Employment Discrimination and EEO Expert Witnesses: 19

Aaron T. Olson has decades of experience in the field of Police and Human Resources. His foundation of knowledge and skills comes from a career in law enforcement, and being a college educator, expert witness, consultant, trainer, and private investigator.

Background Experience: Mr. Olson has 26 years of police experience with the Oregon State Police managing assignments in communications, recruitment, and patrol. He supervised and evaluated both police and non-police employees. He was a member of the OSP Procedures and Rules Advisory Committee and worked with Oregon's Department of Justice legal team in rewriting and validating OSP's trooper and cadet applicant hiring process. 

As a patrol supervisor, Mr. Olson directed major crime scenes and motor vehicle fatalities investigations. He reviewed and approved administrative, police, and use of force reports. He investigated allegations of police officer misconduct, conducted background checks, and participated in specialized tasks in community policing, dignitary protection with the U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies. In his tenure he had experience in police pursuits, the use of physical force and deadly force and next-of-kin death notifications.  

Mr. Olson is a former human resources investigator with Local Government Personnel Institute, Salem, OR. He conducted background and misconduct investigations on city and county employees and city and county elected officials, as well as city police chiefs. His misconduct investigations included sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation and hostile work environments. He wrote the investigative reports and made the findings of facts on all misconduct allegations.

Besides being an expert witness, Mr. Olson is a private investigator. He is insured and bonded, and licensed through the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, Private Investigator License #113509.

Mr. Olson is a published co -writer of multiple books, CARE Approach: Seeking Solutions to Human Problems and Multicultural Law Enforcement: Strategies for Peacekeeping in a Diverse Society. Further, he is an adjunct professor teaching at a community college and state university.

Litigation Support: Mr. Olson meets the criteria of an expert witness as outlined in the Federal Rules of Evidence. He has experience as an expert on cases involving police misconduct, police procedures, police and non-police use of force, police pursuits; wrongful death; personal injury; employer investigations on employees; and cases involving employer negligent hiring, negligent training, negligent supervision, negligent retention, management performance and retaliation. He also has experience in reviewing criminal cases for defense attorneys. Mr. Olson's services are available to attorneys' representing plaintiffs and defendants and include diagnostics, thorough reporting, depositions, arbitration hearings, and trial testimony as needed. Contact him today for a free initial consultation.

Areas of Expertise:

View Aaron T. Olson's Consulting Profile.

Dr. Brian H. Kleiner was a former human resource manager for Ford Motor Company. He has had over 100 private and public consulting clients and has trained thousands of employees. 

Dr. Kleiner taught three 36-hour courses on KLCS-TV, has over 500 publications, and has given trial / arbitration testimony in over 70 cases, including one resulting in a $12.5 million plaintiffs verdict in 2014 concerning disability discrimination and wrongful termination. He has been profiled in Bender's California Labor and Employment Bulletin in 2007 as a result of his overall forensic expert successes and other achievements. 

Degrees Include:

• B.S. in Business Administration, Drexel
• MBA, UCLA
• Ph.D. Management, UCLA

Dr. Caren Goldberg, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned professor of Human Resource Management. She provides expert witness and litigation support services in employment law cases. 

Dr. Goldberg has written over 50 peer-reviewed papers and three book chapters on Diversity, Discrimination, Stereotypes, and Sexual Harassment. She has been quoted in numerous magazine and newspapers, and has appeared on Dateline, NBC, Voice of America, and numerous local affiliate news programs to discuss discrimination and harassment. 

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) honored Caren as one of 100 diversity thought leaders from business, consulting, government, and academia, based on her research contributions in this area. More recently, SHRM appointed her to a task force charged with developing professional standards in Diversity and Inclusion.

Litigation Support - Professor Goldberg has been retained by both plaintiff and defense attorneys to testify on matters such as Stereotyping and Harassment / Discrimination climates. In addition, she has testified on the extent to which HR practices are consistent with the scholarly and practitioner literature in HR and how subjectivity in HR practices such as selection, compensation, promotion, appraisal, and termination decision may introduce bias.

