Products Engineering Expert Witnesses: 9

Jason S. Kiddy, PhD, PE, CFEI, is a principal at Aither Forensics Engineering, LLC, a forensics consulting firm located in Maryland. Dr. Kiddy spent over 20 years in various industries prior to becoming a full-time expert witness. He has broad industry experience in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from which to draw extensive knowledge on a wide variety of topics. Dr. Kiddy holds eight U.S. and four foreign patents. His work experience includes the following industries:

Oil and Gas - Aircraft and Helicopter Design - Marine Structures - Telecommunications  

Dr. Kiddy has expertise in mechanical design, mechanical systems, hydraulics/pneumatics, plumbing / HVAC systems, corrosion, codes and standards, and warnings / instructions. He also has substantial experience in intellectual property matters ranging from invention disclosures, patent prosecution, and continuing through IP disputes. From a product design standpoint, Dr. Kiddy's experience includes all aspects of a product life cycle such as early stage R&D, product development and qualification, manufacturing, quality control, and failure analysis.  

Litigation Support - Dr. Kiddy regularly assists both plaintiff and defense parties with extremely competitive rates, timely service, and expert advice. As an expert witness, he has supported dozens of matters including opining on such topics as: product liability, construction defects, industrial equipment, premise maintenance and liability (slips, trips, and falls), and heavy equipment.

Areas of Expertise

Mechanical Systems Product Liability Premise Liability Plumbing Equipment Warnings and Instructions Codes and Standards Heavy Equipment Manufacturing Processes Slips, Trips and Falls High Pressure Systems Industrial Equipment

Fire Origin and Cause Hunting Equipment Construction Defects Intellectual Property Transducer and Sensor Design Shock and Vibrations Quality Control Systems Electro-Optics and Optical Sensing Thermal Testing Failure Analysis Product Life Cycle

Henry Chamberlain has 50 years of experience in the Glass Industry. His expertise includes just about all aspects of glass from engineering design, manufacturing, strengthening, testing, quality control, installation, fractography, and failure analysis of glass and glazing systems. His experience ranges from automotive, architectural, and industrial glass applications to glass consumer products.

Mr. Chamberlain has held numerous leadership positions in professional associations and is a well-respected expert within the glass industry community. Since 1996, he has contributed to many different publications and given lectures and presentations on glass.

Areas of Specialization:

• Computational modeling for structural and thermal design optimization of glazing systems. Mr. Chamberlain was one of the first group of ten people certified by the National Fenestration Rating Council to serve as the "Individual-in-Responsible-Charge" of a laboratory accredited by NFRC to issue product ratings
• Design, quality control, and testing of glass parts and glazing systems for demanding architectural and industrial applications
• Angle specific spectral models for optimization of the optical properties of fenestration systems
• Process control and quality control in the manufacture and fabrication of glass, with emphasis on insulating and laminating technology and the measurement and control of stress during annealing, toughening or bending processes
• Fracture mechanics of glass
• Specialized spectrophotometric polariscopes, instrumentation used to detect and analyze defects in glass products, and other optical instruments

Litigation Support - Mr. Chamberlain provides expert Forensic Glass and Glazing litigation support. His expertise includes analysis of inclusions and defects, fractographic analysis, stress analysis, and expert opinion regarding glazing system design and glazing methods. Mr. Chamberlain's services are available to counsel representing both plaintiff and defendant.

Areas of Expertise:

Glazing System Design Glass Failure Analysis Fractography Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Optics & Acoustics

Energy Efficiency Process Control Glass Testing Glass Codes & standards Glass Safety

View Henry Chamberlain's Consulting Profile.

Alpine Engineering & Design, Inc. has 6 consulting mechanical engineers. We have a total of nearly 100 years of experience designing mechanical equipment. We have been retained on over 600 lawsuits, both intellectual property along with product liability. Our engineers have over 80 U.S. patents on products we have designed. 

We have testified regarding patent IPRs, patent infringement/non-infringement, and patent validity/invalidity, product liability, mechanical design, human factors, industrial safety, accident reconstruction, failure analysis, DOT compliance, compliance with OSHA and other standards (i.e. ANSI, ISO ASTM, etc), hydraulic systems. With all of our experience, you will find us a joy to work with.

Our services include a testing and prototype lab, model shop, computer graphics and animations, the ability to create full-size prototypes.   There is nothing better than a good model or animation to get our points across.  Often we come up with arguments that were not previously considered. We give honest, understandable opinions with the underpinning required to help attorneys, judges, and jurors make good decisions.

Expert Witness Services Professional Expert Reports Testing Forensic/Failure Analysis Accident Reconstruction Demonstratives Inspections/Measurements Compliance with Standards Expert Testimony Patent & Patent Related Issues Patent Searches Provisional Patent Complete with Illustrations Patent Infringement Review

Product Development Innovative Concept Multi-Industry Experience Powerful Design Tools Full Service Fabricating Materials Design Analysis Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Electrical Structural Integrity Tests Value Analysis

 Fred P. Smith, PE, CSP,

I have been retained over 500 times as an expert in intellectual property, and product liability cases where I have testified regarding claim construction, infringement, invalidity, breach of warranty, negligent misrepresentation.  Testified in court over 40 times in multiple state courts, Federal Court, before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the International Trade Commission (ITC).  I have over 70 patents on such products with a number of patent applications still pending. Received the Utah Genius Award for being one of Utah’s top inventors.

