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Forensic Psychiatric Associates, LP

A Nationwide Team of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology Experts

We provide evidence-based opinions based on records review, (neuro)psychological testing and independent medical evaluations.
We handle Mass Torts and Multiple-Plaintiff litigation, including large volume of records and multiple evaluations.
Our experts hold credentials and board certifications from the top institutions in the country.

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Forensic Psychiatrists Forensic Psychologists Autism Experts

Mark

Mark I. Levy, MD, DLFAPA

Expertise

Forensic Psychiatrist Mark Levy, MD, specializes in civil matters including mass torts multiplaintiff litigation, emotional distress, personal injury, PTSD, sexual abuse, employment litigation, ADA, discrimination, undue influence and testamentary capacity in will contests. Dr Levy has served as expert in more than 500 legal cases, including over 65 trial testimonies. He is Associate Clinical Professor (Volunteer) in Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco and Faculty at the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis.

Education

Durham University (U.K.), Columbia College (A.B.), Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons (MD), Mount Zion Medical Center, San Francisco, Internship (Rotating Medical) and Residency (Psychiatry), San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute (current name San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis) - graduate psychoanalyst. Dr. Mark Levy is Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Adult and Forensic Psychiatry, and a diplomate of The National Board of Physicians and Surgeons in Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry. He is also Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.

Charles

Charles Saldanha, MD, DFAPA

Expertise

Forensic Psychiatrist Charles Saldanha, MD, specializes in emergency, inpatient and community psychiatry, with a focus on serious mental illness and psychiatric hospital administration. He served as an expert in over 80 legal cases, and has provided testimony over 25 times. He is Associate Clinical Professor (Volunteer) in Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco where he teaches in the Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship and Department of Psychiatry.

Education

Emory University (B.A.), Duke University (M.D.), Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Internship in Internal Medicine), University of California, San Francisco (Residency in Psychiatry), Yale University (Fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry Psychiatry). Dr. Saldanha is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, certified in Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry.

David

David Y. Kan, MD, DFASAM

Expertise

Forensic Psychiatrist David Kan, MD, specializes in addiction medicine and substance abuse, violence and suicide risk assessment, medical malpractice, assessment of sexual offenders, electroconvulsive therapy and impaired professionals. He served as an expert in over 40 legal cases, is Clinical Professor (Volunteer) in Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco and works in substance abuse treatment at the Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in San Francisco. He is a third-party evaluator for the City and County of San Francisco on electroconvulsive therapy, conservatorship assessments, hospital utilization review and risk assessment.

Education

Northwestern University (BA and MD), University of California, San Francisco (Residency and Fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry). David Kan, MD, is also a Distinguished Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, Clinical Faculty in Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, and Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Adult and Forensic Psychiatry.

James

James Armontrout, MD

Expertise

Forensic Psychiatrist James Armontrout, MD, specializes in PTSD and other trauma-based disorders, substance abuse, civil and criminal competencies, and evaluations related to criminal responsibilities. He has performed over 100 Forensic Psychiatric Examinations and has been qualified as an expert in California courts. He served as a staff psychiatrist at the Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in Palo Alto from August 2017 to 2022.

Education

University of Virginia (BA and MD), Harvard Longwood (Residency in Psychiatry), University of California, San Francisco (Fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry). James Armontrout, MD, is also Board certified in Psychiatry with added qualifications in forensic psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Steve

Steven H. Berger, MD

Expertise

Forensic Psychiatrist Steve Berger, MD, specializes in competence to proceed, criminal responsibility, severe mental illness, medical malpractice, employment issues such as fitness for duty, workers’ compensation claims, Family and Medical Leave Act and Americans with Disability Act related issues. He has testified in court over 100 times, and has been deposed over 500 times.

Education

University of Michigan Medical School (MD). Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago (Residency in Psychiatry). Steve Berger, MD, is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry; Diplomate of the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons in General Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry; Diplomate, American Board of Forensic Psychiatry; Clinical Professor in the department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Reno.

