The Role of the Geologist in Litigation Support: A Chemical Fire Case Study
Presented by Thomas J. Morahan, P.G.
After a community was exposed to toxins from a major fire, the plaintiff's lawyers needed to build a team of scientists to demonstrate that the nearby chemical manufacturing defendant had placed nearby residents in harm’s way. Initially, engineers performed air modeling and industrial hygienists unsuccessfully tried to measure air releases after the fact. Ultimately, the case settled quickly based on chemical fate and transport data provided by the lead scientist: a geologist. This presentation reviews the process of being accepted as a court qualified expert, the steps litigators undertake to prosecute a legal strategy, the hurdles they must cross to move cases through discovery, and the thought processes and actions necessary to acquire the data on which settlements are based. From matters such as standard practice to issues of data quality, any geologist may need to defend his or her work on any past project at any time or be asked to provide litigation support in other matters. Using the above settlement and other examples, this presentation helps prepare the geologist for his or her day in court.
Contact us about sponsoring this meeting!
Approval for one Professional Development Hour for licensed professionals is pending!
Thomas J. Morahan is President of the Buffalo Association of Professional Geologists and is the outreach coordinator for the NYSCPG Board of Directors. He is also a Principal Scientist at New York State Professional Geological Services, PLLC and the founder of egroup where he trains aspiring earth and environmental science professionals on projects and provides technical on-boarding services. Mr. Morahan holds a BA in Geology from Rutgers University as well as an MS in Geology both with concentrations in chemistry and currently chairs the Sustainability Technical Coordinating Committee of the International Air & Waste Management Association. He is also the Technical Program Manager for the upcoming AWMA conference on Environmental Justice to be held in Washington DC in October 2023. Mr. Morahan is licensed to practice geology in New York and Alabama, the location of the chemical fire case study example used in this presentation, and has provided litigation support in a variety of cases including expert testimony in federal court.
Dinner included in price. Please use the registration form to select your meal choice.
5:30-6:30 pm Registration and Social Hour (cash bar)
6:30-7:30 pm Dinner
7:00 - 8:00 Presentation
