Electronic Engineering Expert Witnesses: 11

Geoffrey Beresford Hartwell is a Chartered Engineer who practices as an Arbitrator, Adjudicator and Expert for Determination. Geoffrey is the former Senior Partner of Consulting Mechanical and Electrical Engineers BHA Cromwell House.

A one time Chairman of the Expert Witness Society, Geoffrey Hartwell has experience giving evidence in court (in both civil and criminal matters) and in International Arbitration. He sometimes is retained as a Single Joint Expert or as a Tribunal Expert. His services are offered to both Plaintiff and Defense. Even when retained on behalf of a Client he, like all Experts, has an overriding responsibility to the Court or Tribunal.

After his early career in aerospace and nuclear energy, Geoffrey entered private practice in association with the late Leslie Heap and Gerald Lewis of Heap and Digby, Consulting Engineers, in 1969. While with them he designed water and sewage equipment and also the bascule moving machinery for the Lowestoft Bridge, in Suffolk. He practiced also as Beresford Hartwell and Associates and, in 1971 established a separate office in Wallington, South London.

In parallel with his design career, Geoffrey was first appointed as arbitrator in 1972 and his first foreign arbitration, an ICC appointment in Switzerland, took place later that year. He studied Law to Intermediate level and then transferred to the examinations of the Institute of Arbitrators (now Chartered) of which he became Chairman in 1996-1997 and for whom he taught in various countries on several courses, including the prestigious Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration.

Technical Expertise:

Electrical Engineering and Design Mechanical Engineering and Design Instrumentation Automation and Computer Control Systems Maritime and Infrastructure Engineering Process Engineering Solid Waste Handling

Communications Manufacturing Computer Cartography Moving Bridges and Lock Gates Construction Project Management Nuclear Energy Water and Waste Water Treatment

Arbitration: Geoffrey Hartwell also acts as an arbitrator and adjudicator, as an expert mediator and conciliator, as an expert investigator and assessor for arbitral tribunals, and also as a Special Referee in the High Court of Justice of the Isle of Man. His services have been required in the UK and internationally.

Dispute Boards: Geoffrey Hartwell has experience both as Member and as Chairman of Dispute Boards?. He has been a member of Dispute Boards, retained from the beginning of a project or, alternatively, appointed on an ad hoc basis when a problem arises, Dispute Adjudication Boards to determine a binding decision, and on Dispute Review Boards to make decisions that are advisory but not binding.

Adjudication: Similar to arbitration, Mr. Hartwell adjudicates domestic and international disputes which are only temporarily binding unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties.

View Geoffrey Beresford Hartwell's Consulting Profile.

Dr. David Schaafsma, PhD has over 25 years of experience in Optical Systems, Microscopy, Fluorescence & Spectroscopy, Optical Materials, Lasers, Optoelectronics, Sensors, and Data Acquisition. Dr. Schaafsma specializes in multi-disciplinary projects primarily for the medical device field, involving optics, electronics, software, and sensors. He has worked in diverse areas such as semiconductor manufacturing, telecommunications, and biotechnology. Dr. Schaafsma has been offering expert witness services for over 10 years. He has been retained as an expert in several areas of expertise, from angioplasty catheters to retinography cameras to optical microscopes of various stripes. Dr. Schaafsma is available for consulting, testing, analysis, inspection, reports (opinion), deposition, and trial testimony. 

Selected Areas of Expertise:

Medical Product Design / Development Optics – Geometric, Diffractive, Waveguide, Optical Technology, Optical Materials Networks, Data Links, Protocols Fiber Optics Lasers & Light Systems Embedded Computer Systems, Microcontrollers Infrared Materials, Technology, Products

Imaging & Microscopy (SEM & Optical), Spectroscopy Software & Programming, Embedded & High Level Languages Electronics, Embedded Design Sensors, Data Acquisition Semiconductor Metrology, Photovoltaics, Renewables Project Planning / Management ISO 9000, SPC Tooling / Process Development

View Dr. Schaafsma's Consulting Profile.

Harry Direen, PhD, PE has over 30 years of experience as an engineer Designing and Developing Systems in the Electronics and Software Industry. He has taught engineering courses at the US Air Force Academy and at the University of Colorado. Dr. Direen currently works with a research group at the US Air Force Academy developing control systems and image processing using GPGPUs for UAVs. An inventor, he holds 3 United States patents.