Octavio

Octavio Choi, MD, PhD

Expertise

Forensic Psychiatrist Octavio Choi, MD, PhD, specializes in the use of neuroimaging evidence and the relevance of neurological findings in supporting psychiatric conditions, brain damage, medical and genetic conditions that affect the mind,

Education

Stanford University (B.S.), University of California, San Diego at La Jolla (M.D. and PhD), University of California Los Angeles, Neuropsychiatric Institute (Residency), University of Pennsylvania (Fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry). Octavio Choi, MD, PhD, is clinical associate professor in the psychiatry department at Stanford University and Director of training in the program in Psychiatry and the Law. He was previously director of Forensic Evaluations at Oregon State Hospital.

Ayesha

Ayesha Ashai, MD

Expertise

Forensic Psychiatrist Ayesha Ashai, M.D. specializes in civil and criminal competencies, criminal responsibility, violence and sexual risk assessments, malpractice, psychiatric injury, and evaluations related to testamentary capacity and undue influence. She also has experience working with incarcerated offenders with serious mental illness.

Education

University of Michigan Ann Arbor (B.A.), Boonshoft School of Medicine (M.D.), University of Maryland-Sheppard Pratt (Residency), University of California Davis (Fellowship). Ayesha Ashai, M.D., is Assistant Clinical Professor at University of Illinois School of Medicine.

Takeo

Takeo Toyoshima, MD

Expertise

Forensic Psychiatrist Takeo Toyoshima, MD, specializes in substance use disorders including alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine and opioids including fentanyl; medical malpractice and standard of care in outpatient, inpatient, emergency and criminal justice settings.

Education

Yale University (B.S.), University of California Los Angeles (M.D.), University of California San Francisco (Residency in Psychiatry and Fellowship in Addiction Psychiatry), University of California San Francisco (Fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry). Takeo Toyoshima, MD, is the Medical Director of the San Francisco VA Drug and Alcohol treatment clinic, Site Director of the UCSF Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCSF, and Co-Director of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry for California, Alaska, and Hawaii. He is board-certified in adult psychiatry and board-eligible in addiction and forensic psychiatry.

Jorien

Jorien Campbell, MD

Expertise

Forensic Psychiatrist Jorien Campbell, MD, specializes in juvenile and adult civil and criminal competency assessments, violence and suicide risk assessments, malpractice, psychiatric injury, child sexual abuse allegations and diagnostic evaluations in school consultation, emergency, correctional, inpatient, and outpatient psychiatry.

Education

University of Cape Town, South Africa, University of Wisconsin, Madison (B.S.), Albert Einstein College of Medicine (M.D.) University of California San Francisco (Residency), Stanford University (Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship), University of California Davis (Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship).

Paul

Paul Elizondo III, DO

Expertise

Forensic Psychiatrist Paul Elizondo, DO, specializes in child sexual abuse allegations; psychiatric injury associated with trauma, neglect, and disruption of basic needs; cyberstalking and cyberharassment; criminal and civil competency; general violence and sexual violence risk assessment for adults and juvenile offenders; malpractice; developmental disabilities, and child development as it pertains to forensic assessment and legal processes. He is volunteer Assistant Professor at the university of California, San Francisco and provides clinical instruction and training to mental health nurse practitioner students in his community clinic in Marin County.

Education

Stanford University (B.S.), Touro University (D.O.) University of California San Francisco (Residency), UCSF (Child and Adolescent & Forensic Psychiatry Fellowships).

Tyler

Tyler Durns, MD

Expertise

Forensic Psychiatrist Tyler Durns, M.D., specializes in inpatient and outpatient psychiatry with focuses in diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of serious mental illness, trauma-related disorders, personality disorders, and neuropsychiatric disorders. Areas of forensic specialization include civil and criminal competency, insanity, guilty but mentally ill evaluations, violence and suicide risk assessment, undue influence, psychiatric injury and disability, and medical malpractice.

Education

University of Arizona (B.S. and M.D.), University of Utah (Residency), University of Utah (Chief Resident), University of California Davis (Fellowship). Tyler Durns, M.D. is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine.

Nicole

Nicole Brooks, MD

Expertise

Forensic Psychiatrist Nicole Brooks, MD, specializes in civil and criminal competencies, criminal responsibility, violence and sexual risk assessments, psychiatric injury, and malpractice in outpatient, inpatient, emergency, and correctional psychiatry.