Dr. Goldberg provides a variety of services including:

• Assistance Preparing for Depositions and/or Trials in Discrimination and/or Harassment Cases
• Test Validation Services
• Assistance with or Outsourcing of Diversity and/or Sexual Harassment Training Programs
• Assessment and Critique of Opposing Expert's Assumptions, Conclusions, and Prior Research  

Frank Carr has extensive background and experience as an Investment Industry Employment and Compensation Expert Witness, especially in Investment Management Firms, Mutual Funds, Hedge Funds, Wealth Managers, and Broker-Dealers. Mr. Carr is a former corporate banker, investment firm Chief Financial Officer, and a 20-year veteran of executive search for the Investment Management industry. He has written articles for and has been frequently quoted by publications such as Bloomberg News, CNN Money, Fund Fire, Ignites, Absolute Return, Hedge Fund Alert, and Hedge Fund Manager Week. Prior to entering the executive search field, he was the Chief Financial Officer of a Connecticut-based hedge fund and Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA). Mr. Carr started his career in commercial bank lending, initially with Citigroup in their Wall Street Commodities division and later specialized in financing independent feature film producers, TV producers, and television station owners on behalf of European American Bank in New York. 

Litigation Support - Frank Carr is an Investment Industry Employment and Compensation Expert Witness who has been retained by both plaintiffs and defendants for American Arbitration Association, JAMS and FINRA arbitration, mediation, and federal court litigation. Mr. Carr has over 30 years of experience in Financial Services, Investment Management, and Banking and his areas of coverage include Traditional and Alternative Investments – Equities, Fixed Income, Mutual Funds, Hedge Funds, Private Equity, and Managed Futures. Specialist in Wall Street Divorce. 

Areas of Expertise:

Prior Expert Witness Assignments:

• Represented a hedge fund portfolio manager as an expert rebuttal witness in a high-profile hedge fund employment/compensation lawsuit. Prepared a rebuttal opinion letter submitted to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
• Represented a $12 billion Texas-based SEC Registered Investment Adviser and leading global alternative credit manager in a JAMS arbitration regarding a terminated employee. Prepared a rebuttal expert witness report and provided live testimony at the JAMS arbitration hearing.
• Represented a financial advisor in a FINRA arbitration against one of the top 5 U.S. wealth management firms. The scope of the opinion included projected career advancement, compensation analysis, and calculation of lost earnings.
• Represented a portfolio manager/ investment analyst in a wrongful termination action against one of the largest U.S. Broker-Dealers with over $600 billion in assets. The scope of the opinion included projected career advancement and compensation analysis. Prepared an expert witness report and provided live testimony at the FINRA arbitration hearing.

Education - Mr. Carr is a graduate of Williams College where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Economy. He completed the Management Training Program at Citigroup in New York, including courses in accounting, finance, and capital markets. He has previously held FINRA licenses, Series 3, 6, and 63, and has completed Level I of the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) program.

View Frank Carr's Consultant Profile.

Charles Taylor is a partner at Lang, Richert & Patch specializing in federal civil litigation. He has represented clients in areas such as Civil Rights, Government Contracts and Leases, Insurance Coverage, and Business Litigation in various federal district courts around the United States, in adversary proceedings in the bankruptcy court, and before governmental administrative boards. Mr. Taylor specializes in all aspects of Employment Law, including sexual harassment, discrimination, and wrongful termination. He has represented local and national clients on various employment issues before the Labor Commission, Department of Fair Employment and Housing, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Employment Development Department. In addition, he advises employers on preventing employment relations problems and on developing personnel policies and procedures. Illustrative Case:

• Engaged by bakery to defend against civil complaint filed by Department of Justice for alleged violations of Clean Air Act with over $3 million in potential penalties. Successfully negotiated dismissal of the case without penalty
• Engaged by local concessionaire on government owned property after improper termination of lease. Actions litigated in both federal district court and before Contract Board of Appeals. Prevailed on entitlement issues after an 8 day hearing
• Successful settlement on quantum before trial for in excess of $1.3 million
• Successfully defended on summary judgment large grocery store chain by four female employees claiming sexual harassment and gender discrimination
• Successfully defended regional employer for alleged wrongful termination in violation of public policy, fraud, tortious bad faith, and intentional infliction of emotional distress

My name is David T. Sweeney.  I am a Police Policy and Procedure expert and a retired 34-year veteran police leader with Seattle Police and Oregon State University PD.  I have decades of experience supervising a large number of police officers and supervisors. I am currently employed as adjunct faculty in the School of Police Staff and Command at Northwestern University. I enjoy assisting with expert reviews of policing best practices for a variety of legal standards for police departments. As an expert witness, I have been pleased to work with both plaintiff and defense attorneys. I will give you an honest assessment of your case, so that I can provide the best reports and helpful testimony. I have experience with 41 total cases: 16 defense cases and 25 plaintiff cases.

