Professional Practice Valuation Expert Witnesses

Howard Brod Brownstein, CTP, is a nationally-known Turnaround and Crisis Management professional with over 40 years of experience. He serves as a President of The Brownstein Corporation, where, in addition to leading turnaround assignments, advising senior management, and fulfilling a senior management role, he has overall responsibility for the firm’s transactional activities and for the marketing of its services to clients.

Mr. Brownstein is a Certified Turnaround Professional (CTP). He has served on the International Board of Directors of the Turnaround Management Association (TMA) and its Executive Committee, and chaired its Audit Committee. Mr. Brownstein received TMA’s “Outstanding Individual Contribution” award in 2007. He also serves on the Board of the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI), co-chairs its Complex Financial Restructuring Program, co-chaired its Mid Atlantic region for several years, and is a Contributing Editor of the ABI Journal. He serves on the Governing Board of the Commercial Finance Association (CFA) Education Foundation.

Mr. Brownstein is a frequent speaker at professional and educational programs, including at Harvard Business School, Villanova Law School, Northeastern University, ABI, the American Bar Association, and TMA. He has authored over thirty articles, and has served on the Editorial Board of The Journal of Corporate Renewal, and serves as a Contributing Editor of abfJournal.

Background - Previously, Mr. Brownstein was Managing Director of Enprotech Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of ITOCHU (formerly C. Itoh), one of the world’s largest companies. Enprotech acted as ITOCHU’s acquisition and holding company for engineering service and product businesses with over $1 billion in assets. Mr. Brownstein has served in several senior executive and board positions, including CEO and COO of The Stone Group, a leading multinational manufacturer of comfort and safety equipment for the passenger rail industry with operations in the United States, Spain, and England.

Litigation Support - with extensive experience in valuing, financing, and selling businesses, Mr. Brownstein has served as Chief Restructuring Officer and Financial Advisor to debtors, lenders, and Creditor Committees in bankruptcy proceedings, and as a litigation expert in several cases, including the landmark Merry-Go-Round bankruptcy.

Areas of Expertise:

Business Operations Business Valuation Turnaround Management

Restructuring Bankruptcy Corporate Governance

Education: BS (Econ.), Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania; BA College of Arts & Sciences, University of Pennsylvania; JS, Harvard Law School; MBA, Harvard Business School.

View Howard Brownstein's Consulting Profile.

J. Armand Musey, CFA, JD/MBA, founder and president of Summit Ridge Group, LLC, provides expert witness testimony for the Satellite, Media and Telecommunications Industries. Mr. Musey is a highly regarded financial analyst with expertise in Asset Valuation, Business Valuation, Financial Analysis of Economic Damages and Financial Scenario Analysis. He also has significant experience in corporate governance and investment research practices. He offers litigation support for clients with complex financial analysis or valuation projects. His background includes Wall Street research methods and practices on behalf of defendants in insider trading cases.

Mr. Musey's industry knowledge, financial expertise and extensive writing experience allow him to expediently craft well-argued independent written direct testimony documents that withstand scrutiny in depositions and during courtroom cross-examination. Prior expert witness experience and years of communicating with investors of all types have honed his skills at orally communicating his industry knowledge and financial expertise. Moreover, Mr. Musey's legal background facilitates his ability to communicate with legal professionals, understand the legal relevance of case facts and efficiently read legal documents.

Areas of Expertise Include:

• Industry and Business
  • Broadband Communications
  • Broadcasting
  • FCC Spectrum Licenses (including orbital slot valuation and wireless spectrum valuation)
  • Satellite Communications Industry and Related Media and Telecommunications Topics
  • Wireless Communications
  • Wireless Spectrum
• Financial and Economic
  • Asset Valuation
  • Business Valuation
  • Financial Analysis of Economic Damages
  • Financial Scenario Analysis
• Other
  • Corporate Governance
  • Investment Research Practices - including accepted used of information sources and relationships with company management

View Consulting Profile.

SEDA Experts is a boutique consulting firm specializing in Financial Services. They provide superior independent advice, data analytics, valuation, and expert testimony services to financial institutions and law firms in both litigation and business contexts.

Their experts have unmatched industry experience in a vast array of financial services practices. With over 30 years as global managing directors at leading financial institutions and consulting firms, each of their experts is dedicated to applying exceptional real-world economic, financial, and quantitative principles to complex business and legal challenges.  

SEDA Experts provides independent advice, financial consulting, data analytics, valuation, and expert testimony services to financial institutions and law firms in both litigation and business contexts.