Education

Stanford University (B.A.), University of Texas Medical Branch (M.D. and Residency in Psychiatry), University of California, Davis (Fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry). Nicole Brooks, MD, is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine in the Psychiatry department. She is also Board certified in Psychiatry with added qualifications in Forensic Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Ambarin

Ambarin S. Faizi, DO

Expertise

Dr. Ambarin Faizi serves as a forensic expert in a variety of criminal and civil cases. She specializes in assessments involving mental status at the time of the crime (NGRI), malingering, medical malpractice, general and sexual violence risk assessment, competency to stand trial, and substance use disorders.

Education

University of California, Davis (Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship), Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (Psychiatry Residency), Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine), University of California, Riverside (Bachelor of Sciences).

Matthew

Matthew L. Edwards, MD

Expertise

Forensic psychiatrist Matthew L. Edwards, M.D., specializes in general psychiatry, inpatient psychiatry, and community psychiatry. His professional interests include medical education, administration, care for marginalized populations, and systems of care. He has conducted many forensic evaluations for local and state courts and testified for courts in Georgia and California. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine where he teaches in the general adult psychiatry residency program and the forensic psychiatry fellowship. His areas of interest in forensic psychiatry include civil and criminal competencies, insanity, immigration, mitigation, psychiatric injury and disability, and susceptibility to undue influence.

Education

Princeton University (A.B., magna cum laude), University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine (M.D., summa cum laude, honors in medical humanities), Stanford University School of Medicine (Residency and Chief Residency in Psychiatry), Emory University (Fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry).

Grace

Grace Cheney, MD

Expertise

Forensic Psychiatrist Grace Cheney, MD specializes in juvenile and adult civil and competency assessments, neurotypical and neurodivergent development, and diagnostic evaluations in school consultation.

Education

Dr. Cheney completed her Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship at Stanford, after a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of Colorado, and General Residency at the University of South Florida. She holds an M.D. from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and a B.A. from Davidson College. Dr. Cheney is triple Board-Certified in Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Forensic Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Austin

Austin Blum, MD, JD

Expertise

Forensic Psychiatrist Austin Blum, MD, JD specializes in evaluations related to criminal competencies, criminal responsibility, violence and sexual risk assessments, and undue influence. He has completed over 30 forensic psychiatric evaluations, with experience testifying at deposition and trial in California.

Education

Dr. Blum completed his Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of California, Davis, after a residency at University of Chicago Medicine. He holds an M.D. from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, a J.D. from Cornell Law School, and a B.A. from Cornell University.

Shafi

Shafi Lodhi, MD

Expertise

Forensic Neuropsychiatrist Shafi Lodhi, MD specializes in cases involving the intersection of psychiatry and neurology. His areas of interest include civil and criminal competencies, traumatic brain injuries, medical malpractice, immigration, psychiatric injury and disability, testamentary capacity, and undue influence.

Education

Dr. Lodhi completed his Forensic Psychiatry and Neuropsychiatry fellowships at Stanford University. He graduated from residency at the University of Cincinnati after completing his M.D. and undergraduate degrees at the University of Missouri.

Elissa

Elissa P. Benedek, MD, FACP

Expertise

Extensive forensic expertise in child sexual abuse, child custody, adult sexual harassment, toxic torts, auto accidents, TBI, PTSD, as well as many employment issues such as wrongful termination, fitness to work. Extensive experience in depositions and courts for plaintiff and defense attorneys and also including providing opinions on state prosecutions issues of incarcerations, issues such as criminal responsibility and competency.

Education

University of Michigan (B.S., M.D.) Ann Arbor, training at U of M in general and child psychiatry, internship at Sinai Hospital in Detroit, later achieving a full professorship at University of Michigan and Wayne State University, and clinical and adjunct professorship, Michigan State University. Associate Director of Child Psychiatry, and Training Director, Center for Forensic Psychiatry. Served as Senior Examiner for American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Former President of American Psychiatric Association. Established American Psychiatric Foundation and served on the Council on Psychiatry and the Law. Board certified American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and Forensic Psychiatry.