Litigation Support - My goal is to improve best practices in policing by offering expert witness and police consultation services. I am also a trained mediator specializing in workplace conflicts. I provide honest, unbiased opinions. I will be happy to review and discuss your case. I will point out strengths and weaknesses of the case, and we can work on next steps, whether it be further case review, expert report, deposition, or trial testimony. I have spent 21 years as a sergeant and lieutenant, responsible for training and reviewing topics such as police pursuits, use of force, police tactics, de-escalation, police supervision, less lethal weapons, active shooter, SWAT, crowd control, legal standards, EEO, Human Resources, U.S. 1983 cases, and more.

 Areas of Expertise:

View David T. Sweeney's Consulting Profile.

Allison West, Esq., SHRM-SCP, AWI-CH

In 2000, after practicing law at a San Francisco Labor and Employment boutique, Allison started Employment Practices Specialists to fulfill her personal mission of helping companies build and maintain safe, respectful and productive workplaces.

Allison focuses her practice on conducting workplace investigations, delivering one-on-one sensitivity training for executives, managers and employees concerning sexual harassment, discrimination, and diversity awareness issues, coaching managers and employees with disciplinary and/or behavioral problems, providing expert witness and litigation assistance.

Litigation Support - Allison improves case effectiveness well before trial by suggesting strategies, investigating and uncovering facts, and performing research. She assesses the technical merits and the time/money/risk equation of a case, offering suggestions to counsel on the advisability of moving forward or settling. Allison's thorough knowledge of both Employment Law and Employment Practices can bring to your case the clear and comprehensive overview you need.

Areas of Expertise:

Allison specializes in developing and delivering interactive training programs in the US and internationally that address employment law and human resources issues.

Allison was brought into CBS News to deliver harassment training immediately after Charlie Rose was terminated and went on to deliver training at 60 Minutes, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and other CBS programs. She trains at organizations of all sizes and industries, nationally and internationally.

Allison is a frequent top-rated speaker at local and national events such as the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) Annual Conference & Exposition where she has been ranked as one of the top ten highest rated speakers.

Malcolm S. Cohen, PhD, President of Employment Research Corporation, has over 30 years of experience in the field of Economics and Employment specializing in Labor Markets and Statistical Analysis. 

Dr. Cohen founded the firm in 1997, after retiring as the Director of the Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations at the University of Michigan, which he directed for 13 years. With a PhD in Economics from the MIT in 1967, his research interests include labor market information, labor turnover, employment forecasting and labor shortages. He has directed several major studies to identify national shortage occupations and measure labor turnover using administrative records. 

Dr. Cohen's book, Labor Shortages as America Approaches the Twenty-first Century, was published by the University of Michigan Press. His most recent book, Global Skill Shortages, written with Professor Mahmood A. Zaidi, is published by Edward Elgar Publishing. He has had articles published in a large number of journals, including: Journal of Human Resources, Monthly Labor Review, Journal of Political Economy, Review of Economic Statistics, Journal of Economic Theory, and The American Economic Review. 

Litigation Support - Dr. Cohen has either testified or been a consultant in over 1,000 audits or cases and has testified over 150 times. He has also served as an expert to the EEOC and U.S. Department of Labor in discrimination cases, and has directed many research projects sponsored by government agencies. 

Areas of Expertise:

View Dr. Cohen's Consulting Profile.

Ramona Powell, SPHR, founder of exPRt HR Consulting, LLC, has 30 years of C-Suite Human Resources and Expert Witness Experience. She prides herself on linking human capital with business strategy.

Litigation Support - A nationally certified Senior Professional in Human Resources, Ms. Powell has a proven track record as an expert witness. Having served as an expert on over 25 cases, legal professionals for plaintiff and defense retain her for her proven ability to provide clear and concise opinions in cases covering a wide variety of topics. As an experienced business partner, she delivers results across all strategic and operational Human Resource practice areas.

Areas of Expertise:

Discrimination

Employment

Background Experience - Ms. Powell has proven experience developing peak performing HR organizations that support business strategy, productivity, and profitability. She is a strategic business partner to C-suite, with global experience in technology, healthcare, manufacturing and distribution operations in the U.S., Mexico, Europe, and Australia across diverse industries. Ms. Powell is responsible for the successful design and implementation of strategic HR initiatives, building and developing high performance HR teams, and aligning people strategy with corporate strategy.

View exPRT HR, LLC's Consulting Profile.

Boston Office
900 Greendale Ave., Unit 10
Needham MA 02492
T: 781-209-5820 F: 617-507-8412

CHRISTOPHER S. REECE has more than 25 years of experience in Executive Search and Management Consulting. He currently serves as Managing Director of EMA Partners, Boston, a firm that provides executive search consulting services. He also co-founded Group/HSA, a management consultancy specializing in human capital management based in Boston, and earlier Reece & Mruk Partners. Mr. Reece has conducted over 300 executive searches and numerous organizational and executive assessments.