Services:

Expert Witnesses Testimony and Report Litigation Process Support Mediation Class Certification Consulting

Complex Data Analysis  Damages Calculations Engaging World Class Expert Advisory Services

Richard A. Marin, Managing Director, a former finance senior executive with over 40 years of industry experience, and a former clinical professor at Cornell University, is a world-class testifying expert. Mr. Marin is a Finance, Real Estate, and Venture Capital industry executive who is currently the CEO of Low Emissions Resources Corporation.  He also is involved in managing private equity investments, consulting on major commercial real estate and attractions projects, and an expert in the retirement field.

Mr. Marin was previously a senior executive at three major financial institutions; Bankers Trust Company, Deutsche Bank and Bear Stearns.  His initial career spanned corporate finance, sales and trading, structured products, emerging markets, processing, and several other disciplines. Later in his career, he focused on building and running large asset management businesses in both the traditional and alternative spaces and in the institutional and high net worth markets. He also served as Chairman and CEO of AFI (USA), a major distressed commercial and residential property developer, for whom he restructured over $2B of liabilities. 

Mr. Marin has been a successful financial entrepreneur, involved in founding several venture capital firms (Beehive Ventures and Green Visor Capital) and a hedge fund (Ironwood Global).  He served as CEO of the New York Wheel, a $650 million development project, from 2012 to 2017.  He is currently the CEO of Low Emission Resource Corporation, a start-up scientific research & development company working in the areas of hydrogen and ammonia production. 

He is a published author of Global Pension Crisis: Unfunded Liabilities and How We Can Fill the Gap (Wiley & Sons, 2013), Mater Gladiatrix (Lulu Press, 2017) and Gulag 401k: Tales of a Modern Prisoner (Lulu Press, 2017). View full Vitae.

 Areas of Expertise: 

Asset Management Alternative Investments Private Equity Investments

Securities Lending Retirement and Pensions Real Estate / Project Financing

Kenneth Simmons, Managing Director, has over 30 years of industry experience as Executive Vice President at leading financial institutions, and at regulatory agencies such as OCC and FDIC. He is a Review Board Member and Faculty member at the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists, and the North & South Metro Atlanta Compliance Roundtable Founder and Chairperson at the Community Bankers Association. 

He served as Executive Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer at Origin Bank, and in a similar position at Hamilton State Bank. During his career he was responsible for all aspects of Regulatory Compliance, he devised comprehensive BSA/AML Programs including complex layers of investigations and an enhanced monitoring system to exceed Supervisory Expectations, and developed comprehensive risk assessments, audit schedule and compliance testing programs addressing regulatory inventory of risks.

Mr. Simmons served the Office of the Comptroller Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as Compliance/ BSA Specialist Bank Examiner. During his tenure with the OCC he was the functional Examiner-in-Charge (FEIC) on complex BSA & Compliance examinations, and the Supervisory Review Examiner for BSA/AML, fair lending, and CRA examinations. 

He evaluated effectiveness of AML systems (such as FCRM, Bankers Toolbox, and FIS (Prime) and formulated opinions on the use of such systems. He also worked directly with Supervisory office and legal staff regarding BSA/AML violations, MRAs, and consent order issuances, providing guidance and direction to financial institutions regarding resolution of these matters.

In addition, he served as the General Audit Manager for a multi-billion dollar financial institution, and he served as a Compliance Officer for several financial institutions.  View full Vitae.

Areas of Expertise:

Finance Anti-Money Laundering Bank Secrecy Act Compliance

Financial Crimes Risk Management Regulatory Compliance AML / BSA Risk Management

Kevin D. Oden, Managing Director, has unrivaled Financial Risk Management expertise and over 30 years of financial markets experience with leading financial institutions firms Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs, holding executive positions. 

Mr. is an innovative risk manager and entrepreneur with a strong track record of leading risk teams to the forefront of industry practice. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Risk Management Association (RMA) and on the RMA Journal Editorial Advisory Board and the financial technology firm Scienaptic Systems.

During his career, he managed small and large teams (as many as 4000) across a number of risk disciplines including market risk, counterparty risk, model validation, risk model development, operational risk, cyber security, financial crimes and compliance. Developed an industry leading practice in model risk management with patents pending on several innovations in system design. Highly successful at building working relationships with business leaders as well as U.S. and foreign regulators. 

Mr. Oden has over 30 years of industry experience, including risk management, trading, sales, portfolio management. Superior quantitative background and communication skills provide a unique ability to deliver risk insight to all stakeholders and influence decision making throughout the firm. He was a member of Wells Fargo’s management committee and Asset Liability Committee (ALCO). 

