Marketing Expert Witnesses

Sameer Somal is the Co-Founder & Chief Financial Officer at Blue Ocean Global Wealth and Blue Ocean Global Technology. Sameer is a CFA Charterholder, a CFP® professional, and a Chartered Alternative Investment AnalystSM. In May of 2017 he was named an Iconic Leader Creating a Better World for All by the All Ladies League & Women Economic Forum. Sameer is an internationally recognized speaker, educator and entrepreneur. 

2016 - 2018  speaking engagements include, but are not limited to:

•    The US State Department’s Foreign Service Institute (McLean, VA)

•    Women Economic Forum (Delhi, India)

•    Dimensional Fund Advisors Conference (Chicago, IL)

•    Mick Law Conference (Scottsdale, AZ)

•    Legal Week 2018 (New York, NY)

•    Betta Gamma Sigma Leadership Conference (Chicago, IL)

•    Scotiabank Executive Strategy Retreat (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands)

•    The LavaCon Content Strategy Conference (Las Vegas, NV)

•    Global Digital Marketing Summit

•    The Securities & Exchange Board of India (Mumbai, India)

•    Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association (Mumbai, India)

•    National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM), CFAI, & City of London (Mumbai, India)

•    CFA Society Texas 

Sameer is passionate about helping clients improve profitability, build brand equity, and adapt to the Digital Revolution. He oversees technology planning, consulting engagements, and key client relationships. 

•    Blue Ocean Global Technology serves clients and agency partners in 40+ countries. 

•    We have completed 3000+ web development, portal, eCommerce, and software projects over the past 15 years. 

•    We are Online Reputation (ORM) Experts, which includes building a positive reputation and mitigating a negative reputation on google for an organization or person. 

Blue Ocean Global Technology proactively builds stellar reputations. We create and promote digital assets that accelerate the growth of brand equity. We provide comprehensive reputation management services, which often includes search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing (SMM), and web development. When an individual or organization faces crisis, legal or PR issues that reach the internet, we specialize in mitigating the impact of the defamatory content and repairing the negative reputation.

Blue Ocean Global Technology serves both clients directly and an exclusive group of PR, Law, Digital Marketing, and Web-Development agency partners.

Litigation Support - Sameer is a subject matter expert witness and frequent speaker on online reputation management, search engine optimization, digital marketing and the digital revolution. He helps clients build, monitor and repair their online reputation. Sameer also provide testimony in courts for client cases and expert consulting specific to the digital footprint of individuals, companies and governments. Blue Ocean Global Technology has completed over 3000+ SEO & Web Development projects. We serve clients globally.

Areas of Expertise - Search Engine Optimization • Online Reputation Management • Internet Defamation • Internet Consulting • Digital Marketing • Website Development • Online Review Management • Digital Reputation Repair

View Blue Ocean Technology's Consulting Profile.

Dr. Larry Chiagouris has a rare combination serving as a senior Fortune 500 executive and as an accomplished academician. He has provided expert testimony and written opinions on damages, marketing, advertising, intellectual property issues (including the use of survey research) for plaintiffs & defendants at major national & local firms.

Experience summary:

• Experience evenly divided between plaintiff and defendant engagements over 25 cases

• Several cases include elements of intellectual property issues

• Majority of cases involve elements of consumer behavior or survey research

• Majority of cases involve elements of advertising related strategies and tactics

• Majority of cases involve elements of Internet related tactics

• Majority of cases involve written opinions and depositions

• Written and oral testimony in several Federal District Court jurisdictions

• Engaged by both large multinational law firms and small boutique firms

• Class action cases evenly divided between plaintiffs and defendants

Selected by Agency Magazine as one of 10 best and brightest researchers. He brings extensive experience as a Senior Marketing, Branding and Research Executive responsible for directing major assignments for companies such as AT&T, Campbell Soup, Kraft, Miller Brewing, Peugeot, Pfizer, Prudential and Visa.

He has a Ph.D. in Marketing, is Past Chairman, Advertising Research Foundation and Former Director of the American Marketing Association.

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:

International Tax Planning

Corporate Structuring, Maintenance and Trusts

International Contracts Law

Jurisdictions

Residency and Citizenship

International Banking

Logistic Support

Government Licenses

Aircrafts and Vessels

Intellectual Property

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

Douglas E. Johnston, Jr., is an expert witness in banking and corporate finance. He has 30 years experience across the US in senior management of leading Banking, Private Equity/Mergers and Acquisitions and Real Estate companies.