Areas of Expertise: Executive Compensation, Employability, Executive Search, Career / Vocational Assessment. Outplacement, Earnings Capacity

 View Curriculum Vitae. 

Chicago Office

RICHARD D. SBARBARO is Chairman of Lauer, Sbarbaro Associates • EMA Partners International, an executive search organization. He has conducted over 1,400 senior-level search assignments including industrial, commercial, financial services, consulting, technology, healthcare and the academic/not-for-profit sectors. He has advised clients nationally on issues of Organization and Compensation, and has provided valued counsel to senior management regarding Executive Appraisals and Management Evaluation. Mr. Sbarbaro has been retained by attorneys for plaintiff and defense.

Areas of Expertise:  Executive Search, Compensation, Employability and Earnings Capacity

 View Curriculum Vitae. 

Tampa Office
413 West Palm Drive
Lakeland, FL 33803
T: 863-687-3388 F: 863-687-3388

THOMAS S. TILGHMAN  has more than 40 years of senior consulting and management experience in Compensation, Executive and International Compensation. He currently provides compensation consulting related services through Tilghman Associates LLC. He has conducted compensation and human resources related projects in a wide variety of industries including high tech, pharmaceuticals, banking and oil industry. He has worked with start-ups to Fortune 100 companies.

Areas of Expertise: Executive Compensation, Executive Pay and Benefits, Outplacement, Career / Vocational Assessment, Earnings Capacity, Employability

 View Curriculum Vitae.

A senior clinical faculty member at Harvard Medical School, Harold J. Bursztajn, M.D., is active in patient care in medical, psychiatric and judicial education nationally. He is qualified in both state and federal courts and is nationally recognized as a distinguished impartial, clinical, ethical and forensic expert to P/D attorneys and institutions. Individual and multispecialty team consultations available.

• Informed Consent & Malpractice
• Employment Litigation: ADA, Disability, Sexual Misconduct Discrimination, Worker's Compensation
• Emotional & Physical Damages: Conscious Pain & Suffering, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Neuropsychiatry & Pain Imaging
• Standards For Experts
• Product Liability: Medical Devices & Pharmaceuticals, Toxic Tort
• Criminal Justice & Public Safety: Diminished Capacity, Drug Addiction, Competency to Confess, Death Penalty Mitigation, Workplace Safety
• Family & Custody Issues
• Testamentary & Contractual Capacity
• Professional & Organizational Ethics: Patient Care, Managed Care, Privacy
• Psychoanalysis & Cultural Perspectives

Beth De Lima, MBA, SPHR-CA. consults with Plaintiff and Defense attorneys in regard to human resource management, the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), discrimination and related topics.

Ms. De Lima is nationally certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources with a California specific certification (SPHR - CA) by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and was appointed to sit on the Employee Health, Safety, and Security Special Expertise Panel, 2006-2010. She is a certified mediator, U.C. Berkeley, Extension Program and had been appointed to the Amador, Calaveras, and Tuolumne County Superior Court Mediation Panels. Specifically, Ms. De Lima can assist you in preparing responses and compiling evidence for existing cases. Her litigation support services may be used to:

• Formulate questions for depositions
• Conduct investigations and interviews
• Evaluate the adequacy of personnel policies
• Analyze evidence and presentation materials
• Identify case weaknesses and alternative strategies
• Document employee physical suitability for work
• Determine "reasonable accommodation"

Please visit her website at www.hrmconsulting.com for more details. Ms. De Lima has offices in Murphys and San Jose California and are available at your convenience to discuss cases on a confidential and complimentary basis.

View Consulting Profile.

Dr. Jane K. McNaught, PhD is a locally and nationally recognized Forensic Psychological Expert specializing in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with adults and children. Over the course of her more than 35 years of practice, she has worked with both Defense and Plaintiff attorneys and has also been a Court appointed expert.

Dr. McNaught has administered more than 1700 psychological test batteries and testified on over 500 occasions as a forensic expert in the areas of: Civil, Criminal, and Family Law. She also provides trial consultation for attorneys. Dr. McNaught has  been qualified and testified as an expert in PTSD, for both the U.S. Army as well as the U.S. Navy. In addition she has testified as an expert in both District and Federal court. Dr. McNaught practices in the areas of Civil, Criminal, and Family Law cases involving trauma to both adults and children.

In the Civil area, Dr. McNaught is frequently hired as an expert when there are allegations of Emotional Damages involving Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Dr. McNaught has been hired in cases of alleged sexual misconduct within institutional settings such as: Schools, Churches, Treatment Centers, Hospitals, Residential Centers for the Handicapped, Jails and other Police alleged violations.