Dr. Oden was an Executive Vice President and Head of Operational Risk and Compliance within Corporate Risk at Wells Fargo & Co., managing second-line risk activities across information security, financial crimes risk, model risk, operational risk, regulatory compliance risk, and technology risk. Prior to this he was the Chief Market & Institutional Risk officer for Wells Fargo & Co.  View full Vitae.

Areas of Expertise:

Market, Credit and Counterparty Risk Operational Risk Risk Model Development and Validation

Risk Management and Compliance Portfolio Management Asset and Liability Management

EJ Janik, CPA, CFF, CFE is a Certified Public Accountant with 37 years of professional experience. He specializes in financial audits, compilations and reviews, consulting for commercial litigation, antitrust matters, engineering and construction matters, real estate, and bankruptcy / business reorganizations matters. Mr. Janik holds a Master of Science in Accounting from Louisiana State University and a Bachelor of Commerce from Rice University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Mr. Janik has provided over 150 financial audits and consulted in over 685 business disputes. He has provided expert testimony in over 80 matters including trial testimony in 48 trials or hearings in 8 states. Mr. Janik's accounting services include Damages/Lost Profit analysis, Forensic Accounting, Fraud Investigations, Fact Finding, Financial Analysis, and Expert Witness Testimony when necessary.

Litigation Experience:

Antitrust/Pricing Issues Audits Bankruptcy Analysis Business Interruption Business Valuation Construction Claims Contract Disputes Cost Determinations Criminal Investigations Damage Analysis/Critiques

Debt & Capital Analyses Dispute Resolution Due Diligence Environmental Claims Feasibility Studies Forensic Accounting Fraud Investigation/Analysis Hazardous Waste/Remediation Insurance Claims

Lost Profits Mergers & Acquisitions Real Estate Royalties, Commissions, Income Solvency Superfund/Environmental Claims Tracing Valuations Wastewater White Collar Crimes

Mr. Janik is also uniquely qualified to measure construction claims and damages. With over 11 years of construction experience, he has accumulated over 13,000 Engineering and Construction (E&C) auditing hours, 10,000 E&C consulting hours, and 15,000 E&C supervised hours.

Construction Claims Services include:

Acceleration Change Orders Costs Defective Plans Differing Site and Concealed Conditions Direct Costs Disruption Evaluating Claims

Indirect Costs Overhead Payroll Fringe Burdens Profit Pre-Qualification Filings Superfund / Hazardous Waste Sites Terminations Other Construction Issues

View EJ Janik's Consulting Profile.

*Ryan Fraud and Forensic Recovery, LLC is not a CPA firm.

Barry L. Pulchin, CPA/ABV/CFF/CGMA, CFE, CVA, DABFA, has over 33 years of experience as a Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Pulchin is also a Certified Fraud Examiner and a Certified Valuation Analyst. The Past President of the Long Island Chapter of The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, he is licensed to practice in the States of New York, Connecticut, North Carolina, and Florida. 

Litigation Support - Mr. Pulchin has been recognized as an Expert Witness and has been appointed to Federal District and Bankruptcy Court, the Supreme Court of the State of New York, and Family Courts. He has served as the accountant in bankruptcy cases for the Debtor, the Creditor's Committee, and for Chapter 7 Trustees. 

Mr. Pulchin has been retained over 1,000 times for attorneys representing both Plaintiff (50%) and Defense (50%). He has testified in court or before an arbitrator over 200 times. The firm has a significant concentration in Litigation Support and provides Expert Witness Testimony and Business Valuations and Investigative and Forensic Accounting services in the following areas:

Domestic Relations License Valuations Professional Practice Valuations Minority Shareholder Disputes Insurance Loss

Lost Earnings and Profits Bankruptcy Estate and Gift Taxes Tax Fraud Cases Commercial Fraud Investigations

View Barry Pulchin's Consulting Profile.

Donald J. Miod, CPA, ABV, CVA, CBA, FCPA, CFF, CFS, CGMA, MAFF, MFP, is the founding partner of Miod and Company, LLP. He oversees all aspects of the company's Accounting, Tax, and Litigation Services.

Mr. Miod has 43 years of hands-on experience in all phases of closely held entertainment, manufacturing and professional service businesses, from accounting and auditing services to advising the board of directors.

Mr. Miod is a prominent member of several industry associations and a significant contributor to state industry conferences. He was voted one of the top 25 CPAs in the San Fernando Valley and is the recipient of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants Family Law Sections Distinguished Service Award. He is the Author of several published articles on business valuations and family law issues.

