Real Estate: Property Inspection Consultants

AVAILABLE NATIONALLY
CERTIFIED RESTORERS * CERTIFIED INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS *
CERTIFIED MICROBIAL REMEDIATION SUPERVISORS * CERTIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL INFECTION CONTROL CONSULTANT * CERTIFIED STRUCTURAL DRYING SUPERVISOR * CERTIFIED INFRARED THERMOGRAPHERS *
IICRC CERTIFIED MASTERS * LIC. GENERAL CONTRACTORS #299472

SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE

 Brian Spiegel and David Spiegel offer expert testimony and consulting services regarding smoke, water, fire, mold contamination property damage restoration, reconstruction, and construction defect related problems. Both have been speakers nationally and internationally on property damage restoration, construction, and mold contamination related topics. In the past at the Property Loss Research Bureau (PLRB) national mold symposium in Charlotte, North Carolina and at the Forensics Consultants Association on toxic mold litigation and mold remediation in Newport Beach, California. In the media, Brian and David have written articles for industry trade magazines and given television and radio interviews, including one with Brian on ABC TV “Good Morning America” featuring a segment on mitigating water damage. 

CONSULTANTS AND EXPERT WITNESS

Mold & Bacterial Contamination Construction Defects Fire & Smoke Damage Industry Standards of Care

Structural Damages Water Damage Sewage Backflow Flooring Forensics

EXPERT SERVICES

Property Damage Contractor Inspections & Formal Reports Cause and Origin Investigations Smoke Particulate Testing Property Insurance Claims Testing

Detailed Construction Estimates Cost Damage Appraisals at Current Industry Pricing Litigation Support Infrared Structural Inspections Concrete Moisture Testing

PROPERTY DAMAGE ASSESSORS

• Residential and Commercial
• Appraisal Process: Appraisers & Umpires
• Contents and Structure

Steven D. Epcar, CPM an Expert in Real Estate and Property Management Issues with 35+ years of experience;including residential, commercial, retail, hotel, condominium and mixed-use properties. Experienced in litigation support including standard of care, partnership conflicts, brokerage issues,landlord/tenant, valuation, personal injury, habitability, environmental, life safety cases. 

Steven is a member of the Forensic Expert Witness Association (FEWA).  He serves as a real estate consultant for institutional and private investors, providing an array of services: asset/property management related assignments, organizational assessments, financial feasibility, due diligence,and new development services. 

Previously, Mr. Epcar served as President, Residential Services for Carmel Partners a R/E investment/management firm in San Francisco, Principal/Founding Partner of Ventana Property Services, a West Coast third party management and consulting firm and President,Prometheus Management Group,a development/investment/management firm.

Jeffrey S. Lapin, CPM®, has been directly involved in Commercial Real Estate Management, Leasing and Construction for over 35 years. He is currently Vice President of Property Management for a privately held national real estate development firm.

Consulting - Mr. Lapin provides commercial real estate operations and maintenance expertise to large and small landlords. His background includes roles with institutional landlords including TIAA CREF, MetLife, The New England Life Insurance Company, and Principal Mutual Life, as well as a diverse group of private property owners. His experience is focused on managing, building and leasing all types of property including commercial and multi-family residential, industrial, office, and retail real estate assets.

Professional Training - Mr. Lapin is an experienced professional trainer specializing in Property Operations, Lease Administration, Cost Recovery, Customer Service, Maintenance Procedures and related topics. Mr. Lapin has conducted over 50 workshops and seminars on these topics.

Certifications and Instruction - Mr. Lapin is a Certified Property Manager (CPM®), certified by the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM®) and a California licensed Real Estate Broker. Mr. Lapin is a certified instructor for IREM® and for the Building Owners and Managers Institute International (BOMI®), teaching courses for these prestigious international property associations, including courses required by IREM® and by BOMI® for the respective professional accreditations they offer, centered around construction and maintenance topics.

