Provides expert support to projects involving litigious or contentious subjects. These expert witness services are founded on chemistry principles and proper application of scientific methods. 
Science, if understood and done correctly, does not lie. That is why science-baked evidence is your best offense or defense in litigation and criminal proceedings. Selecting the right expert witness for your legal matter is an important decision. It is imperative to select a subject matter expert that not only has the necessary experience and qualifications, but also has a demeanor that is engaging and can provide simplified explanations of technical matters.
The experts at Chemistry Matters have all these skills. We understand the importance of clear, effective communication. We have been qualified as testifying experts and have provided expert witness support and testimony in both Canada and the USA in a variety of forums from criminal cases to litigious cases in provincial/state and federal courts. We are respected amongst our peers as we continue to give technical presentations, publish scientific articles, and teach on our areas of expertise.
Chemistry Matters has assisted attorneys and clients to obtain a positive outcome by:
- Providing a critical understanding of scientific concepts and forensic analysis
- Maintaining honesty and transparency to increase credibility with all involved parties
- Developing legal sampling plans that ensure high data quality and statistical integrity
- Handling sample collection and documentation to meet legal chain of custody standards
- Performing data interpretation with univariate and multivariate statistical analysis
- Distilling complex scientific and statistical analysis using compelling data visualizations
- Communicating results in understandable language for judiciary proceedings or public forums
- Providing cohesive investigation support from study design and sampling to data interpretation and testifying
- Legal Sampling
- Chain of Custody
- Study Design
- Data Analysis and Visualization
- Data Wrangling
- Multivariate Statistical Analysis
- Principle Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster (HCA)
- Science Communication
- Data Science / Big Data
- Multidimensional Gas Chromatography (GC×GC)
- Source Apportionment
- Fingerprinting
- Diagnostic Ratios
- Clandestine Laboratories
- Fate and Transport
- Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
- Incidental PCBs
- Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins and Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs, Dioxins)
- Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
- Ignitable Liquid Residue (ILR)
- Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH/PHCs F1 to F4)
- Gasoline
- Condensate
- Diesel
- Crude Oil
- Petroleum Biomarkers
- Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzenes, Xylenes (BTEX)
- Natural Toluene
- Metals
- Extended Metals
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
- Petroleum Gases
- Noble Gases
- PERC and Chlorinated Solvents
- Isotopes
- Salt
- Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
- Creosote and Coal Tar
- Perchlorate
- Meth and Related Compounds
- Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
- Cannabis
- Naphthenic Acids
Let’s discuss how Chemistry Matters can help with your litigation support needs
Presentations Relevant to Expert Services
When should I hire an expert witness?
The simple answer is as soon as possible, especially if you think the analysis of data will become evidence or as part of a legal proceeding. In the most defensible situation,an expert witness should be part of the entire process from experimental study design, collection and analysis of appropriate samples and chemicals of interest, data interpretation and communication. However, the reality can be wide-ranging. Situations may develop when cases evolve towards litigation after routine collection of scientific data or you may be party to a complex proceeding where there is regulatory or third-party control over sampling design, sample collection and analytical programs. These situations still require forensic data analysis to identify limitations and data gaps.
Chemistry Matters provides expert support for all components of your case or investigation, which includes what happens before data is collected. We can provide statistical and defensible experimental/sampling design, improved chemistry data requirements, legal sampling advice or chain of custody execution, comprehensive data analysis and statistical interpretation, and visualization of results for effective communication. The Chemistry Matters team ensures that the full process is correctly performed and can stand up to legal scrutiny.
How does Chemistry Matters assist attorneys and clients?
- Developing defensible legal sampling plans and data quality objectives
- Handling sample collection & documentation to meet legal chain of custody standards
- Performing data interpretation with understandable statistical analysis (univariate and multivariate analysis)
- Providing data visualization to effectively communicate results
- Explaining and communicating complex results in understandable language for judiciary proceedings or public forums
What kind of Expert Support does CMI provide clients?
We can provide both testifying and non-testifying support for your case. We support all components of your case from design and strategy to testimony. We can provide statistical and defensible experimental/sampling design, improved chemistry data requirements, legal sampling advice or chain of custody execution, comprehensive data analysis and statistical interpretation, and visualization of results for effective communication. The Chemistry Matters team ensures that the full process is correctly performed and can stand up to legal scrutiny.
Projects & Case History
Chemistry Matters has provided litigation and expert witness support to many cases that included legal sampling, data validation and interpretation, and expert witness testimony. Projects have included:
Sampling & Analysis
- Source determination and fingerprinting of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Petroleum Hydrocarbons for use in litigation
- Sampling, testing and report development for Environmental Forensics Investigation of contamination of river sediments
- Petroleum Hydrocarbon fingerprinting to determine source of soil and groundwater contamination for cases involving large Alberta oil company
- Sample collection and analysis of Ignitable Liquid Residue (ILRs) analysis to determine presence and source of accelerant for arsonous wildfire cases
- Investigate alleged exposure to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) for class action lawsuit
- Investigate alleged exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) for class action lawsuit
Data Interpretation & Validation
- Validate data gathered and review opposing counsel data various legal cases
- Interpret biomonitoring data for various legal cases
Expert Support & Testimony
- Serve as plaintiff expert for toxicology case, including investigating exposure and impact of contamination through biomonitoring
- Develop expert reports and testify on fundamentals of PCDD/Fs and fingerprinting PCDD/Fs for case regarding source of contaminants
- Sampling, reporting and testimony for various North American arsonous wildfire cases
- Provide expert opinion on persistent organic pollutant (POP) measurements for class action lawsuits
Want to know more about our project & case history?