Trained at a major AAA-rated East Coast bank, honored early in his career as a bank President, and confirmed by regulators in a Class 1 rated bank, Doug Johnston managed five full-service banking offices in Texas and California over 11 additional years, before expanding into mergers & acquisitions as EVP-Finance and Administration and a Founding Father of the largest private company in Los Angeles. He has due diligence, negotiation, documentation, and monitoring experience including as a lender, borrower, buyer, seller, manager and/or co-investor in hundreds of transactions including the service, technology, manufacturing, and real estate sectors across the US and also in Europe, with over $2 Billion in closed transactions. His over 3 decades in banking and finance management includes Bank Operations, Regulations, Credit Underwriting, Financial Statements, Commitments, Loan Agreements, Deeds, Guarantees, Purchase and Sale Agreements, Ventures, and Equity Partnerships, plus analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the parties. Doug is a published author on banking and finance topics since 2008, he is a past President of the Century City Rotary Club, and he is a frequent speaker to Advance Placement high school juniors in South Central Los Angeles under the Youth Business Alliance program.

Litigation Support – Five Management, LLC and Doug Johnston provide complex business litigation support in Banking, Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity, Due Diligence and Lender Liability for counsel representing Plaintiff and Defense. Mr. Johnston has provided litigation support in breach, misrepresentation, fraud and other actions in complex Business, Family and Employment cases since 2010.

Areas of Expertise:

Banking & Lending Policy & Regulations Mergers & Acquisitions Corporate Finance Private Equity Due Diligence Operating Management

Leveraged Buyouts Equity Syndications International Business Foreign Currencies Hedging Commodities Marketing & Development

View Douglas Johnston's Consulting Profile.

Retained by 95+ Law Firms "I very strongly recommend Rhonda. She’s great to work with, and her work product is absolutely top-shelf." Greenberg & Traurig, LLP 

Trademark and Trade Dress Infringement | Surveys | Misleading and Deceptive Advertising | Licensing | Consumer Privacy | Commercial Reasonableness | Merchandising

Rhonda Harper MBA has provided consulting and testimony in cases involving trademarks and trade dress, advertising, branding, promotion, consumer privacy, consumer perceptions and behavior, innovation, product development and product launches, market analysis, market research, share and size, marketing effectiveness, corporate and marketing strategy, media relations, public relations, communications, and packaging.

Ms. Harper is routinely retained to formulate expert surveys, conduct rebuttal critiques, or construct rebuttal surveys to show the potential difference in results with properly designed and executed surveys. She has extensive experience and a deep understanding of survey design, sampling, question construction, data analysis, and methodological pitfalls that introduce bias or systematic error.

Located in Dallas, TX, Ms. Harper is a former Fortune 100 C-Suite Executive in marketing, branding, consumer research, strategy, licensing, public relations and advertising. Also a former Adjunct Marketing Professor, she has conducted  50+ intellectual property Lanham Act surveys, produced 75+ reports, been deposed 50+ times, and served in 20+ trials and arbitrations.

Internet Expert Witness: Peter Kent is the author of "Search Engine Optimization for Dummies," "Pay Per Click Search Engine Marketing for Dummies" and "Complete Idiot's Guide to the Internet." He has been online since 1984 and envolved with online marketing since 1990. Mr. Kent has worked as the Vice President of Marketing for a Web-applications development firm. He was also the Vice President of Web Solutions for a national ISP and the founder of a VC-funded e-business service provider. He has a wide range of Online-Marketing experience in many different industries.

Specialties Include:

• SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
• Search Engine "Linking" Campaigns
• PPC (Pay Per Click Advertising)
• Web Hosting
• Web Design
• Web Application Development,
• E-Commerce Site Development
• Web Project Management
• Affiliate Marketing
• Improving Online "Conversions"
• E-Mail Publishing
• Online PR
• "Community" Marketing

Michael Rabinovici specializes in Web and Social Media Marketing. Mr. Rabinovici entered the Internet business in 1994, after practicing law as a commercial litigator. Today, his focus is on leveraging Web and social media marketing strategies to promote clients’ business objectives and deliver defined ROIs.

Mr. Rabinovici is certified with Marketing Experiments, one of the Internet industry’s leading research and testing companies. He has worked with a variety of companies in the areas of Web marketing and social media including IBM, Deloitte, Cisco, PennEnergy, and Fidelity.