Litigation Support - Dr. Direen has significant experience as an expert witness supporting counsel and testifying in complex patent infringement cases. He has a broad base of knowledge in electronic and software systems gained from a long career developing a wide range of products and systems. His litigation experience also includes encryption / decryption methods associated with databases and signal processing. Dr. Direen has reverse engineered a variety of complex systems over the years, including: media players, modems, modem compression algorithms, coriolis mass flow meters, database systems, and a range of other products to support patent infringement cases generating detailed claim charts and writing expert reports to demonstrate infringement. He has successfully discovered and analyzed complex digital signal processing algorithms and pertinent operations within these products. Dr. Direen's expertise is available to counsel representing both plaintiff and defendant. He is highly proficient in explaining complex systems to laymen.

Areas of Expertise:

Electronic Systems Control Systems Embedded Systems Design and Development Databases Control of UAVs / Drones

Robotics Software Signal Processing Product Reverse Engineering Intellectual Property

View Dr. Direen's Consulting Profile.

Mark McFarland, is a licensed and Board Certified Electrical and Telecommunications Engineer.  He provides expert consulting for plaintiff and defense counsel on civil and criminal cases nationwide. 

Mark's practice covers a wide range of cases, typically involving electrical, electronic, software, cellular, GPS, and telecommunications evidence. He has worked with lawyers in several fields including: wrongful death, personal injury, product liability, securities fraud, homicide, sex trafficking, medical malpractice, class action, insurance claims, patent litigation, contract disputes, and more.

Mark has worked dozens of cases and testified in court for civil and criminal trials.

Many of the cases he's worked have settled on his expert report.

Contact Mark at Discovery Engineering when you have litigation involving electrical, electronic, software, cellular, or GPS evidence. Licensed & Board Certified.  720-593-1640

For more information, please give me a call or visit my website.  

Have a fantastic day!   

James Parker has over 35 years of relevant industry experience specializing in Electronic Security Systems & Sensors, Electronics R&D, and New Product Development. He has in-depth knowledge of electronic product design in both Wired and Wireless Technologies and outstanding knowledge of Environmental and False Alarm Immunity. Products, such as alarm systems, that Mr. Parker led the design of, have an installed base in the millions. 

Litigation Support - Mr. Parker provides Patent Litigation support to counsel representing both Plaintiff and Defense and is experienced with civil liability, criminal and patent litigation, including Inter Partes Reviews (IPRs). He has the ability to explain complex technical material in a straight forward manner. Mr. Parker's past clients include Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Fish & Richardson PC, Alarm.com, 2GIG Technologies, and Nest Labs. His services are available nationally and internationally. 

Areas of Expertise:

Electronic Security Security Systems Burglar Alarm Systems Intrusion Detection Motion Detection Wireless Alarm Systems Wired Alarm Systems Occupancy Detection Systems Premises Security Residential and Commercial Security Inter Partes Reviews (IPRs)

Research and Development Engineering Management New Product Development Electronic Engineering Embedded Systems Alarm Control Panels PIR (Passive Infra-Red) Motion Detection uW (Microwave) Doppler Motion Detection Solar LED Flood Lights (Patio to Street Level) Patent Litigation Intellectual Property

Background - Mr. Parker is the Past Vice President of Engineering for Digital Security Controls Ltd. (DSC), a leading global manufacturer of electronic security systems and components with sales exceeding $400 million annually. He is currently the President at EE-Systems Group Inc. Canada (R&D) where he is responsible for overseeing new product and business development. A prolific inventor, Mr. Parker has been granted over 25 unique patents with approximately 100 patent documents published worldwide. 

View James Parker's Consulting Profile.

Envista Forensics is a global leader in Forensic Engineering & Recovery Solutions. They provide Cause & Origin, Failure Analysis, Fire and Explosion Investigations, Accident Reconstruction, Damage Evaluations and Equipment Restoration Services following disasters of all kinds. Envista has offered Consulting Services to the insurance, legal and risk management industries, as well as businesses, public entities, and universities for over 25 years.

Their Experts travel globally from 30 offices located across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the U.K., Australia and Singapore. Envista's experience counts when equipment, systems, structures, or data have been threatened by catastrophe or litigation. Their experts and advisors determine cause and responsibility, and identify the nature and extent of damage or loss and provide a full range of solutions to protect their assets.