Ashley

Ashley H. VanDercar, MD, JD

Expertise

Forensic Psychiatrist Ashley H. VanDercar, MD, JD, specializes in providing opinions and testimony in cases involving contested diagnoses (where there is a question as to whether a plaintiff or defendant is malingering/faking symptoms). She is available for consultation on cases involving competence to stand trial, sanity at the time of the act, sentencing mitigation, psychiatric malpractice, and testamentary capacity. She has written over 100 court reports and provided formal testimony in over 25 of these. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University and serves as faculty for their forensic psychiatry fellowship.

Education

University of South Florida (B.S., B.A.), Florida International University (J.D.), University of Miami (M.D.), University Hospitals / Case Western Reserve University (Residency and Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship).

Amanie

Amanie Salem, DO, MPH

Expertise

Forensic psychiatrist Amanie Salem, DO, MPH specializes in general psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, and community psychiatry. She has served as a forensic expert in a variety of cases, including juvenile and adult criminal competency assessments, juvenile transfer assessments, juvenile sexual offense assessments, violence and suicide risk assessments, sexual risk assessments, and diagnostic evaluations in school consultation, emergency, correctional, inpatient, and outpatient psychiatry.

Education

Saint Louis University (BS), Saint Louis University (MPH), Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences (DO), Saint Louis University (general psychiatry residency), NewYork-Presbyterian (child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship), UC Davis (forensic psychiatry fellowship).

Loretta

Loretta Dumontet, MD

Expertise

Forensic Psychiatrist Loretta Dumontet, MD, specializes in hospital-based acute psychiatric care, co-occurring medical and mental illness in children, and severe mental illness. Dr. Dumontet has been qualified as an expert in psychiatry in court more than 500 times and has performed hundreds of independent evaluations in the context of civil and criminal legal proceedings. Dr. Dumontet has gained more than 10 years’ experience as an academic psychiatrist while serving as a faculty member at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Tulane University, and the University of Cincinnati.

Education

Completed medical education at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans and residency in pediatrics, psychiatry, and child psychiatry and forensic psychiatry fellowship training at the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Currently board certified through the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in general psychiatry with added qualifications in child and adolescent psychiatry and forensic psychiatry. Completed additional fellowship training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy at the New Orleans-Birmingham Psychoanalytic Center.

Cortney

Cortney A. Kohberger, MD

Expertise

Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Cortney A. Kohberger has decades of experience practicing psychiatry in a multitude of settings. Her criminal forensic specialization includes malingering assessments, competency to stand trial, sanity at the time of the act, mitigation, and risk assessments. Her civil forensic specialization includes disability evaluations, civil commitment, malpractice, fitness for duty, and threat assessments. She is a clinical assistant professor at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and she supervises Case Western forensic psychiatry fellows.

Education

Dr. Kohberger completed her forensic psychiatry fellowship at the Case Western School of Medicine. She completed her residency and chief residency at Beth Israel Medical Center – Albert Einstein School of Medicine in New York City. She earned her M.D. at the University of Medicine and Dentistry – New Jersey Medical School (now Rutgers Health – New Jersey Medical School), and her B.A. from Rutgers College – Rutgers University. She is double boarded by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in both general and forensic psychiatry.

Joy

Joy Stankowski, MD

Expertise

Forensic Psychiatrist Joy Stankowski, MD, has a wide range of both criminal and civil experience, and has worked in hospital and court systems of care for over 20 years. Her specialties include capacity assessments, developmental and dementia disorders, threat assessment, and standard of care. She has performed over 1000 forensic evaluations and is experienced in court consultation, depositions, and testimony. She holds numerous faculty appointments and is Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University and other institutions.

Education

Dr. Joy Stankowski graduated from Haverford College with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and completed her Doctor of Medicine degree at the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine. She then completed a dual residency program in Internal Medicine and Psychiatry at the University of Virginia, and a fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University. She is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Psychiatry, with a certification in the subspecialty of Forensic Psychiatry.

Brian

Brian Holoyda, MD, MPH, MBA

Expertise

Brian Holoyda, MD, MPH, MBA is a correctional and forensic psychiatrist. He specializes in assessments related to violence and sexual violence risk assessment, the civil commitment of sexual offenders, malpractice, 1983 claims stemming from in-custody care, emotional injury, and psychedelic-associated injury.