Directed the development and improvement of a wide variety of products including trucking equipment, refuse equipment, hydraulically operated mobile equipment, cranes, manlifts, specialty axles and suspensions, zip lines, amusement rides, exercise equipment, radiofrequency and magnetically shielded enclosures, rotomolded containers, aerial lifts and a variety of consumer products.

Karl R. Leinsing, MSME, PE, President of ATech Designs, Inc., is a Professional Mechanical Engineer who specializes in Medical Device Product Development from concept to production. Mr. Leinsing has been granted over 34 patents (needle free IV valves, laparoscopic devices, needlescopic devices, suture lockers, catheters, mitral valve repair devices, knitting machines) and excels in solving the most complicated problems and design challenges. His company has a fully equipped medical lab with calibrated measurement and test equipment and all is fully documented with high quality reports with pictures and video to provide credible results and easy to understand compelling data.

The winner of five design awards, Mr. Leinsing is recognized as one of the top 100 medical device professionals in the nation by MD&DI. For dedication to his industry, he was made the 2014 Chairman of the Medical Device and Manufacturing Conference in Anaheim, CA. Mr. Leinsing has also been acknowledged for his work in a publication by Life Magazine. Mr. Leinsing offers litigation support services to the legal community. He has extensive experience with Patent and Product Liability cases including report writing, depositions, and testimony.

Areas of Expertise:

Intravenous (IV) Systems & Disposables Hernia Repair Endometrial Ablation Laparoscopic Instruments Injection Ports Catheters Heart Valve Repair / Replacement Subcutaneous Ports

Bed Rails Cervical Screws Syringes, pen injectors, auto-injectors IV / Insulin Pumps Glucose Monitors Peritoneal Dialysis Pumps Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Repair Sleep Apnea Devices (CPAP)

View Karl Leinsing's Consulting Profile.

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.

Mukul K. Verma, PhD (University of Michigan) brings more than 35 years of engineering & R&D experience to his consulting practice in the areas of vehicle engineering, automotive safety and mechatronics systems design. His experience includes multiple asignments in automobiles’ design and testing at one of the largest vehicle manufacturers the USA. In addition, he has significant R&D experience which led to several advances in automotive engineerin. These include areas such as automatic crash notification systems for post-crash protection, vehicles designs & pedestrians’ safety, airbag & passive protection systems design, motorcycle dynamics, heavy truck rollovers, etc. Also in his role as technical expert, he led international industry-wide teams of experts to successfully develop engineering solutions to urgent problems in traffic safety. 

As a consultant, he has worked with the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency on future lighter vehicle designs and their occupants' protection in traffic accidents. He has also provided consultation to overseas government organization and research agency on electric vehicles' functional issues and traffic safety, as well as on test facilities.

Dr Verma has also taught several graduate-level and professional courses at universities in Mechatronics and Mechanical Engineering, Intelligent vehicle systems, Structural dynamics analysis and Vehicle Design Integration. He has published more than thirty papers in peer-reviewed journals and at international conferences and has been active in professional organizations as invited speaker, session chairman and organizer. He is well-known for his expertise in Vehicle Engineering and Traffic Safety and his interviews and opinions have appeared in US and in international media on several occasions 

Litigation Support – Dr. Verma’s recent litigation-related work has been in two fields-

(a) Product Liability cases related to the performance of automobiles and components in accidents in the area; and (b) Intellectual Property claims related to mechatronics systems in automobiles and the validity / infringement of patents.

 View Dr. Verma's Consulting Profile.

Medical Devices, Biotech, Failure Analysis, Mechanical Eng, Materials, Reliability, Expert Witness

T. Kim Parnell, PhD, PE is a Professional Mechanical Engineering consultant and is Principal & Founder of Parnell Engineering & Consulting (PEC). Dr. Parnell holds PhD and MSME degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, a BES from Georgia Tech, and is a registered Professional Mechanical Engineer (PE) in the State of California.  He is an ASME Fellow, an IEEE Senior Member, and a Member of ASM and SAE.  Dr. Parnell is Past-Chair of the IEEE Santa Clara Valley Section (IEEE-SCV) (over 12,000 members) and Past-Chair/Board Member of the IEEE Consultants' Network of Silicon Valley (IEEE-CNSV). Dr.Parnell is an experienced Expert Witness, has provided testimony in both trial and deposition, and has authored numerous expert reports and IPR declarations.  He has worked extensively as an expert in medical devices, patents, product failure, product liability, and personal injury. Dr. Parnell has been retained in medical device litigation cases that are in the news and adjudicated in MDLs.  Products include IVC Filters (Inferior Vena Cava Filters), Pelvic Mesh, Transvaginal Mesh, Intragastric Abdominal Balloon Weight Loss Systems, Back Pain Reduction Systems, and others. Dr.Parnell brings both breadth and depth of experience to clients.  He has over 34 years of professional consulting experience, has taught both graduate and undergraduate University classes (Visiting Professor at Stanford University & Adjunct Professor at Santa Clara University), and has also worked in industry.  His industrial positions include sectors such as software, hardware, medical devices, and telecommunications equipment. He has extensive experience in areas including patents, medical devices, Nitinol shape memory alloy material, mechanical failure of products or equipment, and material failure by fracture or fatigue. Dr.Parnell frequently works with early-stage companies as both a technical consultant and a business advisor in sectors including medical devices and flash memory technology.