Envista's technical professionals are trusted advisors and industry leaders. Their expertise is broad and deep, capable of withstanding all forms of scrutiny. Envista's services are available globally so that certainty is assured no matter where in the world it is needed. As the recovery from disasters has grown more complex, Envista has developed a comprehensive array of services to help their clients and has associates located around the globe to provide assurance no matter the type of loss or location of the disaster. Envista helps attorneys quickly get to meaningful answers on the many technical issues at the center of a dispute. Their engineers have decades of experience working with both defendants and plaintiffs.

They offer effective Expert Witness Testimony, with the ability to communicate effectively, build rapport with juries and judges, and maintain adherence to structured, methodical approaches in drawing conclusions are all extremely critical. Envista Forensics understands how critical the selection of an expert can be, and we understand what makes experts effective. Their court qualified experts have extensive experience providing expert testimony on a wide variety of engineering and technical matters.

Areas of Expertise:

Aviation & Aerospace Biomechanics Construction Defects Digital Forensics Electrical Injury & Electrocutions Causation Chemical Computer / Network Equipment Failure Construction Defect Disputes over Reparability of Damage Electrical Failure Equipment Restoration Fire & Explosion Analysis Equipment Restoration

Industrial / Manufacturing Equipment Materials Failure Mechanical Accidents Mechanical Failure Medical / Laboratory Equipment Product Failure / Liability Project Management Structural Failure Subrogation Utility & Energy Valuation of Structures or Equipment Vehicle Accident Investigation Workplace / Premises Accidents

View Envista's Consulting Profile.

Quality Forensic Engineering, LLC is a full-service forensic engineering firm, providing engineering support to clients in the areas of accident reconstruction, biomechanics, fire investigations, patent litigation analysis, premises liability, product liability, and tire failure analysis. We use the latest technology and industry proven techniques to provide thorough analysis and conclusions for the most difficult engineering questions. Our forensic engineers support clients throughout the U.S. Our locations include Tallahassee, FL; Jacksonville, FL; Tampa, FL; New Orleans, LA; San Diego, CA; and Tucson, AZ.

Dr. Brian Pfeifer, PhD, PE - Dr. Pfeifer is an Engineering Expert with over 25 years of experience investigating thousands of cases involving a variety of forensic engineering issues. He is a leading expert in accident reconstruction, roadside safety, maintenance of traffic, commercial vehicle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, and the analysis of mechanical systems and product failures. Dr. Pfeifer has a strong background in the design, development, and implementation of roadside safety hardware including guardrails, bridge rails, and crash cushions. Over 33 patents have been filed worldwide on behalf of Dr. Pfeifer and associated colleagues who invented safer guardrail systems, vehicle storage systems, shipping container handling systems, and material handling and storage methods. He has also utilized his technical knowledge and understanding of patents to assist in a number of matters involving patent litigation.

Dr. Pfeifer has published numerous papers to various organizations, covering topics such as new guardrail systems, energy absorbing guardrail terminals, breakaway sign mechanisms, and material handling technology. He has shared his expertise with many organizations on topics including vehicle collisions, bicycle accidents, roadway construction zones, and accident reconstruction expert witness utilization. Dr. Pfeifer is a registered Professional Engineer in six states and he continues to refine his skills and knowledge of accident reconstruction and roadside safety by staying current with new technology and best practices. Dr. Pfeifer has extensive experience with providing deposition and trial testimony as an Engineering Expert. See Full Bio & CV.

Expertise:

Automobile Collisions Tractor-Trailer Collisions Guardrails / Bridge Rails Construction Zones Bicycle Accidents Pedestrian Accidents Motorcycle Accidents Occupant Kinematics

Roadside Safety Airbag Control Module (ACM) Analysis Tractor Trailer Electronic Control Module (ECM) Analysis Product Failure Analysis Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) Evaluation Restraint System Analysis Patent Litigation Technical Analysis

Dr. Ian M. Zeller, PhD, ACTAR, is an accomplished engineer with more than 10 years of experience in Biomechanics and Computational Dynamics fields. He has investigated hundreds of cases ranging from motor vehicle accidents, recreational incidents, medical device designs, as well as injuries from product liability all across the United States. 