Education

Northwestern University (B.S.), Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (M.D. and M.P.H.), University of California, Davis Medical Center (Residency, Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship, and M.B.A.)

Sumedha

Sumedha Purkayastha, MD

Expertise

Dr. Purkayastha specializes in the treatment of children and adolescents with anxiety, depression, oppositional defiant disorder, autism, trauma, and ADHD. She also works with adults suffering from, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorders, psychosis and personality disorders. She has sought out additional training in PCIT, DBT, PTSD therapy for children, Coping Cat for Anxiety for children and adolescents, and Psychiatric Management of Borderline Personality Disorder.

Education

Dr. Sumedha Purkayastha received her medical degree from Lady Hardinge Medical College in New Delhi, India. She completed her psychiatric residency at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (Elmhurst Hospital) and her child and adolescent training at Tulane University, where she served as Chief Fellow. She completed her Forensic Psychiatry fellowship at Harvard University’s Massachusetts General-Brigham Hospital. She is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Psychiatry with certification in the subspecialty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Christopher

Christopher Fischer, MD

Expertise

Forensic psychiatrist Christopher Fischer, M.D., specializes in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry. Dr. Fischer’s areas of forensic interest include psychiatric injury associated with trauma, juvenile and adult civil and criminal competencies, criminal responsibility, child neglect and sexual abuse allegations, developmental considerations in forensic evaluations, violence risk assessments for juvenile and adult offenders, juveniles as witnesses, medical/psychiatric malpractice, testamentary capacity and undue influence, malingering, disability evaluations, and fitness for duty evaluations. Dr. Fischer is a volunteer Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, Davis.

Education

University of California, Berkeley (B.A.), University of San Francisco (M.S.), University of California, San Diego (M.D.), University of California, Los Angeles (Adult Psychiatry Residency), University of Southern California (Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship), University of California, Davis (Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship)

Reema

Reema Dedania, MD, MPH

Expertise

Forensic psychiatrist Reema Dedania, MD, MPH, is available for consultation on cases including competence to stand trial, sanity at the time of the act, sentencing mitigation, psychiatric malpractice, and contested wills/trusts. She also has specialized expertise in correctional psychiatry and provides clinical care in two Atlanta jails, including serving as the medical director of a jail-based competency restoration unit. She has also led educational seminars, published scholarly work, and presented nationally on topics such as jail-based treatment including standard of medical care, malingering, competency to stand trial, immigration, and issues pertaining to national security. She has written over 100 court reports for civil and criminal proceedings. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University and serves as the Associate Program Director for the forensic psychiatry fellowship at Emory.

Education

Emory University (BS, MPH), Creighton University (MD), Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Psychiatry Residency), University Hospitals/Case Western Reserve University (Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship).

Sarah

Sarah A. Hall, PhD

Expertise

Forensic Psychologist Sarah Hall, PhD, specializes in the interface between psychological and personality factors and brain dysfunction due to injury, disease, genetic and neurological disorders, as well as disorders of learning and attention. She has been retained as a Forensic expert in over 130 cases and has provided over 13 depositions and testified at trial several times.

Education

University of California, Berkeley (A.B., M.A., PhD), Children's Hospital Oakland (Fellowship in Pediatric Neuropsychology).

Howard

Howard J. Friedman, PhD, ABPP

Expertise

Forensic Psychologist Howard Friedman, PhD, ABPP, specializes in criminal and civil cases involving brain injury, toxic exposure, impact of drug and alcohol abuse, traumatic reactions, competency, psychological injury and functioning. Howard Friedman, PhD, ABPP, is board-certified in Neuropsychology by the American Board of Professional Neuropsychology, and by the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology.

Education

Rutgers University (BA, PhD).

Christine

Christine Naber, PhD

Expertise

Forensic Neuropsychologist Christine Naber, PhD specializes in adult and geriatric neuropsychology, as well as trauma. She has served as an expert in hundreds of cases, involving personal injury, emotional distress, sexual abuse, PTSD, wrongful death, sexual harassment, employment, disability, testamentary capacity, undue influence, financial/medical capacity, criminal responsibility, trial capacity, and malingering. She has worked as a court appointed expert and testified in criminal and civil matters over 50 times. She also serves as Staff Neuropsychologist and Training Director of neuropsychology in the Department of Neurology at Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa.