The following are cases where Dr. McNaugth has been an expert:  PTSD cases involving veterans;  injuries related to Motor Vehicle Injuries/Death; Dog Bite; Amputation; Burns; and Electrocution. Dr. McNaught has also been an expert in  Medical Malpractice Cases,Wrongful Death, and Infant Death cases. Employment Law Experience in cases  involving Age or Sexual Harassment where PTSD is alleged. 

In the Criminal area, Dr. McNaught is hired by both the Prosecution as well as Defense in cases involving Sexual Misconduct. She also conducts evaluations of Defendants in criminal cases where Underlying Psychological Conditions may impact sentencing. She has also  been obtained as an expert to evaluate the reliability of statements obtained from alleged victims of sexual assault. When doing so, Dr. McNaught addresses the following: Recantation, Memory Research, and the Standard of Care for Interviewing Victims of Sexual Assault. 

In the area of Family Law, Dr. McNaught specializes in High Conflict Divorce and and provides consultation in issues related to:  Relocation; Endangerment; Factitious Disorder by Proxy; Parental Capacity; and Parental Alienation. Dr. McNaught is also frequently obtained as an expert to critique other evaluator's reports.

View Dr. McNaught's Consulting Profile.

As a highly professional & credible Expert, Consultant, & Speaker, Jean Seawright has provided trusted advice & HR Consultation to thousands of organizations nationwide. As president of Seawright & Associates, a Human Resource Management-Consulting Firm, Ms. Seawright is widely respected for her knowledge of state & federal employment regulations including, but not limited to FLSA, ADA, FMLA, Title VII, & others.

Since 1987, she has focused on engagements involving hiring, coaching, & terminating employees; regulatory compliance; charges of discrimination; performance management systems; internal investigations (including harassment); employee handbook development; compensation plan design; HR audits; hiring systems; job descriptions; & others. Ms. Seawright is a frequent speaker at state & national trade associations & is the author of numerous articles & publications in the field of human resources, including the popular book, The Employment Genie®, an exclusive hiring, coaching, & termination system for businesses. 

Areas of Expertise:

• Negligent Hiring and Retention
• Discrimination and EEO Compliance
• HR Policies and Programs
• FLSA and Wage and Hour Compliance
• Harassment
• Expert Witness Services for Employment Law Matters
• ADA
• FMLA
• Hiring Procedures
• Title VII
• Employee Handbooks

Ms. Seawright is available for case analysis, case theory evaluation, expert witness reports, depositions, analysis of other expert testimony, and trial testimony.

Stephen M. Raffle, M.D. is double Board-Certified in Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry. Dr. Raffle has over 49 years as a clinical and forensic psychiatrist offering his expert opinion in Federal and State jurisdictions nationwide. In addition to serving as an expert witness, Dr. Raffle consults to attorneys, judges, insurers, and to employers regarding Fitness for Duty and Risk of Violence (Threat) Assessment:

• 5000+ psychiatric assessments
• Expert testimony in 700 depositions and trials
• Successful clinical practice

The job of an expert witness is to educate a jury, judge, attorney, and trier of fact about the forensic psychiatrist's conclusions and how those opinions were derived in a manner well-reasoned, skillful, and easily understood by every person, not only another forensic psychiatrist. In short, an educator. Dr. Raffle’s experience as an educator extends well beyond a forensic venue, yet underpins the key to his ability to explain his opinions.

• Prof. of Psychiatry, UCSF Medical School, 20 years
• U.C. Hastings College of the Law postgraduate course "Trial and Appellate Advocacy" instructing seasoned attorneys about the direct and cross-examination of expert witnesses, with special focus on mental health experts and licensed medical professionals, Psychiatrists (MDs), Psychologists (LCSWs / MFTs), and physicians in other medical specialties, 11 years

Stephen M. Raffle, M.D. & Associates' expertise is well-established in forensic assessment in the areas of:

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Dementia and Competency
• Testamentary Capacity
• Undue Influence
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Malingering
• Emotional Distress: Intentional & Unintentional infliction
• Emotional Distress: Forensic Evaluation to render medical-legal opinion
• Diagnosis and Need for Treatment
• Fitness For Duty
• Risk/Threat Workplace Violence Assessment
• Wrongful Termination
• Discrimination (ADA, Title VII, EEOC)
• Harassment
• Employment Litigation
• Medical Malpractice
• Catastrophic Injury
• Temporary and Permanent Disability
• Medical Records Review
• Assist in Preparation for Direct and Cross-examination of Expert Witnesses and Deposition of expert witnesses

Licensed in California.