2017 National Finance & Banking Awards

8 CORP AMERICA / 2017 National Finance & Banking Awards , Westlake Trial Consulting, LLC is an award-winning trail consulting firmbased in Austin, Texas. We spoke to President Matthew Ferrara to find out more about how it has come to achieve the success it enjoys today. Trial Consulting Specialists of the Year 2017 - Texas Westlake Trial Consulting, LLC, is a full-service trial consulting firm specializing in small group research, witness preparation, and trial observation. Supporting some of the nation’s largest law firms, Westlake Trial Consulting, LLC offer services in both criminal and civil cases. Regardless of the type of case the practice work on, their goal is to help their clients prevail, in mediation or trial. To achieve this, the firm has to stay at the forefront of emerging developments across the legal industry and beyond. Whilst this may sound like a daunting task, Matthew is eager to explain how his staff are more than capable of rising to the challenge thanks to their focus on excellence and dedication to client service. “In order to stay at the forefront of our industry, at Westlake Trial Consulting, LLC we are constantly reading research articles and conducting our own research, on a case by case basis. We also network with our many friends in the legal and trial consulting industry, learning from their innovations and successes. Within our firm, we emphasize a culture of team work, which is built upon relationships, competence, and autonomy. We know that strong, independent, knowledgeable trial consultants can have the greatest impact upon the cases we work on. We share our corporate values with every client, with the goal of helping them become increasingly competent.” Drawing his vast experience in trial consulting Matthew has strong experience of the market which he is eager to share with us. “The most daunting challenge facing trial consultants, and trial attorneys, is the disappearing civil trial. Each year there are fewer and fewer civil trials. Many state’s legislatures have passed laws curtailing the ability to file lawsuits or the size of awards. To overcome this challenge, we are working with the Civil Jury Project sponsored by the New York University Law School in an effort to analyse and, hopefully, help remedy the problem of the disappearing civil trial. “In addition, with fewer legal cases going to trial, there is increased competition among trial consultants for the few cases that end up in the courtroom. We have tried to adjust our reimbursement model by doing such things as working on a contingency basis. We have also diversified our services so clients have more choice and more control over costs.” Working around these developments will be the firm’s ongoing focus, and as such it is seeking to expand its service offering and move into new markets, as Matthew concludes. K Company: Westlake Trial Consulting, LLC Contact: Matthew Ferrara Email: [email protected] Address: 2500 West William Cannon, Suite 703, Austin, Texas, 78745, USA Phone: 001 512 708 0502 Website: www.westlaketrialconsulting.com “In the future, Westlake Trial Consulting, LLC will expand upon its pro bono work. We already offer pro bono services through the Pro Bono Committee of the American Society of Trial Consulting. We hope to expand our services and be of assistance in more of these cases so that we can build upon our current success.”