Litigation Support - Donald J. Miod has developed a solid reputation for ethical Forensic Accounting services for litigants in Civil, Family Law and Tax areas. With his innovative, proprietary “Asset Tracing Model,” he is an acknowledged leader in the field.

Mr. Miod has also been appointed by the court as a Special Master, as an Evidence Code §730 financial expert; and stipulated to by litigants and divorcing couples to be the neutral forensic accountant in the litigation, mediation, and collaborative law arenas. For all legal arguments that relate to accounting issues, he delivers informed, objective, honest opinions.

Areas of Expertise:

Objective Business Appraisals Marital Dissolutions Estate Valuations Mergers and Acquisitions Thorough Investigative Accounting Civil Litigation Claims Cash Flow Loss of Earnings Third Party Claims

Inventory Losses Employee Dishonesty Asset Tracing Settlement Assessments Damage Analysis Reimbursement Claims Post Separation Accounting Tax Consultation Fraud Investigations

View Miod and Company, LLC's Consulting Profile.

Joseph B. Matheson, CPA, ABV, CVA, DABFA, FACFEI, CITP, CFF, CFE, is a Certified Public Accountant, with over than 30 years of public and private accounting experience. Mr. Matheson is a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) by the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts (NACVA, one of the oldest and most prestigious certification organizations) and is Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). He is also a Fellow of the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute (FACFEI), holds a Diplomate from the American Board of Forensic Accountants (DABFA), and is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. In addition, Personal Financial Specialist (PFS), and a Certified Financial Forensics (CFF) all of which are earned from the AICPA. Mr. Matheson has taught various accounting and business classes for the Small Business Development Centers of New Jersey (part of the SBA), continuing education classes to other CPAs, and was a member of the Speakers Bureau for the New Jersey State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Litigation Support - Joseph Matheson uses Forensic Accounting and Auditing skills to provide an analysis of financial records in conjunction with dispute resolutions, as well as fraud and theft investigation. His damage measurement methods can determine the extent of financial loss and illegal accounting practices. Mr. Matheson is qualified and testifies as an expert witness in New Jersey State and Federal Courts. He also provides analysis to mediation attorneys to assist in settlement.

Areas of Expertise:

• Business Valuation for bankruptcy, partner and shareholder disputes, contract disputes, marital disputes
• Valuation of closely held businesses, stock options and restricted stock for capital gain, gift tax and compensation purposes
• Wage and economic loss reports, business interruption loss reports, divorce (lifestyle analysis, tax-effected balance sheet preparation, alimony, and child support analysis)
• Investigative accounting and fraud analysis
• Merger and acquisition negotiation purposes

View Joseph Matheson's Consulting Profile.

Keegan Linscott & Associates, PC is a full-service accounting firm with more than 20 years of experience providing expert services as Certified Public Accountants, Certified Fraud Examiners, Forensic Accountants, and Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors.

KLA's litigation support team assists clients and their attorneys to prepare for the financial and economic facets of settlement or trial proceedings. They perform in-depth analyses and provide clear and detailed explanations of findings. They assist attorneys as consultants or in the court in a wide range of cases and investigations. Their role can involve fact-finding, discovery, settlement negotiations, trial support, and expert witness testimony.

The professionals at KLA have testified as experts in Federal, District, Bankruptcy, State, and Tax Courts, as well as before arbitration panels. They have the proven ability to develop and communicate compelling analyses of accounting, economic and financial information to judges and juries in plain, simple language through affidavits, written reports, oral testimony, and trial graphics.

Litigation Support Services:

• Analyze damages involving commercial litigation and damages involving individuals, including lost profit analysis, owner disputes, employee/employer disputes, personal injury, and business interruption claims
• Evaluate the opposing party's financial damages report to uncover any hidden facts or missing information in a business damages case
• Divorce litigation, including analysis of sole and separate property issues
• Locate hidden assets
• Analyze preference claims, inter-company transfers of assets, and fraudulent conveyances

Christopher G. Linscott, CPA, CFE, CIRA, is a Director of Keegan Linscott & Associates and is the Director of Litigation, Forensic Accounting, and Bankruptcy Support Services. Mr. Linscott was previously employed with the international CPA firms of Coopers & Lybrand (now Price­water­houseCoopers), and Peat Marwick (now KPMG). He has more than 25 years of ex­perience in public accounting. Mr. Linscott specializes in the areas of Litigation Support, Bankruptcy Reorganization, Fraud Investigations and Prevention, and Business Consulting. He has served clients in industries including construction, health care, home builders and developers, law firms, manufacturing and distribution, non-profit, professional services, real estate, restaurant franchises, retail service, and wholesale. Mr. Linscott is a Member of the Arizona Society of CPA's, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, National Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors, and a Director of the Board of Directors at Bashas’.

