Real Estate: Property Management Expert Witnesses: 14

MCS Associates is a nationally recognized consulting group that has provided financial, operations and regulatory/compliance consulting services nationwide to financial institutions, insurance companies and regulatory agencies as well as real estate and financial services organizations for over 40 years. Expert Witness and Litigation Consulting are a primary focus of our services. We undertake expert witness assignments throughout the United States and our clients include several hundred leading law firms around the country, working on behalf of both plaintiff and defendant financial institutions, borrowers, depositors, investors, developers, insurance companies and their insured, securities/insurance/real estate brokers/agents, regulators and government agencies, and individuals. 

Together with MCS Associates’ specialized resources in banking, financial services and real estate, we also draw on key strategic alliances in insurance, economics, academia and the securities industry to meet a wide range of expert witness needs. Our litigation experts include experienced bankers, lenders, consultants, regulators, managers, brokers & agents in insurance, real estate, and securities; insurance claims and underwriting managers; economists, accountants, appraisers, real estate analysts, and academics. 

Areas of Expertise Include:

• Banking Operations/Administration
• Check Fraud
• Lending Policies, Custom and Practice
• Loan Underwriting & Credit Administration
• Loan Securitizations & Servicing
• Bankruptcy, Foreclosures and Workouts
• Trust & Fiduciary Issues / Operations
• Securities Brokerage & Investments
• Valuations & Damages Analysis
• Forensic Accounting
• Employment / Compensation
• Real Estate Brokerage & Management
• Title Insurance & Escrow
• Real Estate Appraisal & Transactions
• Insurance Industry Custom & Practice
• Insurance Coverages / Claims Handling
• Insurance Bad Faith

Owen Ahearn, CPM, has over 35 years of experience in Premises Liability, managing and maintaining Residential and Commercial Real Estate.  He is a Certified Property Manager®, an Accredited Residential Manager®, an Accredited Commercial Manager® and a Public Housing Manager®.  He also holds an OSHA 30 Hour General Industry certification.

Mr. Ahearn has extensive experience managing federal property (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Resolution Trust Corporation, United States Marshals Service) and private real estate throughout most of New England. He has managed and maintained commercial and residential real estate including single family homes, duplexes, triple-deckers and multi-unit dwellings, condominium associations, home-owner associations, and commercial plazas. 

Litigation Support - Mr. Ahearn is an experienced Expert Witness with expertise in property management, property maintenance, reasonable standards of care, and risk management throughout the United States as well as Canada. His services are available to attorneys' representing plaintiff and defense and include site inspections, reporting, depositions, and trial testimony.

Areas of Expertise:

View Ahearn Realty Management's Consulting Profile.

Robert S. Griswold, CRE, CPM, CCIM, ACoM, RPA, PCAM, CCAM, GRI, ARM, has over 40 years of specialized experience in the field of Real Estate Management. He is currently active as a day-to-day hands-on, licensed practitioner, consultant, and expert witness in all aspects of real estate (except valuation). A 3-time graduate of the distinguished Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California with a BS ('81), MBA ('86) and MSBA (2nd Masters) ('88) in real estate and related disciplines, Mr. Griswold is a recognized expert on management of all types of residential real estate. He has actively managed over 70,000 residential units and several million square feet of commercial, industrial, self-storage and retail properties nationally. He has extensive experience as a court-appointed receiver (over 200 times) for private lenders and major financial institutions. 

Litigation Support - In the last 40+ years, Mr. Griswold has consulted on over 4,000 litigation matters, has been deposed over 700 times, and provided sworn testimony in trial or arbitration on over 200 occasions in both state and federal litigation matters throughout the United States. Also serving as a court-appointed bankruptcy Custodian and Referee, his case work is very evenly divided between plaintiff and defense work. Mr. Griswold is uniquely qualified to opine on real estate related litigation matters having authored or co-authored the 12 best selling real estate books: Real Estate Investing For Dummies; Property Management Kit For Dummies; Mortgage Management for Dummies and Landlord's Legal Kit For Dummies. His 15+ years as an On-Air NBC-TV Real Estate Expert and a similar tenure as a major radio station weekly talk show host have prepared him to explain complicated matters at an 8th grade level and present convincing opinions to juries. 

Areas of Expertise:

View Robert Griswold's Consulting Profile.

James H. Cantrell, CPM®CAM is a recognized Real Estate Property Management Expert with over 40 years experience. He has served as an expert witness for over 15 years in over 300 cases throughout the country. He is active in day to day management.   Mr. Cantrell has managed a variety of product types, apartments, high-rise office, condominium  association management, industrial/warehouse properties, retail, and large hotels. He is currently active in day to day asset and property management and has established management programs that have maximized the values of the various investments. He is experienced in Case analysis and Court testimony.

