Labor Law / FLSA Compliance Expert Witnesses: 10

Mr. Beringer is the Principal of Beringer & Associates (B&A) and Liability Program Management (LPM). These Firms provide business liability program management, including analysis of current risk exposures involving Labor Code, Safety, and Regulatory exposures, litigation management, Workers' Compensation analysis, analysis of insurance conduct, analysis of risk exposure for self-retentions, and insurance contracts.  

Mr. Beringer, as their Liability Claims Manager, was responsible for various Joint Powers Authority organizations (including ICRMA, BICEP, PERMA, and ERMA). The membership included thirty-eight individual cities in Los Angeles County, Riverside County, and Orange County for administering and resolving their Joint Power program's liabilities. 

He also created litigation controls, risk retention mechanisms, and modified their Memorandums of Coverage for BICEP and ICRMA. Mr. Beringer has also provided talent for successfully overseeing Government Code matters, including dangerous conditions, FEHA/DFEH, excessive force, and Civil Rights violations on behalf of Joint Authorities. 

Responsibilities included significant case handling for exposures more than the client's self-insured retention through various levels of reinsurance in the United States/offshore venues up to and inclusive of $50.0 million in an exposure. Since January 2000, the firm has provided risk analysis, insurance coverage and claim handling analysis, and management services to the insurance, construction, and transportation sectors. He has also been engaged to provide analysis of construction defect exposures, including review of risk exposure coverage; Labor Code exposures, including assisting with the administration of prevailing wage in California; to assist with operational concerns, coordination, risk management, Workers' Compensation underwriting, and executive management.

Mr. Beringer has provided expert/consultant services to plaintiff and defendant counsel in insurance coverage, including EPLI, General Liability, Workers’ Compensation, Professional Liability, Reinsurance, D&O, and property coverage. Areas of expertise include claim handling, damage evaluation (personal injury and property damage), professional adjustment standards (via carrier and TPA), and evaluation of attorney fees in Lodestar and FEHA matters. 

Mr. Beringer started in the insurance industry with the Automobile Club of Southern California in 1969, completing his insurance career in 2000.  

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

• Cognitive Behavior Therapy
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Evaluation & Treatment
• Forensic Testimony (Consultation, Evaluation Treatment Following Trauma or Injury)

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.

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.

DeAndrea T. Williams is a distinguished Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC), Certified Vocational Evaluator (CVE), International Psychometric Evaluator (IPEC) and a Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP). She has a robust background in vocational assessment, counseling, and disability management. Holding a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Kentucky, DeAndrea is uniquely positioned to provide expert guidance and strategic solutions in complex vocational and medical-legal cases.

As the President/CEO of Land of Goods Vocational Consulting, Mrs. Williams leads a team of twelve evaluators conducting in-depth vocational evaluations, labor market analyses (local, state, and national), and transferable skills assessments. Utilizing authoritative resources like the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT), Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), and O*NET, she provides precise insights into employability and career potential. 

Litigation Support - Land of Goods Vocational Consulting (LOGVC) is a national vocational consulting firm providing Forensic Vocational Expert Services in private-law matters, including ERISA disability, Social Security disability, personal injury, workers’ compensation, and employment litigation. LOGVC maintains a curated directory of Certified Rehabilitation Counselors and vocational experts who provide defensible, methodologically consistent vocational opinions related to employability, earning capacity, transferable skills, and labor market access.

All experts listed through LOGVC are trained in standardized forensic vocational methodology, including the use of DOT/SOC crosswalks, O*NET data, BLS/OEWS wage data, labor market analysis, and individualized functional capacity synthesis, consistent with accepted professional and legal standards. LOGVC experts are available for record review, written reports, depositions, and trial testimony, and may serve plaintiff, defense, or neutral roles depending on the matter.

Areas of Expertise:

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.

Stefan Boedeker, PhD, a Partner with StoneTurn, specializes in the application of Economic, Statistical, and Financial Models to a variety of areas such as solutions to business issues, economic impact studies, and complex litigation cases. 

Dr. Boedeker has extensive experience applying economic and statistical theories to class action-related matters. His experience also includes applying economic and statistical theories and methodologies to employment-related matters, such as discrimination, wrongful termination, and wage-and-hour cases. 

Dr. Boedeker provides Consulting and Expert Services to clients across a wide range of industries, including Healthcare, High Technology, Entertainment, Manufacturing, Retail, Real Estate, Insurance and Financial Services, and Federal, State and Local Governments. He has issued expert reports and has given deposition and trial testimony in state and federal court. 

Areas of Expertise:

John R. Storm offers a rare combination of Executive Fire Command Experience, Paramedic Clinical Expertise, and Municipal Policy Insight, enabling him to evaluate cases from both operational and administrative perspectives. With 30 years in the fire service, including 25 years as a paramedic and service as a chief-level officer, he has firsthand experience with the decisions, policies, and actions often examined in litigation.

Litigation Support - Mr. Storm provides expert analysis and testimony in matters involving fire department operations and incident command, EMS standard of care and prehospital treatment, NFPA compliance and training adequacy, 911 dispatch and emergency communications, and municipal liability.

Attorneys retain Mr. Storm for his ability to translate complex standards into clear, persuasive opinions and testimony while providing objective, standards-based analysis grounded in decades of hands-on experience. He has been retained four times in the past month on cases involving fire origin and cause, fireground operations, EMS standard of care, patient care duties, and documentation practices.

Areas of Expertise: 

Mr. Storm's background spans command, training, compliance, and governance. He has commanded emergency incidents and fireground operations, developed and enforced policies and training programs, conducted internal investigations, evaluated personnel performance, overseen EMS operations and quality assurance, managed 911 dispatch, coordinated multi-agency and large-scale incidents, and led OSHA compliance.

In addition, his work in executive recruiting and municipal consulting provides valuable insight into hiring practices, leadership expectations, and organizational liability. This strengthens his ability to analyze claims involving failure to train, supervision, and policy deficiencies.

He is currently completing a Master of Legal Studies at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, further enhancing his ability to align technical expertise with legal standards and evidentiary requirements.

Maureen Clark, SPHR, President of Three Sixty HR, Inc., began her Human Resources career in finance and Fortune 100 manufacturing. Ms. Clark has been consulting in Human Resources for over 30 years serving more than 200 clients in the high tech, manufacturing, services, not-for-profit, education and public sectors. Ms. Clark is particularly skilled at analyzing difficult workplace problems and creating win-win outcomes. 

Ms. Clark's practice has expanded to include HR investigations (PI#27972), litigation consulting and expert witness testimony for both plaintiffs and defense. Ms. Clark is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management, the Northern California Human Resources Association, the Association of Workplace Investigators, and the Forensic Expert Witness Association. 

Expert cases have included allegations of:

• Age and Pregnancy Discrimination
• Adequacy of Employer’s Response to a Complaint of Discrimination,
• Failure to Accommodate a Disability
• Adequacy of Employer’s Response to a Complaint of Sexual Harassment
• Negligent Hiring
• Wrongful Termination
• Constructive Discharge
• Failure to Comply with Meal and Rest Period Requirements
• Failure to Pay at Termination
• Discrimination Based on Disability
• Adequacy of Investigations
• Liability for a Tort Occurring During the Course of Employment
• Whistleblowing, Retaliation

View Maureen Clark's Consulting Profile.