Eric A. Lee, CFE, CIRA, is a Principal and Phoenix Practice Leader in the Consulting Services group of KLA. A Certified Fraud Examiners, he serves in testifying expert and consulting expert roles in litigation, forensic accounting, fraud and investigation services, and criminal matters both in the United States and internationally. Mr. Lee has extensive experience conducting complex financial analysis and forensics related to multi-million dollar fraud schemes, analysis of complex financial accounts and transactions, fraudulent transfers and conveyances, analysis of securities transactions, international investigations, and loss and damages calculations. Prior to his career in consulting services, Mr. Lee spent more than seven years as a Special Agent with the Federal government. During his tenure as a Special Agent, he investigated criminal and civil violations relating to fraud, money laundering, theft and embezzlement, public corruption, and tax evasion. Mr. Lee has prepared expert reports, affidavits and disclosures, and testified/presented as an expert in Federal, State, and Tribal jurisdictions

View Keegan Linscott & Associates' Consulting Profile.

As of Jan 2019: I have been deposed over 100 times; reviewed over 700 cases for both defense and plaintiff including peer review, accidents, and malpractice. 52% plaintiff / 48% defense. I have qualified in Superior Court over 50 times and never been disqualified. At least 95% of my time is spent in patient care. 

I can be counted on to be ethical, competent, prepared and analytical as well as articulate and persuasive at depositions and court appearances. Published and have been written about in print, radio, and TV over 175 times. (http://www.drjaydds.com/expert-testimony - click on Media Coverage / Write ups) 

I hold a professorship at UCLA College of Dentistry, and, I am a former Professor at Western University College of Dental Medicine (2013-2018). Licensed in 42 states to opine on the standard of care, with a specific license in California, Nevada, and the Northeast as well as a Florida Expert Certification. Graduated NYU 1988; Lieutenant, United States Navy 1989- 91; private practice Brentwood, CA since 1991 – serving over 13,000 patients on a fee for service basis.

Tony Wayne, CPA, CFF, CVA, CIRA, is a Certified Public Accountant with over 25 years of private industry senior operations experience.

Background - After a diverse career spanning 15 years in Big 8 public accounting/consulting and private industry, Mr. Wayne founded IronHorse in 1998 with an emphasis on complex turnarounds and restructuring consulting, crisis management, advisory services, CFO services, and litigation support. IronHorse is an ideal solutions resource for the closely held, family owned middle, or small-market industrial firms in transition serving a six-state region including Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Visit their website at www.ihorsellc.com.

Litigation Support - Mr. Wayne is available to advise boards of directors, senior management, and corporate counsel in all litigation matters that can impact business practices, profitability, and continued viability. He maintains rigorous compliance with certifying and credentialing bodies and their regulations and scrutinizes the facts behind complicated forensic accounting and valuation issues.

He is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, including the Business Reorganization Committee and Fraud Task Force. In addition, he is a member of the American Institute of CPA’s, the Association of Insolvency & Restructuring Advisors, the National Association of Valuation Analysts, and the Turnaround Management Association,

Mr. Wayne's services include expert witness assistance (consulting and testifying), solvency opinions, rebuttal expertise, case assessment management, and services in other areas of dispute and pre-complaint, complaint, discovery, pre-trial, and settlement consulting.

Forensic Services Include:

• Fraud prevention, detection and response
• Financial Reporting Fraud and Irregularity Forensic Audits
• Electronic Evidence Analysis
• Preservation and Securitization
• Ponzi Scheme Analysis
• Asset Searches, Public Records Searches, and Related Party Search and Documentation
• Pink Sheet and Other Stock Scams
• Private Placement Fraud Analysis & Investigations
• Borrowing Base and other Bank Fraud Examinations/Investigations
• Criminal Investigations

Valuation Services Include:

Family Law Mergers and Acquisitions-Buy & Sell Side Advisory Estate Tax Returns E.S.O.P Valuations Disputes Buy / Sell Agreements Distressed Business Valuation Plan of Reorganization Valuation

Liquidation Plan Valuation Lost Profit and Damages Computations/Valuation Solvency Opinions Goodwill and Intangible Asset Fair Value Impairment Valuation Lender & Private Equity Due Diligence / Portfolio Valuations Exit, Succession, Wealth and Estate Planning Valumetric Modeling and Template Development

View Tony Wayne's Consulting Profile.

Karl D. Weisheit, CPA, CFF, CVA, has over 30 years of experience as a Certified Public Accountant. Managing Director in HSSK’s Dallas office, he performs economic damage calculations and oversees the litigation and business consulting practices.