Background - Mr. Cantrell served as the President of Cantrell, Harris & Associates, a San Francisco-based real estate management and consulting firm that was formed 30 years ago. He has formed Cantrell Associates which provides property management, litigation support, and expert witness services.  He is a CA Real Estate Broker.  He was an Associate Professor at Golden Gate University for 9 years teaching a  Real Estate Asset/Property management course in the MBA program. He is a graduate of the University of Miami and holds the Certified Property Manager  (CPM) designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) where he has been on the faculty for 30 years teaching many courses throughout the United States, Russia and Poland.   

He has an extensive career starting with Arlen Realty as a property supervisor, handling properties in the United States Investment Fund Portfolio, and has held the position of Equity Administrator with Clevetrust Realty Investors, responsible for managing numerous properties throughout the Country. He also served as Treasurer of Regency Equities, a Real Estate Investment Trust, traded on NASDQE, and was President of Plaza Equities Management, Inc., with a national portfolio of mixed assets under his direction. He has served as a Court appointed Receiver on all types of assets throughout California.

Litigation Support - Mr. Cantrell has served or consulted as an expert on behalf of both Plaintiffs and Defendants in over 300 cases. He is uniquely qualified with his experience and teaching background and is your best choice as an expert in litigation.

Areas of Expertise:

View James Cantrell's Consulting Profile.

Jack G. Cohen has been involved in the Private Money Lending and  Real Estate Industry for over 30 years. He is currently the managing member and director of a private money real estate lending, real estate development, and investment property management company. He is also the San Fernando Realty Real Estate Investment director of the California Bureau of Real Estate. 

Mr. Cohen has experience with commercial, residential, and retail real estate, and construction lending.

Litigation Support: Mr. Cohen has been retained as an expert witness in Real Estate related cases over 50 times since 1990. He represents both Plaintiff and Defense and is experienced with complex cases. His services include thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

Dick Bridy, PhD, is a Commercial Real Estate expert and entrepreneur with over 40 years of Commercial Real Estate Development, Brokerage, Investment, Leasing, Private Equity Sourcing, Operations, Construction, and Asset Management experience. He is the CEO of DBI Group (DBI) and Bedrock Investments Group (BIG), Bedrock 1st Mortgage, DBI Commercial Real Estate, and a principal of DBI Asset Management. 

Background Experience - Dr. Bridy and his team entitled and built two shopping centers and five single tenant properties. In addition, he has contracted for the redevelopment of over 3.5 million sq. ft. in 14 shopping centers in the Midwest and the Western US.

An accomplished scholar, Dr. Bridy is a graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania with a B.Sc. in Economics. His graduate studies garnered academic honors recognition from the San Diego State University Graduate School of Business, the Marshall School at the University of Southern California, and the University of Phoenix, from which he received an MBA, EMBA, and PhD respectively.

For decades, Dr. Bridy has served on the boards of many prominent real estate organizations, including the National Association of Realtors, California Association of Realtors, San Diego County Commercial Association of Realtors, and CCIM.

Litigation Support - Dr. Dick Bridy delivers real estate expert witness testimony for the commercial real estate and brokerage industry nationwide. He has been engaged by both plaintiff and defense attorneys. As a commercial real estate CEO, investor, developer, asset manager, broker, and syndicator, Dr. Bridy is an excellent communicator, honed by many years in leadership and advisory positions in the commercial real estate industry and as a Marine Corps officer.

Services include consultation, case review, technical investigation, IME’s, research, laboratory work (in-house or otherwise), report preparation, depositions, arbitration, mediation, court appearances, standby, cancellation of court deposition, and travel. 

Areas of Expertise: 

View Bedrock Consulting Group's Consulting Profile.

P. Marc Fischer, MBA, CPM^®, RPA^®, CCIM^®, LEED^® GA, BOMA Fellow 

Marc Fischer is a nationally recognized Commercial Real Estate (CRE) expert with more than 30 years of proven performance in the fields of property management, building operations, and asset management. He is widely recognized as an innovative and dynamic leader, and he teaches, writes, and speaks to audiences around the world about CRE topics.

Litigation Support - As an expert witness, Mr. Fischer assists landlord and tenant counsel in finding the truth. His services include thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed. Mr. Fischer supports both plaintiff and defendant counsel in a variety of real estate related issues including:

Highlights Include:

• 30 years of experience in all aspects of commercial real estate (CRE) property management, asset management, property operations, and construction
• MBA in Management / Organizational Behavior

Industry Designations:

• Real Property Administrator (RPA®)
• Certified Property Manager (CPM®) Designee
• Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM®) Designee
• LEED® Green Associate
• BOMA Fellow

Author of eight (8) CRE textbooks published by BOMA International (all translated into Mandarin):

• Acquisitions, Dispositions & Underwriting textbook
• Measuring Financial Returns textbook
• Lease Analysis, Evaluation, Negotiation, and Approval textbook
• Foundations of Real Estate Management textbook
• BOMA International Proactive Maintenance Guidebook for Industrial Properties
• Managing Industrial Properties
• Guide to Developing a Standard Operating Procedure Manual
• BOMA International Guide to Exterior Maintenance Manual

View InpiRE CRE, LLC's Consulting Profile.