Dr. Zeller has graduate level experience in computational dynamics and orthopedic biomechanics with a specific emphasis in dynamics, vibrations, joint contact mechanics, and muscle control during static and dynamic loading applications. Dr. Zeller’s past research includes clinical and computational analysis of the human body with respect to the design and implantation of orthopedic devices for the knee, hip, and spine. He has published in peer-reviewed journals and presented research at both technical and surgical conferences in North America, Europe, and Asia. Dr. Zeller also worked with surgeons across the United States in the design and assessment of knee replacement devices, including personalized and prototype devices to optimize for efficacy and safety. 

Dr. Zeller is also accredited as a traffic accident reconstructionist and continues to conduct research as well as maintain a current knowledge of developing trends and best practices in the biomechanics and engineering fields. Dr. Zeller has published to various organizations on topics ranging from knee replacement design, forward solution modeling, joint mechanics, personalized joint replacements, material structures and properties as well as biological modeling of disease distributions. He also has an extensive testifying history including depositions, trials, and arbitrations.

 See Full Bio & CV.

Expertise:

Biomechanical Analysis Accident Reconstruction Injury Consistency Mechanism of Injury Analysis Vehicle Occupant Kinematics Falling Object Mechanics and Analysis Bicycle Accidents Pedestrian Accidents Amusement Park and Playground Accidents Crash Data Retrieval and Analysis

Product Failure Analysis Seat Belt Analysis Restraint System Occupant Position Determination Sequential Events Analysis Speed Analysis Vehicle Damage Consistency Collision Avoidance Material Fracture Analysis

Michael R. Hill, PhD, PE, is a Biomechanical Engineer passionate about applying biomechanics techniques to solve diverse problems in forensics, medical research, engineering, biology, science, and mathematics. He is an expert in experimental, theoretical, and computational Tissue Biomechanics, with a focus on injury mechanisms, human tissue damage, and nonlinear soft tissue mechanics.

Dr. Hill’s core strengths are in orthopedic and cardiovascular biomechanics, vehicle accident reconstruction, injury consistency analysis, mechanical design, instrumentation, experimental analysis, numerical methods, simulation, statistics, and image processing. Dr. Hill has lectured in the field of biomechanics and numerical methods, and his research has been published in 16 academic articles and presented at 40 international and national scientific conferences.

See Full Bio & CV.

Expertise:

Vehicle Accident Reconstruction Occupant Kinematics Orthopedic and Cardiovascular Biomechanics Human Tissue Damage Mechanics Slip, Trip, and Fall Analysis

Computational Mechanics  Experimental Biomechanics Image Analysis Computational Modeling Event Date Recorder (EDR) Data Retrieval and Analysis Automobile Restraint Analysis

View Quality Forensic Engineering's Industrial Forensic Engineering Expert Witness Profile.

Robert O. Peruzzi, PhD, PE, DFE is a Licensed Professional Electrical Engineer with a focus on electronic and electro-mechanical systems and mixed-signal integrated circuits (silicon chips). He provides expert witness services to both plaintiff and defense counsel in matters regarding intellectual property, patents, failure analysis, product liability, injuries, and product specifications. Areas of expertise include:

Electronic Design Behavioral Modeling and Verification Electro-Mechanical Systems Analog and Mixed-Signal Integrated Circuits Systems-on-Chip Electrical Engineering Communications and Control Systems such as: Internet of Things (IOT) systems Audio amplifiers and recording systems Telephones, mobile phones, cell phones Voltage regulators, battery chargers, and Lithium-ion battery management systems Data transmitting/receiving systems such as serializer/de-serializers (SERDES) Power-management devices  Video systems  Radio transmitters/receivers and components such as amplifiers, filters, oscillators, frequency synthesizers and phase-locked loops HVAC controllers Traffic light control and emergency preemption systems Remote control systems for hobbyist aircraft and vehicles Pressure sensors for reading depth of fluid column Electrical equipment power and grounding

View Consulting Profile.

Expert Background: Dr. Thomas L. Read is the Principal and CEO at A. Read Consulting, LLC. He received his PhD. from Stanford University in 1972 and has over 25 years of manufacturing experience in electronics, metallurgy, factory safety, failure analysis, glass fracture, glass failure and bottle failure. As a member of the electronics industry, he has earned process patents and has an extensive background in manufacturing techniques.

In parallel, Dr. Read has spent over twenty five years as a consultant to attorneys and engineers. He has given more than 100 depositions and has appeared in court numerous times.