Background Experience - Mr. Weisheit has concentrated his work in Forensic Accounting, Economic Damages, and Business Valuation. His long career includes working in New Orleans, Louisiana, with companies such as Coopers & Lybrand, Legier & Materne, and Diversified Computer Consultants. Upon relocating to Dallas, Texas, Mr. Weisheit served as a manager specializing in litigation and insurance claims consulting for Arthur Andersen and, later, as director of litigation services for Dallas’ HSNO.

Litigation Support - An expert in Economic Damages, Mr. Weisheit has provided testimony as a forensic accounting expert witness on more than 60 occasions in federal and state courts, and before the American Arbitration Association, in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New York, Illinois, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

Mr. Weisheit has authored numerous expert reports and provided litigation consulting services to attorneys in trial settings including the preparation for and rebuttal of opposing experts. He has been engaged as a forensic accounting expert by plaintiffs and defendants on a relatively equal basis.

Qualified in the following Industries: Banking / Lending, biochemical, construction, distribution, energy, environmental, gaming, government, hospitality, import / export, insurance, manufacturing, maritime, mining, oil and gas, petrochemical, retail, restaurant, service, transportation, utilities, wholesale, as well as corresponding subindustries.

Areas of Expertise:

Lost Profits Business Interruption Property Damage Business Valuation Bankruptcy and Insolvency Breach of Contract Class Actions Commercial Litigation

Construction Fraud Marital Dissolutions Partnership and Corporate Dissolution Personal Injury Wrongful Death Product Liability Torts

HSSK's Consulting Profile.

Robert Bates, CPA, CFE, CVA, has over 25 years of Financial Management and Accounting experience as a Controller and CFO in various industries. He has been in several industries, including telecom, media, retail and financial services in addition to having consulting experience at startups in the software, technology, and life sciences fields.

Mr. Bates specializes in International Accounting, Software Issues, and Obtaining Financing. The CFO of a public company, he has completed due diligence accounting/reporting for 12 acquisitions, including performing Business Valuations and dealing with FAS 142 issues. Mr. Bates has handled accounting for complex debt instruments including warrants, beneficial conversion feature, and other derivative issues. He has also been responsible for SEC reporting: 10Q’s and 10K’s.

Litigation Support - Robert Bates has worked with dozens of lawyers on over 50 cases in various states. Sometimes he provides financial support for a client in litigation, or pre-litigation, and other times he provides a report, such as a damages calculation, which can be used in litigation. He also has experience providing testimony in depositions and trials.

Legal Services:

• Unbiased Case Analysis
• Discovery Review & Recommendations
• High-Impact Demonstrative Exhibits
• Strategy and Tactics Conferences
• Damage Calculations
• Cash Flow Analysis Reports
• Profit and Loss Analysis

View Robert Bates' Consulting Profile.

One of the industry's leading law firm services experts, Michael J. Garibaldi, CPA, ABV, CFF, CGMA, has a strong background providing efficient and affordable solutions to the many complex issues facing the legal profession today.

A Certified Public Accountant licensed by the State of New York, Mr. Garibaldi is Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV), and Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). He is recognized as a Chartered Global Management Accountant by the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.

Mr. Garibaldi works closely with law firms and other professional service firms, manufacturing, wholesale/retail, medical, technology, restaurant/hospitality, artists and galleries, construction, and real estate clients where he is responsible for providing accounting, tax planning management consulting services, and financial reporting.

Mr. Garibaldi provides valuation and litigation support services, assisting attorneys and their clients with the financial aspects of a case throughout the litigation process, from contemplation of action through expert witness testimony. He brings an in-depth understanding of the business and technical aspects of valuation, finance and accounting that is required in complex litigation and arbitration cases.

Mr. Garibaldi qualifies as an expert in valuation matters in the Supreme Courts of New York, Nassau, Suffolk, Kings, Richmond, Monmouth, Orange, and Westchester Counties, and has been called upon by the courts to serve as a neutral Expert. As an instructor of the AICPA Certificate of Educational Achievement Program in Business Valuation, Mr. Garibaldi teaches his specialty to other professionals.

Michael Garibaldi is a Candidate Member of the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), Member of the Institute of Business Appraisers (IBA), the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), the AICPA and the NYSSCPA. He is a past President and former member of the Board of Directors of the NYSSCPA Nassau Chapter, and has held a variety of positions on the Litigation Support Committee of the Nassau County and State Chapters of the NYSSCPA. Mr. Garibaldi has also held a number of positions on other committees and sub-committees within these organizations.