Jeffrey S. Lapin, CPM, ARM, DREI, is an expert in maintenance and management procedures and reasonable standards of care for commercial and residential properties including multifamily properties and HOA's. He has been directly involved in Real Estate Management, Leasing and Construction for over 40 years. 

Mr. Lapin is a Certified Property Manager (CPM®) and an Accredited Residentlal Manager (ARM), certified by the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM®), a California licensed Real Estate Broker and a Tennessee licensed Affiliate Broker. Mr. Lapin is a certified instructor for IREM® and is a co-author of IREM's Maintenance and Risk Management Course. Mr. Lapin teaches for the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA®) and is a Distinguished Real Estate Instructor (DREI). Mr. Lapin teaches courses for these prestigious international property associations, including courses required by IREM® and by BOMA® for the respective professional accreditations they offer, centered around construction and maintenance topics. He also served as President of the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM®) Chapter 22 in Sacramento, California in 2016. 

Mr. Lapin specializes in Standards of Care for Landlords, Property Maintenance and Inspection Procedures, Management Policies and Procedures, and Asset Value Protection. His background includes roles with institutional landlords including TIAA CREF, MetLife, The New England Life Insurance Company, and Principal Mutual Life, as well as a diverse group of private property owners. His experience is in managing and leasing all types of property including commercial and multi-family residential, industrial, office, and retail real estate assets. 

Litigation Support - Mr. Lapin provides expert witness services on Commercial and Residential Real Estate Standards of Practice. His cases involve injuries, personal and financial, that occur as a result of an alleged failure by a commercial landlord to follow reasonable standards of care, for either the landlord or a non-landlord plaintiff's counsel. 

Areas of Expertise:

View Jeffery Lapin's Consulting Profile.

Dennis Gemberling, CHA, CFBE, FMP, FCSI, President and Founder of Perry Group International, has over 35 years of experience in the Hospitality Management industry. His experience includes managing, operating, and consulting on full-service, limited-service, extended-stay, all-suite, condo and timeshare hotels and resorts, casual, fine-dining, and quick-service restaurants, bars and nightclubs, catering and special event facilities, casinos, and mixed-use real estate. 

Mr. Gemberling has held prior positions for different owners, operators, and chains as Senior Vice President, General Manager, Director of Food & Beverage, and Restaurant Unit Manager. He has been retained on over 400 projects with typical values in the $1 million to $75 million range and revenues in the $1 million to $100 million range both nationally and internationally. His many clients have include among others Biscuits & Blues, Cantina’s, Chevy’s, Choice Hotels, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inns, Hilton, Holiday Inns, Hooter’s Casino, Hyatt, Marriott, McDonald’s, Microtel Inn & Suites, Outback Restaurants, Radisson, Residence Inns, Signature Resort, Sizzler, Sonic Drive-Ins, Starbucks, Starwood, Sheraton, Togo’s, Wendy’s, and Willie Mays Skybox Lounge. 

Litigation Support: Dennis Gemberling is a Certified Hotel Administrator, Certified Food and Beverage Executive, Certified Foodservice Management Professional, and Certified Food Safety Manager. He offers expert witness services to attorneys for plaintiff and defendant cases on a variety of Hospitality-related claims. He is a Professional Member of Foodservice Consultants Society International and the Forensic Expert Witness Association. Mr. Gemberling also provides expertise as a Court Appointed Receiver and Interim Property Manager and is currently the Past President and a Board of Director for the California Receivers Forum – Bay Area Chapter. 

Areas of Expertise:

View Dennis Gemberling's Consulting Profile.

Christopher Hanson, JD, CCIM, has over 44 years of experience in the Real Estate Industry. A retired trial lawyer of over 25 years who's dealt exclusively with real estate cases, Mr. Hanson currently provides subject matter expertise in all areas of real estate litigation.

Background Experience - As a California real estate trial attorney, Mr. Hanson has participated in over 880 Trials, Arbitrations, and Mediations (only 3 UDs). Cases have included negligence, fraud, non-disclosure, breaches of fiduciary duty, and contract. He's defended and sued brokers and their insurance companies. He has represented bidders, borrowers, and banks in regard to foreclosures; and both sides in loan workouts, and worked with national chains doing state-wide store rollouts, and lease renegotiations.  