Company Profile: Read Consulting, LLC is a full service laboratory providing services in the following areas:

Failure Analysis; Factory Safety and Personal Injury (including machine guards and manufacturing safety)

Glass Failure Analysis - Glass Fracture, Glass Failures and Bottle Failure

Metal and Ceramic Failure

Grinding Wheel Failures

Intellectual Property and Patent Disputes

Product Liability and Product Quality

Manufacturing Disagreements (such as Intellectual Property, Failed equipment and Contract Disputes)

Reverse Engineering

Audio Expert David Smith of Sound Testimony^® specializes in Audio Forensic Analysis, Improving Recorded Speech Intelligibility, & Recording Authentication. Our proprietary hardware/software system recovers intelligible speech and other sounds from noise-intensive backgrounds & poorly recorded media. David A. Smith, IEEE, AES, has more than three decades of professional experience with audio enhancement. Experienced in criminal and civil cases including murder, corporate fraud, employment discrimination, sexual harassment, labor, and family law. Mr. Smith consults with counsel offering audio forensic evidence examination, analysis, litigation support, expert advice, expert testimony, and related expert witness services including preparation of cross-examinations and courtroom presentations. Clients include Prosecutors, Defense Attorneys, Family Law & General Practice Attorneys, other Legal & Investigative Professionals, HR Depts., Corporations, Private Detectives, & Individuals. Services Offered:

• Recording Authentication
• Tampering & Edit Detection
• Intelligibility Improvement
• Transcript Review & Correction
• Litigation Support
• Voice Recognition and/or Elimination
• Expert Testimony

Intelligibility Improvement of:

• 911 calls
• Voice Mail Systems
• Accidental Recordings
• Surveillance Recordings
• Portable Audio Recorders
• Interviews
• Depositions
• Meetings
• Cell Phone Recordings, etc.

Dr. Tal Lavian holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, in Computer Science, specializing in Networking and Communications. He is an expert in network communications, telecommunications, Internet Protocols (TCP/IP), LAN/WAN, Streaming media, VoIP, mobile wireless, and Internet/Web technologies. He has over 30 years of experience, has invented over 120 patents, and has co-authored over 25 scientific publications. For 20 years, Dr. Lavian has researched, studied, and lectured at UC Berkeley Engineering. He has served as an industry fellow and lecturer with UC Berkeley’s Industrial Engineering IEOR, Berkeley Engineering’s SCET, UC Berkeley’s start-up accelerator, and SkyDeck, as principal investigator for CRadar.Ai and CTO for Aybell.

Areas of Expertise:

Network Communications - Telecommunications - Internet Protocols (TCP/IP) - VoIP - Streaming Media - Mobile Wireless:

• Communication Networks: Internet protocols; TCP/IP suite, TCP, UDP, IP, Ethernet, 802.3, network protocols, network software applications, data link, network, and transport layers (L2, L3, L4), packet switching, data center network architecture.
• Mobile Wireless: Wi-Fi, 802.11, Bluetooth, MAC, PHY, Wireless LAN (WLAN). Cellular systems, SMS, instant messaging (chat), mobile devices, and smartphones.
• Internet/Cloud: Internet Technologies, Web applications, HTTP, e-mail, SMTP, POP, IMAP, Java, C/C++, file transfer FTP, client-server, cloud computing, distributed computing.
• Routing/Switching: LAN, WAN, VPN, routing protocols, RIP, BGP, MPLS, OSPF, multicast, DNS, QoS, network infrastructure, and network communication architectures.
• VoIP/Streaming Media: PSTN, voice, data, circuit switching, IP telephony, VoIP, SIP, RTP, video/audio conferencing, streaming media.

Dr. Lavian brings both hands-on and academic experience to his work in Network communications, Internet Protocols, design, and architecture. 

Litigation Support:

Dr. Lavian offers expert witness services and provides courtroom presence, clear testimony, and an ability to effectively distill complex concepts into understandable basics and commonsense.

• He has extensive experience rendering reports and testifying in Federal, IPR, and ITC cases in over 140 patent-related cases.
• Past cases have involved leading companies such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon, LinkedIn, Avaya, T-Mobile, AT&T, Ericsson, Sprint, Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, Polycom, Motorola, LG, WhatsApp, Instagram, ZTE, Huawei, Facebook, and Apple.

View Dr. Lavian's Consulting Profile.