Education

University of Virginia (BA in Psychology & Anthropology). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology). Southwest Consortium Doctoral Psychology Internship (APA Accredited, Neuropsychology and Cross-Cultural Psychology specializations). University of Missouri-Columbia and North Coast Health Care Centers (Postdoctoral Fellowships in Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation).

John

John M. Fabian, PsyD, JD, ABPP

Expertise

Forensic Psychologist John M. Fabian, PsyD, JD, ABPP specializes in competency to stand trial, insanity defense, Mens Rea, PTSD (with and without traumatic brian injury), violence risk assessment, recidivism, death penalty mitigation, sexual offender risk assessment, workplace risk assessment, juvenile and custody evaluations, fitness-for-duty and more

Education

University of Cincinnati (BA, MA), Chicago School of Professional Psychology (MA, PhD), Cleveland Marshall College of Law (JD), Fielding Graduate Institute (Postdoctoral Neuropsychology Certificate.)

Nancy

Nancy Hoffman, PsyD

Expertise

Geriatric neuropsychologist Nancy Hoffman PsyD focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of various forms of dementia. She also specializes in issues of capacity, conservatorship, and undue influence in older adults. She has been retained as a forensic expert in over 30 cases and has testified at trial approximately 15 times.

Education

BA Dominican University in San Rafael, PsyD California Institute of Integral Studies (APA Accredited).

Jeremy

Jeremy Blank, PsyD, QME

Expertise

Jeremy Blank, PsyD, QME, is a forensic and clinical neuropsychologist specializing in traumatic brain injury, stroke, dementia, and neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as PTSD, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, somatoform conditions, personality disorders, and effort/malingering. As a Qualified Medical Evaluator for the State of California, he specializes in workers’ compensation medicolegal cases; he also has expertise in fitness-for-duty evaluations, disability work, and determining capacity for medical and financial decision making.

Education

University of California, Davis (BS in Neurobiology/Physiology). The Wright Institute, Berkeley, CA (MA and PsyD in Clinical Psychology). Cleveland (OH) VA Hospital (Pre-Doctoral Internship, Neuropsychology). San Francisco Clinical Neurosciences (Post-Doctoral Fellowship).

William

William McMullen, PhD, ABPP-CN

Expertise

Forensic Neuropsychologist William McMullen PhD, ABPP-CN specializes in civil cases involving brain injury, epilepsy, movement disorder, stroke, other neurocognitive disorders, and questions of mental capacity. William McMullen PhD is a California Licensed Clinical Psychologist and is Board Certified in Clinical Neuropsychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.

Education

Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University (BM Music Education, Performance Certificate). Wayne State University (MA Psychology, PhD Clinical Psychology – Specialty Area: Neuropsychology). Cleveland VAMC (APA Approved Predoctoral Internship with Neuropsychology Concentration). UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute and Hospital (Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology)

Amanda

Amanda Mossman Steiner, PhD, BCBA-D

Expertise

Pediatric psychologist Amanda Mossman Steiner, PhD, BCBA-D specializes in neurodevelopmental assessment of children and adolescents. Her areas of expertise include assessment of infants and toddlers as well as individuals with autism, developmental disabilities, or other neurocognitive disorders. Dr. Steiner is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

Education

University of California, Berkeley (BA Psychology). University of California, Santa Barbara (MA and PhD in Counseling/Clinical/School Psychology). University of Colorado, Denver (Pre-Doctoral Internship, Developmental Disabilities, Pediatric Rehabilitation, and Child Neuropsychology). Yale School of Medicine – Child Study Center (Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Yale Social and Affective Neuroscience of Autism Program, Yale Toddler Developmental Disabilities Clinic).

Catherine

Catherine Marreiro, PhD

Expertise

Forensic Neuropsychologist Catherine Marreiro, PhD, ABPP-CN specializes in civil cases involving brain injury, dementia movement disorder, stroke, other neurocognitive disorders, as well as questions of mental capacity and undue influence. Catherine Marreiro, PhD is a California Licensed Clinical Psychologist and is Board Certified in Clinical Neuropsychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.

