and Restructuring
• Financial Feasibility Plans for Industrial Expansion
• Scouting / Recruiting Highly Qualified Financial Management
• Exit Strategies in the event of Buy-outs, Buy-ins, Spin-offs or MBOs, MBIs and LBOs
• Listing on Stock Exchanges 

Offshore Consulting:

1. International Tax Planning
2. Corporate Structuring, Maintenance and Trusts
3. International Contracts Law
4. Jurisdictions
5. Residency and Citizenship
6. International Banking
7. Logistic Support
8. Government Licenses
9. Aircrafts and Vessels
10. Intellectual Property 

CS&P Operates In More Than 80 Countries Around The World.

DataChasers, Inc. is a select, exclusive Computer Forensics and E-Discovery company. With Computer and Cell Phone Forensics and E-Discovery as their core focus, they offer strategies and provide alternatives so that clients are aware of all options to make more informed decisions.

DataChasers, Inc. provides an initial evaluation at one rate regardless of hourly time/rate that includes a review of the initial reports, search warrants, written evidence, and a consultation regarding the strengths and weaknesses of each case.

Services

Cell Phone and Device Forensics Forensic Computer Examinations E-Discovery Exams - Electronically Stored Information Intellectual Property & Copyright

Employment Law & Civil Rights Cases Family Law Criminal Law Probate

Computer Forensics Training - DataChasers, Inc. also provides California State Bar approved MCLE presentations for MCLE credits.Topics include Computer Forensics, Intellectual Property, Criminal Defense, Family Law, and Computer Forensics Presentations, Presenting Electronic Evidence at Court, and How to be an Expert Witness.

Matthew Albee, CFCE, EnCE, SCERS is a Computer Forensics expert with over 20 years of experience in his field. He currently serves as project manager and lead examiner on computer forensic and e-discovery cases for DataChasers, Inc.

Background Experience - Since 1996, Mr. Albee has been a Special Agent for the State of California Franchise Tax Board and the Board of Equalization where his responsibilities include equipping and maintaining the computer forensic laboratory, and conducting investigations that involved financial and computer crimes. Since 2012, he has served as a Course Evaluator /Subject Matter Expert for the Office of Anti-Terrorism Assistance (ATA), Diplomatic Security Service, United States Department of State.

View Matthew Albee's Expert Witness Profile.

PRACTICE AREAS AND EXPERTISE: Peacemaking, mediation and conflict management of difficult community, business and interpersonal conflicts.

From 1978 to 1998, trial lawyer with demonstrated success in complex, difficult, or unique cases. Experienced in both state and federal trial and appellate courts. Experienced in AAA commercial and construction arbitration and SEC/NASD arbitration. Broad range of knowledge, including construction, business, contract, finance, constitutional law, commercial law, and insurance law.

With over 22 years of experience, Mr. Noll has litigated and arbitrated diverse and complex cases before state and federal juries, judges and administrative tribunals. His practice is now devoted to resolving business and interpersonal conflicts without litigation. He has mediated over 400 difficult and complex conflicts including employment disputes (gender discrimination, racial discrimination, wrongful termination) construction defect cases, complex commercial and industrial construction disputes, CERCLA claims, partnership dissolutions, water rights disputes, shareholder disputes, intellectual property litigation, constitutional law cases, land use disputes, financial and commercial disputes, crop losses, estates and trusts litigation, and insurance disputes.

Douglas Noll is a distinguished author of numerous articles and most recently a book entitled: Elusive Peace: How Modern Diplomatic Strategies Could Better Resolve World Conflicts.

FROST ICED provides comprehensive program development, training, and litigation support services for Abuse, Threat, and Violence Recognition and Response in the workplace, schools, and communities.

Frost ICED trains clients and their staff about behaviors of concern, threat assessment, and management teams across disciplines, address how to build stronger connections, explore staff, client, and student perspectives, discuss target considerations, personal violence, harm towards others or self, mandated reporting issues, legal concerns, incident response considerations, and more. Along with Trusted Partner agencies, Frost ICED will layer in the strength of site assessments, security process reviews, internal and external safety evaluations, asset protection considerations, and much more.