Education - Mr. Lapin holds an undergraduate Business Administration degree from the University of Southern California as well as a Master’s Degree in Business from Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management.

View Jeffrey Lapin's Expert Witness Profile.

Randall Bell, PhD, MAI is the owner of Landmark Research Group LLC which specializes in Real Estate Damage Economics. By utilizing advanced valuation methodologies, they are able to determine what impact, if any, that a detrimental condition has on property values. His clients include government agencies, oil, insurance and utility companies, corporations, developers, lenders and property owners.

Dr. Bell specializes in environmental contamination, natural disasters, construction defects, complex real estate disputes, crime stigma and other detrimental conditions. As an Expert Witness and Strategic Consultant, Dr. Bell can determine the merits of a claim. His experience and research includes the World Trade Center, Hurricane Katrina, Bikini Atoll Nuclear Test Sites, Chernobyl, Hiroshima, the Oklahoma City Bombing, Mt. St. Helen’s Volcano, the Manoa Hawaii Landslides and many others.

Dr. Bell has a MBA from UCLA and is the author of the book "Real Estate Damages" published by the Appraisal Institute. His career has been profiled by the Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, CNN, ABC's 20/20 and more.

John Gillies is a Chartered Building Surveyor and the Senior Director of Johnson Gillies. Mr. Gillies is frequently involved in dilapidation assessments for Landlords and Tenants. In addition, he is often called upon to produce opinions and evidence in matters of dispute. Mr. Gillies provides Expert Witness reports for legal issues and appears in Court as an expert on construction and related matters.


The firm's Building Consultancy and Expert Services Include:

Surveys: Building, Homebuyer, Vendor, and Measured Surveys. Planned Maintenance, Defects Analysis, and Due Diligence Investigations.

Audits: Fire, Health and Safety, Environmental, Access, and Commercial EPC.

Development Consultancy: Development Monitoring, Party Walls, Planning, Rights of Light.

Construction Consultancy: Contract Administration, Design, Employers Agent, Feasibility Study, Fit Outs, New Build, CDM Co-ordination, Project Management, Refurbishment, Repair & Maintenance.

Landlord & Tenant: Dilapidations, Services and Charges, Licences and Alterations, Photographic Schedules, Schedules of Condition.

Dispute Resolution: Expert Witness, Adjudication, and Arbitration of:

Building Contract Disputes

Cost and Quality of Building Works Disputes

Expert Reports

Legal Evidence at Court

Insurance: Building Reinstatement Valuations and Insurance Loss Assessing.

Griswold Real Estate Management has been dedicated to providing superior Property Management, Receivership, and Expert Witness Services for over 30 years. With offices in Las Vegas, San Diego, and Los Angeles, they serve southern Nevada and all five southern California counties. Properties include single family homes, condominiums, apartment communities, homeowners associations, commercial and retail space, and self storage facilities. Griswold Real Estate Management has been awarded the Accredited Management Organization (AMO®) designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM). Across the country, less than 5% of all management firms have earned this distinction, by fulfilling the most stringent requirements in expertise, education, integrity, and financial stability. 

Property Management Services:

Highly Responsive Management Team Aggressive Marketing Plan Comprehensive Tenant Screening Aggressive Rent Collection 24-hour On-call Maintenance

Complete Financial Accounting Annual Budget Preparation Review of Vendor Contracts Vendor Supervision Personalized Service and Expertise

Principal, Robert S. Griswold, CRE, CPM, CCIM, PCAM, CCAM, GRI, ARM, is currently active as a day-to-day hands-on, licensed practitioner, consultant, and expert witness in all aspects of real estate (except valuation). A 3-time graduate of the distinguished Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California with a BS ('81), MBA ('86) and MSBA (2nd Masters) ('88) in real estate and related disciplines, Mr. Griswold is a recognized expert on management of all types of residential real estate. He has actively managed over 60,000 residential units and several million square feet of commercial, industrial, self-storage and retail properties nationally in the last 30 years. He has extensive experience as a court-appointed receiver (nearly 200 times) for private lenders and major financial institutions. 