Education

Agnes Scott College (BA Psychology). Arizona State University (MA Psychology, PhD Clinical Psychology). Chicago Jesse Brown VA Medical Center (APA Approved Predoctoral Internship in Clinical Neuropsychology). University of California, Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center (Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology).

W B Barr

William B. Barr, PhD, ABPP

Expertise

Forensic Neuropsychologist William B. Barr, PhD, ABPP-CN specializes in civil and criminal cases involving traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, and neurocognitive disorders. William B. Barr, PhD is a New York Licensed Psychologist and is Board Certified in Clinical Neuropsychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. Dr. Barr has served as expert in more than 500 legal cases, including over 65 trial testimonies.

Education

University of Michigan (BS Honors in Psychology). New School for Social Research (MA Psychology, PhD Clinical Psychology). Boston VA Medical Center (APA Approved Predoctoral Internship in Clinical Neuropsychology). William B. Barr, PhD is a Professor of Neurology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine; He is also a Fellow in the Society for Clinical Neuropsychology (Div 40) of the American Psychological Association and the National Academy of Neuropsychology.

T P Swales

Thomas P. Swales, PhD, ABPP

Expertise

Forensic Neuropsychologist Thomas Swales, PhD, specializes in the evaluation and treatment of psychiatric and neurocognitive disorders across the human lifespan. He has served as an expert in hundreds of civil cases, involving personal injury, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, physical and sexual abuse, birth injury, malpractice, testamentary capacity, psychological autopsy, fitness for duty, and disability. He has also served as an expert in hundreds of criminal cases, including competence to stand trial, mental state at the time of the offense, civil commitment, violence risk assessment, and death penalty mitigation. Dr. Swales is board-certified in clinical neuropsychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology, and a fellow of the National Academy of Neuropsychology. He is Past-President of the Ohio Psychological Association, and currently the President of the Foundation for Psychology in Ohio, and a consultant to the NFL Concussion Settlement.

Education

Case Western Reserve University (B.A. and M.A. in Psychology). University of Miami (Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with specialization in health psychology/pediatric psychology). University of Oklahoma Health (APA-approved internship in clinical psychology). UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Behavior (APPCN-approved fellowship in clinical neuropsychology).

K Freece

Krista Freece, PhD, ABN

Expertise

Forensic neuropsychologist, Krista Freece, Ph.D., ABN specializes in lifespan neuropsychology and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. She has served as an expert in personal injury, disability, workers compensation, catastrophic injury, violent act, medical malpractice, environmental toxin and family court cases. She is a staff neuropsychologist at Kaiser Permanente, San Diego.

Education

University of Michigan (Bachelor of Arts, Psychology)
Madonna University (Master of Science in Clinical Psychology)
Fielding Graduate University (Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, with a concentration in Neuropsychology)
She completed an APA-approved internship at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego and her postdoctoral work in Michigan. Dr. Freece’s postdoctoral work emphasized neuropsychological evaluation and rehabilitation of traumatic brain injury in children, adolescents, and adults. She earned board certification by the American Board of Professional Neuropsychology in 2015.

K Samuelson

Kristin Samuelson, PhD

Expertise

Kristin Samuelson, PhD specializes in child and adult psychological and neuropsychological evaluations involving trauma, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, pain, and other trauma-related mental health conditions. She is a former professor and research scientist who brings over 25 years of experience as an expert witness and forensic evaluator in litigation related to traumatic stress. Dr. Samuelson has served as an expert in hundreds of civil and criminal matters, involving personal injury, emotional distress, PTSD, TBI, pain, neuropsychological functioning, child maltreatment, sexual assault, domestic violence, sexual harassment, malingering, and trauma-related criminal mitigation.

Education

University of Michigan (Bachelor of Arts, Psychology)
Madonna University (Master of Science in Clinical Psychology)
Fielding Graduate University (Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, with a concentration in Neuropsychology)
Virginia Commonwealth University (B.S. in Psychology), University of Virginia (PhD in Clinical Psychology, M.Ed. in Clinical and School Psychology), Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University/Children’s Health Council (pre-doctoral internship), and Stanford University Department of Psychiatry (post-doctoral fellowship).

