The Expert Witness in Biotechnology Litigation. Large renewable energy and biochemical consulting firms have experts in biotechnologies as well as the other specialties within the bioeconomy, and most are available to serve as expert witnesses in biotechnology or other bioeconomy-related litigation, including the pharma industry, small molecules and biologics, and synthetic and fermentation processes.
At Lee Enterprises Consulting we have experts in virtually every area of the bioeconomy, most of whom have experience as expert witnesses. Often, our experts are initially retained to examine the facts of a claim and provide counsel with their thoughts on causation, damages, or a combination of the two. As with any good expert witness, our specialists always provide impartial and unbiased results. Each of our experts has undergone a short in-house training as to their role in litigation and is familiar with Daubert standards and the rules of evidence and civil procedure. Prior to accepting employment, Lee Enterprises Consulting makes certain that the experts have the specialization necessary and has done a complete check for any possible conflicts.
The initial function of the biotechnology expert witness is usually to examine biotechnology and to give the attorney or client an idea of why the particular technology did or did not work properly. If the technology failed to deliver some specified result, the technical expert will often be asked to opine as to whether such failure was a result of the technology’s design, manufacturing, installation, operation, or some combination, and whether such failure was the cause of some damages. If the information provided by the expert is helpful to the attorney, the technical expert will likely be disclosed as an “expert witness” in the pending biofuels or biochemicals litigation. If the initial information provided is not helpful in terms of prevailing on issues of either causation or damages, the attorney may nevertheless use the information to make an informed decision as to whether to settle the matter. The expert witness can offer his or her opinion on exactly what the process is as defined in the patent(s) or licenses, whether the process is in the public domain, and whether the process being practiced is a trade secret that has been misappropriated. Often issues involving Good Manufacturing Process (GMP) issues arise in these litigations.
Some examples of expert witness testimony in biotechnical matters would include the following non-exhaustive list:
- Advanced Biofuels Technology
- Anaerobic Digestion Technology
- Bio-Oil Extraction Technology
- Biodiesel Technology
- Biomass Technology
- Carbon Capture & Storage Technology
- Catalysis Technology
- Cellulosic Ethanol Technology
- Cleantech Technology
- Ethanol Technology
- Fermentation Technology
- Fischer-Tropsch Technology
- Gasification Technology
- Hydrothermal Technology
- Pharma Industry Technology
- Power Generation Technology
- Pyrolysis/Carbonization Technology
- Synthetic Biology
- Thermochemical Conversion Technology
- Torrefaction Technology
- Water Treatment Technology
The above list is certainly not exhaustive.
For over 25 years, Lee Enterprises Consulting has been assisting companies and investors with issues relating to sustainability, bioenergy, biomaterials and chemicals, biotechnologies, and feedstocks. With over 150 consultants, we have the diverse expertise and geographical reach to assist in virtually any bioeconomy project worldwide. These seasoned professionals average over 30 years each in their industry experience. Our ability to assemble these professionals into multidisciplinary teams allows us to fully integrate the technical, scientific, and regulatory aspects of a project, and combine them with years of hands-on experience. Take a look at our experts and the services we provide. You will note that most of our experts are also available for ancillary engagements and advice, for specialty engagements like serving as expert witnesses in litigation matters. A good overview of our group is found in this video. Call us at 1+ (501) 833-8511 or email us for more information.
See also: The Expert Witness in Bioeconomy Litigation, Hiring an Expert Witness in Bioeconomy Litigation, and our other blogs on expert witness matters.