Author - Robert Griswold is the author of the nationally best selling book on real estate management, Property Management Kit For Dummies, which has sold over 100,000 copies in less than 5 years. He also co-authored Real Estate Investing For Dummies, another bestseller in the category with nearly 100,000 copies sold, and Landlord's Legal Kit For Dummies, published in 2014. 

Media Consultant - Since 1995, Mr. Griswold has appeared as the Real Estate Expert for an NBC-owned affiliate in San Diego and weekly on NBC News This Weekend answering live impromptu questions on any aspect of real estate from viewers. He was the host of the longest running weekly 2-hour live real estate news, information, and advice radio show in the country for over 14 years. The show, Real Estate Today! with Robert Griswold (along with his work for NBC) has won 5 national journalism awards and is unlike other real estate radio shows as his show is non-advertorial in nature.

 View Robert Griswold's Expert Witness Profile.

Julian Forbes-Laird is a Chartered Arboriculturist, Arboricultural Association Registered Consultant, experienced Expert Witness and Principal Consultant of Forbes-Laird Arboricultural Consultancy Ltd. Mr. Forbes-Laird has a professional practice working throughout the UK and overseas. He covers all aspects of arboriculture, specializing in planning, tree safety and litigation related matters.

Mr. Forbes-Laird is supported by a team of regionally based consultants, giving him national and international reach. He sets the standard for client service, works throughout the UK and abroad, provides commercially realistic strategic advice, prepares sensitive yet practical management plans, works within project design teams to evolve arboriculturally defensible layouts, wins planning appeals, and handles an enormous amount of work under pressing deadlines helping clients' achieve the best outcome. 

Mr. Forbes-Laird is widely recognised as an authority on legal issues pertaining to trees and is an experienced Expert Witness. His expert services include Pre-Action Case Evaluation, TPO Prosecutions, Forensic Accident Investigation and Tree Root Damage to Buildings. Other Services Include:

• Planning for Developers and Local Authorities
• Tree Preservation Orders (TPO's)
• Safety Inspections
• Subsidence
• Expert Witness
• Landscape Design

E. Robert Miller has over 40 years of service to the real estate profession and has unrivaled expertise in Property Management Techniques. As President of E. Robert Miller & Associates, he provides Expert Witness Consulting and trial work, educational services and business development services. Mr. Miller has served on over 1,300 cases as an Expert Witness or Consultant in the property management field since 1996. He was the 2004 Northern California Expert Witness Association President. Mr. Miller's experience and thoroughness in research, depositions and trial situations makes him your best choice for an expert witness in property management litigation. Areas of Expertise

• Accident or Assault - Safety/Security Conditions
• Improper Eviction
• Unpaid Rent - Habitability Standards
• Contractor Dispute
• Partnership Dispute
• Bankruptcy
• Animal Control
• Security Deposits
• Association Board Responsibilities/Management Duties

Hon. Judge Steven Cohen (Retired), JD, MBA, is a qualified Expert and Consultant with over 30 years experience in Construction Defects and Real Estate Standards of Care and Duty, Property Management, Property Inspection, Agents disclosure, Broker's disclosure, and Negligent and Intentional Conduct. 

Extensive experience in habitability, Civil Code 1941, Health and Safety Code §17920.3, transfer disclosure and all transactional requirements in the sale of property. Expert in construction arena in water penetration, roof defects, home inspection, structural defects, framing defects, electrical & mechanical problems, stucco, foundation and structural slabs, construction schedules and all mold related problems. 