Law Enforcement Training Courses:

Call Out to Lock-Up Developing Evidence-Based Investigation Search Warrants Intimate Partner Violence Investigations Stalking and Strangulation Investigations Homicide and Death Investigations Interviewing and Interrogation De-escalation Tactics Sexual Abuse Investigations

School Violence Recognition and Response Threat Assessment & Management Leveraging Leadership First Responders Diversity, Equity, Inclusion  Extreme Violence Survivors Grants 101 Military Sexual and Domestic Abuse Military / Workplace Violence Site Assessments and Security Concerns

Rachael Frost, Master Inv. (ret.), CEO, is a VIOLENCE RECOGNITION & RESPONSE SPECIALIST with over 20 years of experience in law enforcement practices and procedures investigation, domestic violence-related persons' investigation and policies, grants, and program development. 

TRAINING: Ms. Frost has offered training services across the United States for the military, corporations, law enforcement agencies, non-profits, multidisciplinary persons' crimes and advocacy response groups, and more. Her ACTION Academy provides expert trainers with direct experience who believe training should provide attendees with continual engagement to maximize interest and retention. Ms. Frost has received more than 1,500 hours of training in these areas and continually attends conferences and specialty classes, as well as reviews research, to ensure her content exhibits current best practices. 

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT and GRANTS: Rachael has obtained more than $4 million in grant funds for multidisciplinary programs across wide jurisdictions. She helps entities understand grant opportunities and develop successful applications for funding. 

View Rachael Frost's Expert Witness Profile.

Janice A. Ramsay founded the law firm of Ramsay and Johnson, ALC in 1984. She merged her practice and that firm with Berger Kahn LLC in 1999. Since the late fall of 2007, she has primarily worked independently as an expert witness and consultant to other attorneys.

During her career, Ms. Ramsay has given advice on coverage questions, underwriting procedures, rescission rights, claims handling, and insurers legal and policy obligations. She is experienced with both commercial and personal lines policies. Ms. Ramsay is familiar with the business of insurance and the legal framework of that business and has performed the procedures that are unique to the claims process such as examinations under oath, and appraisals. She has drafted or revised insurance policies for several insurance companies and has handled coverage litigation.

Litigation Support - Ms. Ramsay has been retained in over 150 matters as an expert work during her law practice beginning as early as 1989. She has testified frequently in both deposition and trial on the standards and practices of the insurance industry. She has testified for insurers, insureds,brokers, and agents.

Types of Losses:

Fire Losses Organized Insurance Fraud Landslides Earthquakes Water Damage / Mold Defective Construction

Latent Defects Riots Acts of Civil Authority Business Interruption Suit Limitation Issues Mortgagee Rights

Speaking Engagements - Ms. Ramsay has frequently been a speaker and/or panelist for the Orange County Bar Association, PLRB Annual Conference, the Combined Claims Conference, and many more. She has also given in-house seminars for several insurers.

Brian H. Cole is a Certified Specialist in Franchise and Distribution Law (California State Bar of Legal Specialization), with over 30 years of experience, including as in-house attorney for one of the world's largest franchisors (Pizza Hut). The focus of his practice is on corporate and transactional work, primarily for companies and individuals involved in franchise and distribution matters (franchisors, franchisees, manufacturers, and distributors).

Consulting Services For Franchisors:

• Draft franchise agreements and related documents (including confidentiality agreements, personal guarantees, and other ancillary documents)
• Prepare Franchise Disclosure Documents; register or file exemptions in all states where needed
• Represent franchisors in acquisitions or divestitures of either individual units or entire systems
• Advise with respect to termination and non-renewal issues.

Due Diligence Services for Acquisitions:

• Review compliance by franchisors with applicable franchise laws.
• Advise franchisees on viability of franchised business.

Consulting Services For Franchisees:

• Review Franchise Disclosure Documents and advise prospective franchisees on the franchise under consideration
• Represent franchisees selling their units or buying existing units
• Advise franchisees who have been harmed by franchisor practices contrary to provisions of applicable franchise laws

Areas of Expertise:

Drafting / Registering Franchise Agreement Buying / Selling Individual Franchised Locations and Franchise Chains Leasing Sites for Businesses Corporate Organization / Contractual Matters

Restaurant Operational Issues Restaurant Employment Matters Health Code Liquor License

View Brian Cole's Expert Witness Profile.

