Tell us about yourself: what do you do, and how would you describe your role in the litigation world?

Currently CEO/Owner of Legal Media Technologies LLC., CEO/Co-Owner of HOP ON PEPTIDES, LLC., and sole proprietor/personal trainer @ Sinew and Steel. My role in the litigation world is now and has always been to be different. I saw the demonstrative aids and exhibits being used at trial as dry, boring, and lacking creative thought. My goal was to bring my background into this field—which entailed special effects, animation, and coding. I would repurpose these skills with the goal in mind of increasing the jury's retention rate and, therefore, their understanding of the case narrative. A well-engaged jury is a winning jury!

How did you get into trial strategy and litigation support? Was this something you planned on doing, or did you fall into it?

It was not something I planned. While working on getting my computer science degree, my first child was born. A beautiful baby girl, Kaitlin Rose. As a new dad, I needed full-time, steady employment that paid well and provided benefits. The saying goes that there are only two things in life that are certain: Death and Taxes. I have found that you can add a third element as follows: Death, Taxes, and Lawsuits!

What was the first trial or major case you worked on, and what do you remember most about it?

My most memorable case was one in which a little girl’s hand was caught between the stairs of an escalator, tragically resulting in four of her fingers being severed. The maintenance crew did not follow the correct procedures and were negligent in performing their duties, thereby creating the circumstances for the injury. The little girl’s legal team asked for a settlement of $7 million. This was summarily rejected by the defense, and the case went to trial. I was called in to create a full 3D animated demonstrative of how escalators function and subsequently highlight the failure point specific to this case. The jury verdict awarded the little girl $11 million! I was overjoyed at this decision and felt that my work was at least partially responsible for the amazing outcome.

Tell us about your company. What services do you provide, and what makes your team different?

Legal Media Technologies is a full-service litigation support company. Our services include eDiscovery, targeted searchable databasing, full electronic forensics, custom exhibits/demonstratives, audio/video, war room, and trial presentations. The difference is the repurposing of technology not necessarily in the legal field, such as real-time 3D engines, and out-of-the-box creative thinking to create really compelling presentations. Logistically, we make ourselves available seven days a week and sometimes 24 hours a day. Premium customer service is standard.

When someone calls you before a major trial, what's usually happening behind the scenes that they don't see?

Final preparations, making sure everything works correctly, rechecking every possible failure point, staging the needed equipment for the courtroom, and analyzing every exhibit to ensure it’s as impactful as possible.

Which do you think is the most hidden or misunderstood of your services?

The most misunderstood is that a tremendous amount of time and expertise goes into creating a really well-crafted presentation—not just simply pressing a button.

AI is changing eDiscovery, document review, trial preparation, and legal research. Are you excited about it, worried about it, or somewhere in between?

In the short term, AI is an amazing tool. At this point, and for a short period of time going forward, it will be a great aid in the areas you mentioned.

Where do you think AI is genuinely making litigation teams better right now?

Perhaps the speed with which things can be processed, but the tool is never the deciding factor—it’s absolutely the dedication, experience, and creative thought that makes the team great.

Where do you think attorneys are getting TOO comfortable relying on AI?

No, I don't think so—it still makes mistakes, and any legal team has to be diligent in reviewing the AI output. Right now, it does make mundane, repeatable tasks far easier.

Do you think AI will eventually be able to analyze an entire case and tell a trial team what their strongest arguments are?

Yes, absolutely. I think it’s a certainty. In fact, it can do that now to a great degree.

What part of your job do you think AI will change the most over the next five years?

I'll give you an unpopular opinion based on my decades of experience and recent observations. I predict AI will completely replace nearly every level of the legal apparatus. Meaning judges, lawyers, paralegals, and ultimately the jury will all be fully AI-controlled. The legal field is so incredibly well documented; you literally could not have a richer environment of information for an LLM to absorb and take over. The data available to an AI model in the legal industry is simply astronomical.