Litigation consulting includes Case Risk Analysis and Assessment (is a case ripe for litigation?), Research and Litigation Support, Homeowner Associations HOA, Building Codes, Department of Real Estate Rules, Codes and Laws, Contractor's State Licensing Board Rules and Regulations, Uniform Building Code (UBC) compliance, Building and Safety. Expert in Mechanical, Electrical, Water Entry, Toxic Mold, Mildew and Sick Building Syndrome. American Arbitration Association (AAA) Arbitrator. Arbitrator and Mediator for State and Federal Cases. 

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Practitioner. Graduate Level Certificate in Dispute Resolution (Mediation, Arbitration and Negotiation) from Pepperdine University School of Law. Licensed to practice law in California and Federal Court-Central District. Retired Administrative Law Judge, Inglewood Office of Appeals. Education/Licenses: Administrative Law Judge (Ret.), Attorney, M.B.A., Certified Property Mold Specialist (C.M.I. & C.M.R. Designation), RE Broker (Realtor), General Contractor (B1), Electrical Contractor (C10), Certified Mediator, AAA Arbitrator and Mediator, FINRA Arbitrator, Western Case District. Primary 

Area of Expertise: Real Estate, Construction Defects, Case Risk Assessment.

Atlantic Environmental Inc. has provided expert services on Environmental, Health and Safety issues for the past 40 years. We translate highly technical, scientific information into real and practical terms to assist attorneys in providing the best legal advice and direction in litigation issues involving chemical and environmental issues. We have substantial experience in appearing for deposition and trial as an expert witness 

Areas of Expertise:

Chemical Pollution Occupational Disease Mold Testing & Remediation Indoor Air Quality Chemical Toxicity

Industrial Hygiene Toxic Torts Asbestos & Lead Sampling Environmental Claims Property Assessments & Testing

Robert E. Sheriff, MS, CIH, CSP is the CEO and President of Atlantic Environmental Inc which he founded in 1978.. He earned his MS in Preventative Medicine and Environmental Health and his BS in Zoology. Mr. Sheriff was a former Manager of Health Safety & Environmental for Sun Chemical Corporation and an Industrial Hygienist and Loss Control Rep. for Continental Insurance Co. He served in the US Army - Vietnam Era. He is a Past-President of the American Industrial Hygiene Association(AIHA) He has acted as Expert Witness in Asbestos Personal Injury Litigation(Defense), Industrial Hygiene, Occupational Disease, and Indoor Air Quality/Mold over the last 25 years.

Henry P. Shotwell, Ph.D., CIH is the Senior Consultant of Atlantic Environmental Inc. He earned a Ph.D. in Systems Safety Engineering, an MS in Biomedical Sciences and a BS in Biology & Chemistry. Dr. Shotwell is a former Director, IH & Safety for Environmental Waste Management Associates and a former Manager of Health & Environmental Safety for Sun Chemical. He has acted as Expert Witness in a variety of Industrial Hygiene, Mold, and Toxic Tort cases as both plaintiff and defense expert. 

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT EXPERT

Depositions: 800+

Mediations & Arbitrations: 100+

Trial Testimony: 80 in 30 Superior Courts

More than 10,000 properties inspected.

RETAINED BY 400 LAW FIRMS IN 28 STATES

California, Florida, Texas, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Ohio

Nevada, Arizona, Washington, South Carolina, North Carolina, Iowa

Hawaii, Idaho, Alabama, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma

Montana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Washington D.C.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Standard of Care; Custom and Practice

Building & Safety Codes

Fair Housing Practices (FEHA)

Personal Injury (Slip, Trip & Fall)

Premises Liability

Landlord/Tenant

PROPERTY TYPES

Multi-family Units Managed: 25,000

Association, Hospitality, & Timeshare Units Managed: 100,000

Associations Managed: 1,000

Commercial Properties Managed: 1,250,000 sq.'

Mobile Home & RV Spaces Managed: 3,800

Single Family Units Managed: 3,500

Commercial Property Inspections Performed: 900

Association Property Inspections Performed: 3,600

Parking lots and Parking Structures: Personal Injury; Snow & Ice