Bryna

Bryna Siegel, PhD

Expertise

Forensic Autism Expert Bryna Siegel, PhD, specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, education, and social policy of autism and related conditions. She has been qualified in several US states, federal and Canadian courts as an expert on autism over 100 times. She is the founding Executive Director of the Autism Center of Northern California.

Education

New College, Sarasota (B.A.), Stanford University (M.A., PhD, and Post-Doctoral Fellowships in Adolescent Development, Developmental Psychopathology, and Psychiatric Research Methods).

Mary Spense

Mary F. Spence, PhD

Expertise

Dr. Spence has a wide array of child, adolescent and adult training and experiences, having worked in community mental health, a correctional psychiatric setting and the state hospital system, prior to a long tenure in both regional and local school settings. Her work involved by psychological evaluations and treatment for those with serious mental illness or disability, along with more common disorders such as ADHD, ASD, learning disabilities and emotional impairment.

Education

Dr. Mary F Spence graduated from the Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, with a double major in psychology and theater. She received her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Clinical and Educational Psychology from Wayne State University. She completed her internship in Ypsilanti Regional Psychiatric Hospital. She is licensed in the State of Michigan.

Services

We provide expert witness services for the full spectrum of issues at the intersection of law and human behavior, including:

Civil Law

Multi-Plaintiff Litigation (Mass Torts)
NIED/IIED
Wrongful Death
Civil Competencies/Capacities

Standard of Care

Boundary Violations
Psychopharmacology
Psychological/ Neuropsychological Testing
Psychiatric and Psychological Treatment

Employment Law

Discrimination/Wrongful Termination/Retaliation
Fitness for Duty
Risk Assessment
Claims of Abuse/Discrimination/Harassment

Probate Law

Will Contests
Testamentary Capacity
Undue Influence

Criminal Law

Criminal responsibility/NGRI/Diminished Capacity
Criminal Competencies
Sentencing Evaluations

Child & Adolescent Forensic Psychiatry

Child Custody
Child Sexual Abuse/Trauma
Juvenile Justice
Autism Spectrum Disorders

Trauma & Personal Injury Law

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Risk Assessment

Substance Abuse/Addiction

Medical Review Officer (MRO) Assessments
Professional Licensing Issues
Fitness for Duty
Criminal Responsibility

Our Medical Director or Assistant Medical Director are available to discuss your case by phone at 415-388-8040, or please send us an email at email hidden; JavaScript is required.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I retain an fpamed expert?

Please contact us for an initial consultation so we can learn about the details and timeline of your case, discuss with you which expert(s) is best suited for your needs, and answer your initial questions. We are never retained by parties to litigation (evaluees). Please ask your attorney to contact us!

What are the fees?

Following the initial phone consultation, we would be happy to provide our rate sheet, retention agreement and a preliminary budget estimate based on records size. Our expert(s) are fully retained and will start working upon receipt of the executed retention agreement and the initial retainer payment.

Do you handle mass tort (multi-plaintiff) litigation?

Yes! We have experience with the complex dynamics, logistics and ethical issues of multi-plaintiff litigation. Our experts can provide evidence-based opinions regardless of the number of plaintiffs. Our paralegal team is trained to handle large volume of records, and can create medical chronologies, summaries and other work that speeds up the review of our experts. Previous experience with mass tort litigation includes survivors of workplace shooting, train collision and bus accidents, PCB contaminated water table, mold exposures, housing discrimination (for the Civil Rights Division of USDOJ), sexual abuse claims, public utility gas pipeline explosion, massive fires etc.

Why retain both a psychiatrist and a psychologist for a single IME? Isn’t that duplicative?

Typically, the psychologist reviews any psychological records, administers psychological test to the evaluee, and provides a summary of test results and findings to the psychiatrist. The psychiatrist, as the lead expert, reviews the majority of medical records (except psychological records), depositions, and other relevant documents and data. He or she then performs a multi-hour Independent Medical Evaluation (IME) and prepares a detailed report of findings in an evidence-based opinion informed in part by the findings of the psychologist. There is no duplication between the psychologist and the psychiatrist, only complementarity. Not every case requires psychological testing. Please contact us to discuss the specifics of your case.

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Let’s talk about your case

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