Areas of Expertise:

Auditing Bankruptcy Business Business Law Business Valuation Lost Profits Mergers & Acquisitions Finance

Forensic Accounting Fraud Investigation, Embezzlement Personal Property Valuation Real Estate Valuation Trusts & Estates White Collar Crime Dissolutions Wrongful Death, Termination

View Michael J. Garibaldi's Consulting Profile.

Expert Witness Consulting Services, LLC (EWCS) provides a range of services to law firms, litigation trustees and others engaged in expert witness and related activities. We provide up-front assessment of cases, drafting assistance in writing the economic core of complaints; other consulting expert work; and testifying expert witness reports and testimony. As an affiliate of Gordian Group (one of the leading national restructuring investment banking firms), EWCS can tap Gordian's vast experience in litigation assignments, particularly relating to matters involving solvency, valuation, fairness and Board of Directors responsibilities. In addition, EWCS has built a nationwide cadre of other independent experts so that we can assist law firms and mediators in finding the right expert for each case.EWCS connects vetted and specialized expert witness professionals to law firms across the nation. With its incremental, litigation-experienced professional resources and national recognition within the legal community, EWCS’ mission is to work diligently with client law firms and mediators to provide exceptional work product in an efficient manner, starting with finding the right expert for each case. 

As Experts and Consultants, the professionals at EWCS are able to provide clients and Boards of Directors with advice and guidance in structuring transactions appropriately, and in delivering financial opinions in connection with the same. They can reconstruct financial data through forensic analysis in order to explain how financial markets or decision makers may have made decisions. When it comes to evaluating the performance of boards, management teams, and financial institutions, the experts at EWCS are well-positioned to have a credible point of view, given their experience in cleaning up the aftermath of corporate disasters and fraud up close. The EWCS professionals have substantial experience in most industries, including but not limited to aerospace and defense; consumer goods; electronic technology; finance and insurance; food and beverages; heavy industry and manufacturing; life sciences; metals & mining; oil & gas and energy; real estate and hospitality; and retail and apparel. Their experts have done transactions within these segments, and use their “real world” experience in approaching projects. 

Areas of Expertise:

Financial Services Economics Restructuring Bankruptcy International Business (particularly in Asia) Fiduciary Duties Private Placements Damages

Equity Compensation Market Assessments Business Valuations Manufacturing Pharmaceuticals Technology Intellectual Property / Patents Real Estate Market Feasibility

Kelly T. Hickel, Co-founder at EWCS, is a Financial and Business Advisor who has served as a senior executive for over 30 years. Mr. Hickel has many years of experience in the technology industry and with turnarounds of troubled companies. Throughout his career, he has arranged numerous private and public company financings and financial restructurings and has raised and/or returned over a $1 billion to investors and lenders. Mr. Hickel served as Turn-around President to Miniscribe Corp., a troubled Fortune 500, $600 million annual revenue disk drive manufacturer, and President of the Maxwell Technology Information Systems Group from 1993 until 1997, during which, Maxwell was the 9th best performing stock on NASDAQ and the #1 performing stock in California in 1996. As Chairman and Chief Restructuring Office of The Tyree Company in Farmingdale, New York, Mr. Hickel was responsible for running the largest oil downstream services company in the northeast. With all of his experience, he then founded and managed emerging Pharmaceutical companies, taking a product through FDA approval for a supplement through distribution in over 2000 retail pharmacy outlets. Beltway Catalyst recently interviewed Kelly T. Hickel for their Thought Leader Spotlight. Check out the podcast here: https://lnkd.in/gPg23ue 

Jim Timmins, ASA BV/IA, MAFF, CEP, is the Managing Director and heads the valuation, litigation, and advisory services practices at Teknos. He has worked in Silicon Valley for more than 35 years, as a Valuation expert, a Venture Capitalist, and an Investment Banker. Mr. Timmins has overseen 1,000s of valuations, fairness opinions, and solvency opinions in connection with financial reporting, tax compliance, merger and acquisition transactions, financings, spin-offs, and recapitalizations, and litigation. He has also participated in numerous merger and acquisition transactions, private placements, and public offerings during his career. Prior to forming Teknos, Mr. Timmins was a Managing Director at Pagemill Partners, where he created and managed the valuation practice. Before that he was the Managing Director of the Silicon Valley office of NIF Ventures (the venture capital arm of Daiwa Securities SMBC of Japan), and a General Partner of Glenwood Ventures and Glenwood Capital. Earlier in his career, he held positions in investment banking at Hambrecht & Quist and Salomon Brothers. Mr. Timmins has served as an expert witness for more than 60 cases involving valuation, fiduciary duty, and venture capital practice. He has been retained as an expert by both plaintiffs and defendants.