Areas of Expertise:

Patents and Intellectual Property Medical Devices; Medical Instrumentation Shape Memory Alloys; Nitinol Composite Materials Finite Element Analysis (FEA) & Simulation Cell Phones, Personal Electronic Devices Laptop Computers, Keyboards, Keypads Gas Leaks, Pipe Failure, Vapor Cloud Explosions

Solar Trackers; Solar Energy; Wind Energy;  Battery Technology; Electric Vehicles Shape Memory Materials; Nitinol Heavy Truck Crashworthiness Consumer Products Product Design Refinement Piping, Pressure Vessels Failure Analysis; Reliability

Selected Professional Memberships:

• Registered Professional Engineer (Mechanical), California
• ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), Fellow
• SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers), Member
• IEEE (Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers), Senior Member
• ASM International, Member
• SMST (Shape Memory and Superelastic Technologies), Member

View Dr. Parnell's Consulting Profile.

Paul Chen is a Consumer Product (Non-Food) Safety, Regulatory and Retail Compliance, Quality Assurance and control, 3rd party lab testing / inspection / auditing, CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission), CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act), Federal / State / Local law compliance consultant and expert. He is on-call 24/7 and speaks Chinese fluently.

Background - Mr. Chen has over 17 years of experience in the Consumer Products Industry, most recently for the Product Safety & Compliance division at Walmart Stores, Inc. He was responsible for managing the regulatory compliance testing and auditing programs / policies / procedures / protocols / practices for general merchandise (non-food) items offered for sale in the Walmart, Walmart.com, Sam's Club, samsclub.com, and Puerto Rico formats. This included direct import, domestic, private label, supplier and national brand items in 20+ departments/categories.

In addition to being employed with the world's largest retailer (and company), Mr. Chen was also previously employed with Intertek, a global 3rd party test lab and QA/QC service provider and various consumer product companies, importers and manufacturers.

Litigation Support - Mr. Chen serves as an expert witness for attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant. His services include review, inspection, consultation, thorough reporting, depositions and trial testimony, as needed. Mr. Chen has experience in the following consumer products areas in various capacities: 

Toys  Children's Products Sporting Goods Costume & Fine Jewelry Sunglasses Watches Bags and Other Accessories As Seen On TV Clip Strips and Impulse Seasonal & Celebrations Crafts

Fabrics and Sewing Furniture (indoor) Outdoor Living (i.e. furniture and grills) Infant Juvenile Baby Hardlines & Consumables Stationery Kitchen & Dining Small Appliances Bedding & Bath Home Decor Storage & Organization Electronics

Electrical Lighting Hardware & Paint Automotive Pets Health Beauty Aids Cosmetics Personal Care Products Household Chemicals & Consumables Softgoods, Softlines, Hardgoods, Hardlines

View PC Squared Consultants Consulting Profile.

Richard L. Hall has nearly 40 years of international experience in On and Off Road Product Development and Management consulting. An expert in product planning and development, process management and reengineering, and design and development engineering, he provides consulting services in the off-road vehicle and automotive industries. Clients include off-road, construction, and agricultural equipment companies.  

Background: Mr. Hall worked with CNH Global/Case Corporation for 34 years. He served as Vice President of Product Planning and Process Improvement from 2006-2009, leading a team of (17) Global Product Managers to create and maintain the Construction Equipment Product Evolution Plan and associated schedules and documents. He acted as the main interface  between engineers and the CNH Global patent office, reviewing all applications from both internal and external sources before they were sent to the company Patent Office.

Mr. Hall also led the Products Liability Support Team (litigation engineers) for Case Construction in North America on and off for nearly 20 years. Among other duties, he was responsible for:

• Global Construction Equipment (CE) Product Portfolio Management and Planning
• Engine Strategy and Program Management
• Telematics and Diagnostics Strategy
• Process Improvement and Engineering
• Tools Development and Deployment

Litigation Support: As president of Product Development Services, LLC, founded in 2009, Mr. Hall offers Technical Expertise in On and Off Highway Mobile Equipment. Providing legal support for many years, his services are available to attorneys for plaintiff and defendant and include, examination thorough reporting, deposition, and trial testimony as needed. 

Areas of Expertise:

Mobile Construction and Earthmoving products Agricultural Products

Material Handling Products Over-the-Road Trucks

Technical Competencies include:

• Powertrain Systems
• Hydraulic Systems
• Systems Integration, Controls, and Interfaces

View Richard Hall's Consulting Profile.