What part of your job do you think AI will NEVER completely replace?

None.

Are there new laws, court rules, or proposed legislation surrounding AI, electronic evidence, or litigation technology that you're watching closely?

Truthfully, I'm not tracking anything specific. I have always been tech-minded, and I follow the latest in new AI chips and the planned data centers.

What do you think separates a great litigation-support company from an average one?

Creativity, deep knowledge, and great customer service.

What's been the biggest factor in your company's success?

Not doing it like it’s always been done—bringing something interesting to the table.

What's something you know now about running this business that you wish you knew when you started?

How difficult it can be to get a law firm to change its litigation support vendor. People are sometimes just fearful of change.

What's your secret to building relationships with attorneys and becoming someone they call again and again?

Solve problems, anticipate needs, and know how to implement solutions. Be reliable, available, and really understand the business.

What's a completely random skill that working in litigation has accidentally made you really good at?

Quality control—I now have a real eye for mistakes.

What's the part of your job you genuinely enjoy the most?

I love that it’s a new case every day, and each brings its own set of challenges.

What's the hardest part of your job that people never see?

People don't see, and frankly did not have the opportunity to see, the decades of hard work it took for me to learn all the tools for the job and recognize which tool to use for a specific case type. For example, med mal and product failure both benefit strongly from 3D animation—I would not use a static diagram for those cases.

When you're not working, what matters most to you?

Family, continued learning, and having an insatiable curiosity about life.

What keeps you grounded when you're working on high-pressure cases?

I've seen unspeakable suffering that some people go through, whether they are born that way or have a severe accident. It always reminds me that I truly have nothing significant to complain about compared to them. It breaks my heart and keeps me grounded, for sure. On a lighter note, hearing the laughter of innocent children always makes me smile.

What's something people who only know you professionally would be surprised to learn about you?

I love to write and express my inner thoughts and feelings in the form of poetry. Needless to say, I have a notebook full at this point. I call it "bleeding onto the page."

Favorite local restaurant?

A good steakhouse is never wrong.

Coffee, tea, or energy drink?

None of the above.

What's your go-to meal after surviving a brutal trial day?

Pizza. I'm from NY, after all.

What's something about the litigation industry that you believe strongly about that most people would disagree with?

Trials are not won or lost on the law—they are decided by how the lawyer presents the law to the jury.

What's the biggest misconception attorneys have about trial technology?

Many think they don't need it. That visuals are not important. That is false. If you are going to say something in court, say it with a visual aid behind you!

If you could change one thing about the way attorneys prepare for trial, what would it be?

The biggest mistake is not taking the time to practice the presentation with your "hot seat" person. There must be a clear understanding and agreement beforehand between the trial tech and the lawyer in regards to the naming convention used to identify your demonstratives/exhibits. I can't stress how crucial this is, and it can be a disaster in court if you're not both on the same page. I have been in trial with a lawyer who completely ignored our exhibit numbers and called every exhibit by a name only he understood—instead of simply saying, "Pull up Exhibit 5," for example, he would say, "Pull up the document where John Smith said 'XYZ.'" This made us look unprepared, unprofessional, and I feel weakened our case.

What's one thing you wish every young attorney understood before walking into their first trial?

You have to take the jury on a journey with you. Have a great presentation and say it with conviction. Juries see the effort you did or did not put in, and it does sway their opinion!

What's the biggest mistake you've seen a trial team make that could have been prevented?

Top two mistakes: not testing their setup before trial and not having a backup ready to go.

What's the biggest goal you have for your company over the next few years?

I have plans that definitely include the use of AI in the litigation support industry and bringing very impressive things, perhaps not seen before in this field. Can't say more than that at this point. Being at the forefront and cutting edge is always the goal.

If you could go back to the beginning of your career, what would you tell yourself?

Never be afraid to make mistakes. They help build who you are and how much you know. Stay the course!

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