Paul S. Black, President of Paul S. Black & Assoc., Inc. has more than 35 years of experience as a Real Estate Market Feasibility Analyst, including multiple types of residential, office, retail, industrial and mixed-use properties. Mr. Black has been employed by local and international accounting firms in their real estate consulting groups as well as local and regional consulting companies. For 20 years, Mr. Black has served as a lecturer/adjunct professor teaching Real Estate Principles and Practices as well as Real Estate Market Analysis at the graduate (MBA) and undergraduate levels. Areas of Expertise: Economic Damages, Construction Defects / Delay Damages, Lost Revenue / Profits, Unjust Enrichment, Due Diligence, Commission Disputes, Procuring Cause, Real Estate Brokerage, Broker/Realtor Standard of Care, Code of Ethics – National Association of Realtors (NAR), Real Estate Disputes, Fraud / Misrepresentation, Insurance Defense, Eminent Domain, Market Feasibility / Evaluation.

ECS Financial Services, Inc., started in 1962, has expanded into a full-service accounting firm that offers so much more than traditional accounting. ECS is driven by their mission to provide clients with world-class services. From the leasing industry, to corporate and individual tax, their clients benefit from a staff of experts who not only listen, but take the time to thoroughly understand their needs and objectives. You get the experience and capability of a large-scale accounting firm, with the personal attention of a small business.

Forensic Accounting & Expert Witness Services - The ECS forensic accounting and expert witness team has the expertise to help with all litigation support needs. ECS professionals include accountants with investigative skills to examine records for possible fraud, identify theft or embezzlement, calculate a potential damage claim, or testify in a legal dispute.

Mitchell M. Cohen, CPA, CFE, FCPA, CFLC, is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) a Forensic Certified Public Accountant (FCPA) and a Certified Forensic Litigation Consultant (CFLC) with over 27 years of accounting and tax experience.

Mr. Cohen is a Shareholder with ECS Financial Services, Inc., and has been with the firm since 2003. His expertise includes offering expert guidance in many areas such as: Strategic Business Planning, Financial Negotiation, Accounting System Design, Personal and Corporate Tax Planning, IRS Audits, and Financial Statement Compilations. A testifying expert witness, he has also conducted numerous forensic investigations in the areas of Divorce, Loss of Income Calculations, Piercing the Corporate Veil, and Conversion.

Mr. Cohen's services include Reviews and Audits in the areas of for-profit, governmental and not-for-profit entities, manufacturing, distribution, interior design, and catering companies and restaurants among many types of closely held businesses.

Nancy A. Geary, CPA, CLP, is both a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Lease Professional. Ms. Geary has been with ECS Financial Services, Inc., a regional CPA firm, since 1984, and a Partner with the firm since 1990. Among other responsibilities, she manages the firm’s Leasing Services Department. Ms. Geary is proficient in various software packages specifically designed for the Equipment Leasing Industry.

Ms. Geary’s primary areas of concentration include equipment lease portfolio management, accounting and consulting services for the equipment leasing industry, as well as accounting, auditing, income tax planning and compliance and management consulting for a wide variety of closely-held businesses.

Ms. Geary has participated in several expert witness engagements. Her experience includes preparation of expert witness reports, rebuttal reports, damage analysis, and forensic accounting. She has written numerous articles published in several leasing publications, and authored the Tax and Financial Accounting chapter of the CLP Foundation’s Handbook of Equipment Leasing.

Samuel N. Oliva, CPA, CMA, CLP, has served as Managing Partner of ECS Financial Services, Inc. since 1982. Concurrently, Mr. Oliva has served as CEO of Beacon Funding Corporation, a successful equipment leasing company, since 1990.

Mr. Oliva is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant, Certified Lease Professional, licensed business broker and a licensed real estate broker. He serves on the Board of Directors of Harris Bank in Chicago. His distinctions include the 2002 Financial Executive Award from the Institute of Management Accountants and the 2003 Distinguished Alumnus Award from Western Illinois University.

Mr. Oliva’s accounting and tax background, coupled with his superior business knowledge and management skills, his expertise within the leasing industry, and his natural business sense, make him uniquely qualified to opine on Accounting, Finance, Credit, and Real Estate related matters. He has served as an expert witness in a variety of situations. His experience includes serving as a confident and knowledgeable trial witness, preparation of expert witness reports, evaluation of damages and consulting with attorney’s throughout the various stages of litigation.

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