Jeffrey D. Diamond specializes in Insurance Coverage Disputes and Litigation. He has established his law firm as one of the premier Insurance Coverage law firms in the Metro Atlanta area on behalf of policyholders, as well as throughout the State of Georgia and, as he was initially admitted to the State Bar of California in 1978, he serves policyholders in California, as well. 

In addition to his full time law practice, Mr. Diamond has served as an Adjunct Professor of Insurance Law since 1995 in both California and Georgia, having joined the Georgia State University College of Law faculty in 2009 as an Adjunct Professor of Insurance Law and, in 2012, he joined Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School in a similar capacity. 

Mr. Diamond  is also a law instructor for the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA), a national educational organization which conducts continuing education programs for financial professionals across the country, teaching in NACVA’s Expert Witness Bootcamp program. Mr. Diamond has been an invited guest speaker on topics of interest at numerous insurance conferences throughout the country. 

Over his 37 year career, Mr. Diamond has successfully represented policyholders, and formerly Insurance companies, in a wide variety of insurance coverage and bad faith actions including:

• Business Insurance Litigation
• Homeowners Insurance Litigation 
• Construction Defect Litigation
• General Business Property and Liability Claims
• Long Term Disability Claims
• Life Insurance Claims

 Litigation Support - Mr. Diamond's experience as an insurance litigator and insurance law professor allows him a unique perspective as a consulting expert witness. His extensive knowledge of insurance law and keen insights into insurance policy interpretation, as well as the covenant of good faith and fair dealing under each State’s insurance related statutes and case law, make him an exceptional consulting expert witness with regard to insurance coverage disputes and issues concerning insurance bad faith issues.

 View Jeffrey Diamond's Expert Witness Profile.

Attorney, Lawrence H. Jacobson received his Bachelor's degree in political science in 1964 from U.C.L.A and his Juris Doctorate in 1967 from the U.C.L.A. School of Law. While at the U.C.L.A. School of Law, Mr. Jacobson was a senior editor of the U.C.L.A. Law Review and graduated as a member of the Order of the Coif. 

Mr. Jacobson is the former Vice-President of Legal Affairs for the California Association of Realtors, legal counsel to several Boards of Realtors, California Counsel to an international real estate brokerage firm, and legal counsel to numerous mortgage brokerage firms and related real estate service providers. He is also a Past President of the Beverly Hills Bar Association. He has served as a judge pro tem for the Los Angeles and Beverly Hills Municipal Court Systems as well as having been an adjunct professor of law in the area of real estate secured transactions and administrative law, earning a lifetime Community College Instructor Credential in the area of Law.

Legal Practice - In his 50 years of practice, Mr. Jacobson has counseled and represented both private and publically held clients in the following:

• Selection of Business Entities
• Formation and Restructure of Corporations
• Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies
• Purchase and Sale of Business
• Succession Planning
• General Advice on Finance, Employment, Intellectual Property, Taxation, Antitrust, and Securities Laws

Lawrence Jacobson has written and lectured extensively on business, real estate and ethics related matters including having taught for the U.S.C. Broker Development Program and Graduate Realtors Institute of the California Association of Realtors, as well as having lectured for the California Continuing Education of the Bar, and is the recipient of the California Continuing Education of the Bar's 2011 "Spirit of CEB" Award.

View Lawrence Jacobson's Expert Witness Profile.

M.K. Wickens, PLLC, is a Health Care Fraud and Compliance company. Principal, Mary Wickens, JD, CFE has over 35 years experience in the Healthcare Insurance, Managed Care, and Compliance Industry. Her experience includes advising and counseling health care providers, insurers, government contractors, and others in compliance, ethics, fraud and abuse, Medicare, Medicaid and Federal Employees Plan, managed care, and other matters. 