Litigation Support - Michael Rabinovici provides expert services on Anti-Spam related issues. Involved in the legislation process, he is conversant with many of the topics inherent in spam marketing. His expertise is available to attorneys representing both Plaintiff and Defense.

Consulting Services: For the past 20 years, Michael Rabinovici has been focused on business-to-business communications, helping some of North America’s leading companies develop copy for virtually every form of marketing collateral, across a huge range of industries. His consulting services include:

• Content Marketing - Blog Posts, e-books, Webinars, White Papers, Info Sheets, Case Studies
• Social Media Marketing - Engage in Network Conversation, Develop Corporate Branded Blogs, Launch Inbound Marketing Campaigns, Build Compelling Mobile Apps

Mr. Rabinovici has appeared on ROB TV and is a sought-after speaker on social media topics and blogs frequently on current developments in Web and social media marketing.

Leonard J. Backer has over 28 years of extensive and successful Seating, Tables and Furniture Industry experience in all key areas. Mr. Backer has been directly involved in the design and development of 250+ seating and table collections. He specializes in Private Label Manufacturing, Sourcing, and Product Development expertise.

Mr. Backer provides aggressive Expert Witness and Litigation Support services to attorneys, insurers and businesses for Plaintiff or Defense. He performs site inspections, detailed product reviews and incident analyses. He has worked with law firms and insurance companies to develop and coordinate strategies for various types of legal actions and lawsuits. Very strong hospitality background.

Mr. Backer has extensive experience with hotel, restaurant, cruise ship, retail store and senior living incidents. Personal Injury and Product Liability Cases. He provides detailed analyses, written opinions, and expert witness reports for clients throughout the U.S. Strong proven deposition and court testimony.

Areas of Expertise:

Furniture Based Disputes, Claims, or Legal Actions Chair Failures Seating Product Liability Personal Injury Purchasing Disputes Seating Product Design / Performance Issues Design Knockoffs

Sales Rep. Commission Disputes Designer Royalties Exclusive Distribution Agreements Product Evaluation Warranty Issues Product Launch Failures Private Label Development Agreements Evaluation of Management Performance

View Leonard Backer's Consulting Profile.

Dr. Thomas Maronick has provided both plaintiff and defense litigators with marketing and consumer expertise for over 25 years. Prior to that he was the in-house marketing expert at the FTC. Since leaving the FTC in 1997, Dr. Maronick has been qualified as an expert in numerous federal and state courts, providing expert reports, affidavits, and testimony on marketing, advertising, and consumer behavior matters. Dr. Maronick has designed and implemented over 300 consumer surveys for litigation and/or policy related strategies, using virtually every survey research methodology, including mall-intercept studies, telephone and mail surveys, and studies using the internet and consumer mail panels. Dr. Maronick has testified (deposition/trial) over 75 times in the past five years and is the author of research of the use of surveys in litigation. Areas of Expertise:

• False and Deceptive Advertising
• Deceptive Marketing Practices
• Consumer/Advertising Survey Research
• Packaging
• Trademark/Tradedress

Brent Coker, PhD, is an Online Consumer Psychologist. With a PhD in Electronic Commerce (“Predicting Internet Purchase Intention”), Dr. Coker's research focusses on consumer behavior within the realm of psychology, digital business models, and marketing. He currently teaches Digital Marketing and Digital Business Models at the University of Melbourne.

Dr Coker prepares scientific reports pertaining to consumer behavior, branding, and Digital Marketing and technology related topics, based on scientific findings published in academic peer reviewed journals, and other third party relevant research. Any opinions expressed by Dr Coker are supported by peer reviewed academic research, established academic theory, industry standards, and other relevant logical evidence. 

Dr. Coker’s award winning research into digital marketing and consumer behavior has been published in top peer reviewed academic journals, beginning in 2004 when his research into the integration of the internet into business models won Best Paper Award at the 15th Australasian Conference on Information Systems (ACIS). In the late 1990s, Dr. Coker had a dot-com (fernland.com), and he is currently director of Deloosh Pty Ltd.., inventor of the web analytics tool Webreep., and author of the book Going Viral.

 Dr. Coker is available for expert witness work, consultation, and advisement in Australia and internationally.

Areas of Expertise:

Brand Management Consumer Behavior Consumer Psychology Digital marketing Influencer Marketing

Internet Retail Internet marketing strategy Measuring the online consumer experience Social Media Viral Marketing

View Dr. Brent Coker's Consulting Profile.