Prior to his time as an attorney, Mr. Hanson worked for 12+/- years as a Real Estate Broker, actively selling and leasing property (commercial and residential). He holds a CCIM designation, earned by doing deals.  Before his role as a broker, he spent 7+/- years as a title insurance company Advisory Title Officer, where he researched and wrote Preliminary Reports.

Litigation Support - Mr. Hanson offers a balanced and unbiased opinion. His services are available to attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant and include document review, depositions, and discovery, along with arbitration and mediation. His opinion takes into account all the technicalities and nuances of real estate along with his 4 decades of experience, and is delivered in a way a jury can easily understand. 

Areas of Expertise:

Steven D. Epcar, CPM an Expert in Real Estate and Property Management Issues with 35+ years of experience;including residential, commercial, retail, hotel, condominium and mixed-use properties. Experienced in litigation support including standard of care, partnership conflicts, brokerage issues,landlord/tenant, valuation, personal injury, habitability, environmental, life safety cases. 

Steven is a member of the Forensic Expert Witness Association (FEWA).  He serves as a real estate consultant for institutional and private investors, providing an array of services: asset/property management related assignments, organizational assessments, financial feasibility, due diligence,and new development services. 

Previously, Mr. Epcar served as President, Residential Services for Carmel Partners a R/E investment/management firm in San Francisco, Principal/Founding Partner of Ventana Property Services, a West Coast third party management and consulting firm and President,Prometheus Management Group,a development/investment/management firm.

Areas of Expertise:

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SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE

 Brian Spiegel and David Spiegel offer expert testimony and consulting services regarding smoke, water, fire, mold contamination property damage restoration, reconstruction, and construction defect related problems. Both have been speakers nationally and internationally on property damage restoration, construction, and mold contamination related topics. In the past at the Property Loss Research Bureau (PLRB) national mold symposium in Charlotte, North Carolina and at the Forensics Consultants Association on toxic mold litigation and mold remediation in Newport Beach, California. In the media, Brian and David have written articles for industry trade magazines and given television and radio interviews, including one with Brian on ABC TV “Good Morning America” featuring a segment on mitigating water damage. 

CONSULTANTS AND EXPERT WITNESS

EXPERT SERVICES

PROPERTY DAMAGE ASSESSORS

• Residential and Commercial
• Appraisal Process: Appraisers & Umpires
• Contents and Structure

Andrew Shedlin, BA, JD, CRX, CLS, CSM, is an acknowledged industry leader in the field of Real Estate Leasing. He specializes in consulting on the Development, Management and Leasing of Shopping Centers & Airports for both developers and retailers. Mr. Shedlin serves as a developer and consultant for dozens of shopping center landlords and tenants. He also has extensive experience in Airport Retail and Restaurants as both landlord and tenant.

Mr. Shedlin has developed or redeveloped more than 35,000,000 square feet of shopping centers as principal or consultant and at all of the top 50 airports in the US, and negotiated more than 15,000 leases as principal, consultant, landlord or tenant (as a business person and attorney), his clients have included dozens of international, national, regional, and local retailers and restaurants. Mr. Shedlin is a longtime member of ICSC’s faculty of the John T. Riordan School for Professional Development and a founding member of ICSC’s CLS Admissions and Governing Committee. He has received the ICSC Trustee’s Distinguished Award, serves on the ICSC Illinois State Committee and was previously NY/NJ state director for ICSC. Mr. Shedlin has taught at both Columbia University Graduate School of Business and Georgetown University Law School and holds a JD from Boston University. He frequently lectures at business schools, law schools, and for industry groups on Shopping Center Leasing, Understanding Leases, and Business Ethics.

Litigation Support - Considered the definitive industry expert in negotiating and interpreting shopping center and airport leases, Andrew Shedlin has worked as an expert on dozens of landlord / tenant disputes involving Interpretation and Enforcement of Leases and Shopping Center Management. He has worked with major law firms in numerous cities throughout the US. His services are available to counsel representing plaintiff and defendant and include written reports, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

Background Experience:

• Halperin, Shivitz, Scholer & Steingut - Associate
• Arlen Shopping Centers - Executive Vice President & Counsel
• Equity Properties and Development Company - Executive Vice President (responsible for leasing and development)
• Previously owned and operated 2 retail businesses
• Facilitated entry of several international retailers into the US market
• Authored several chapters in real estate publications on subjects of leasing and understanding the lease
• Co-authored definitive audio tape on lease negotiations
• Frequently quoted in media publications

K. David Meit, CPM®, Founder and Principal of Oculus Expert Witness, offering unbiased assessments and expert testimony for both Plaintiff and Defense in Property Management Standard of Care, Premises Liability, Real Estate Partnerships, and related legal disputes. Expert opinions are based on professional experience, academic training, research and the facts of each case. 

A Certified Property Manager (CPM®) accredited by the Institute of Real Estate Management. Licensed real estate broker.