Consulting Services:

• Internal Investigations - As a highly experienced investigator, Mary Wickens is available to provide swift and thorough review of potential compliance and ethics issues. She is seasoned at handling potential whistleblower concerns, C-suite investigations, and reporting for self-disclosures. She provides comprehensive, understandable reports and recommendations to executives, audit committees, and auditors.
• Compliance Consulting - Ms. Wickens is experienced in providing site reviews, red team reviews, and independent compliance reviews. She has in-depth knowledge developing and implementing effective corrective action plans and extensive experience in responding to government and commercial audits and investigations.

Background Experience - Ms. Wickens is a former compliance officer for a major health insurer and former legal and compliance specialist for a CMS Medicare Program Safeguard Contractor. Also a former operations director for government programs (Medicare Part C, Medi-gap, and FEHBP) for a major HMO, she is experienced with government audits and investigations, commercial audits, as well as self-reporting and internal investigations. 

Ms. Wickens has decades of experience as in house counsel to HMOs and health insurers. She has drafted, developed, negotiated, and implemented numerous healthcare provider-payor contracts, and developed and implemented codes of conduct, ethics programs, compliance programs and numerous corrective action plans. Ms. Wickens has authored numerous professional publications and presentations on health care fraud and compliance, government and commercial audits, compliance programs, and healthcare contracting. 

View Mary Wickens' Expert Witness Profile.

David Wolowitz, JD is an Education Law Attorney with 40 years of extensive experience advising schools on the current and past standard of
care for protection of students from harm by other students, educators, and third parties.  

Mr. Wolowitz regularly presents to national organizations, including the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) ,the Association of Boarding Schools (TABS), and the National Business Officers Association (NBOA).  He has presented to international organizations, including the European Council of Independent Schools (ECIS) and the East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools (EARCOS).  

In 2018, Mr. Wolowitz gave over 30 presentations and trainings in 10 states and advised international schools in Japan, Taiwan, Jordan, Italy, Spain, France and Liberia. He is the author of numerous articles relating to creating a safe school culture and is known for his practical approach to complex issues.

Mr. Wolowitz often serves as a consultant to schools and organizations, including K-12, sports clubs, camps, and churches experiencing critical incidents relating to misconduct which has harmed students. Consulting services include:

• Coordinating and overseeing of third-party investigations
• Advising administrators and boards on how to respond to complaints of misconduct responsibly, giving consideration to transparency, accountability, and equity
• Conducting child safeguarding audits to help schools and their boards determine whether a school is meeting current standards of care for child protection
• Recommending improvements for safer school cultures

View David Wolowitz's Expert Witness Profile.

Michael F. Richards is a Banking Expert Witness and Consultant with more than 34 years of experience. His experience as a Founder, President, and Director of two De-Novo banks and the head of a work-out department for a regional bank give clients and attorneys a crucial behind-the-scene understanding of all aspects of banking. 

Mr. Richards' experience in heading a work-out department provides a wealth of knowledge in litigation testimony from the perspective of a bank officer. He has extensive experience in Lending, Lender Liability, Banking Operations, Regulatory Oversight, Policies, Procedures, and Standards of Care in the Banking Practice. Mr. Richards' represents both Plaintiffs and Defendants. Over the past 11 years he has been retained in over 120 cases in 38 different states.   He has testified at trial/arbitrations 14 times and depositions 30 times.

Areas of Expertise:

• De Novo Start-ups / Fundraising
• Banking Practices, Policies, and Procedures
• Standards of Care
• Bank Officers’ / Directors’ Conduct, Actions, Negligence
• Banking Operations
• Elder Abuse
• Power of Attorney (POA)
• Credit Analysis
• Loan Review
• Loan Documentation
• Bank Regulations / Law
• Commercial and Real Estate Lending Practices
• Consumer Lending Practices
• Forensic Commercial Loans
• Lender Liability
• Loan Participation and Documentation
• Troubled Debt Restructuring Practices, Workouts, Forbearance
• Collection Practices
• Loan Commitment Issues
• Loan Guarantee Issues
• Bank Credit Administration and Credit Policy Issues, Customs and Practices
• Real Estate Appraisal
• Bank Fraud
• Bankruptcy, Fairness of Interest Rates "Cramdown"