Associate Damages and Valuations

Survey and statistical analysis expert Dr. Samantha Iyengar joins Secretariat as Managing Director. August 18, 2026 With deep expertise in survey research, sampling, and statistical analysis, Dr. Iyengar expands Secretariat's capabilities in high-stakes intellectual property, class action, and commercial disputes. Secretariat is pleased to announce that Dr. Samantha Iyengar has joined as a Managing Director in the firm's San Francisco office. A highly respected expert bringing more than 15 years of experience in survey research, statistical sampling, and consumer behavior analysis, Dr. Iyengar is engaged by clients and counsel to address complex questions in intellectual property, product liability, class action, mass tort, and commercial disputes. Dr. Iyengar has extensive experience designing and conducting surveys related to trademarks, trade dress, patents, false advertising, and consumer claims. She is particularly regarded for her expertise in conjoint surveys and analysis, which have been used to evaluate allegations of patent infringement, false advertising, and product liability claims, including Lanham Act and consumer class action matters, product defect, and mislabeling. Her analyses have been incorporated into damages models that address critical issues such as price premiums, reasonable royalties, and lost profits. Beyond survey research, Dr. Iyengar has designed and evaluated statistical sampling plans used to analyze large populations of documents and records in contract, payment, and commercial disputes. A seasoned testifying expert, she has testified at trial and in deposition on the application of surveys, sampling methodologies, and statistical analysis across a wide range of litigation matters. Prior to joining Secretariat, Dr. Iyengar served as an Assistant Professor at both the University of Michigan-Flint and the University of Idaho, where she taught courses in social research methods. She holds a PhD and MA in Sociology from the University of Iowa, as well as an MA in Sociology and a BA in Sociology and Anthropology from the University of Montana. Dr. Iyengar is also a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the American Statistical Association (ASA). Latest insights. News | august 18, 2026. Tanner Weil provided an expert report and testimony on behalf of Air Liquide, a multinational supplier of industrial gases and related services, in a construction dispute arbitration surrounding the development and construction of an anaerobic digester biogas facility in Pennsylvania. The unanimous arbitration panel awarded more than $25.4 million, an amount determined directly from Mr. Weil's analysis and testimony. News | august 14, 2026. During Peru's 2026 presidential election, Secretariat's Arnold Y. Castillo was retained by a major political party to conduct an independent assessment of identified anomalies and determine whether the available evidence justified further technical scrutiny. News | july 30, 2026. Legionnaires' disease and the detection of Legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease, are once again making headlines. For building owners and operators, it is critical to understand where risks exist, how to maintain effective monitoring practices, and how to respond if and when detections occur.

Dr. Sarahann Rackl, a leading chemical and microbial contamination expert, joins Secretariat as Managing Director. July 16, 2026 As organizations face increasingly complex environmental challenges involving PFAS, microplastics, water quality, and product liability, Dr. Rackl brings more than two decades of experience helping clients investigate these issues, identify root causes, and navigate evolving regulatory requirements. Secretariat is pleased to welcome Dr. Sarahann Rackl, an industry-leading expert in chemical and microbial contamination, as a Managing Director to its growing Engineering Sciences practice. Dr. Rackl brings more than two decades of experience in applying her civil and environmental engineering expertise to help clients navigate complex environmental issues including per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and microplastics, microbial contamination, product liability, and product stewardship. Dr. Rackl frequently leads complex, multidisciplinary investigations to conduct root cause analyses and identify the sources of microbial and chemical contamination in engineered systems and environments. Often, her analyses involve examinations into the source of PFAS, other chemicals of concern, or Legionella and other waterborne pathogens, helping organizations understand root causes of contamination, assess risks, and develop practical, sustainable solutions. For nearly a decade, a significant portion of Dr. Rackl's work has focused on PFAS. She has supported clients in understanding and responding to evolving federal and state regulations regarding PFAS, microplastics, 1,4-dioxane, bisphenols, metals, and other chemicals of concern. Her experience includes PFAS source assessment, manufacturing root-cause analysis, water and industrial wastewater treatment, assessment of analytical chemistry data, and evaluation of potential PFAS releases following industrial fires and explosions. In addition to her work involving PFAS and chemical contamination, Dr. Rackl has extensive experience investigating complex microbial contamination matters involving critical emerging opportunistic microbial pathogens such as Legionella, Mycobacterium (Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC)), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Her work spans drinking water distribution and storage infrastructure, large building plumbing systems, and manufacturing operations. Her microbial contamination expertise focuses on helping clients assess contamination risks, identify root causes, evaluate remediation strategies, and address operational and regulatory concerns. Dr. Rackl also extends her contamination expertise to product liability, product stewardship, and compliance matters. As organizations navigate an increasingly complex landscape of federal and state chemicals-of-concern regulations beyond California's Proposition 65, Dr. Rackl helps clients address the challenges of these nuanced regulations and stay ahead of the rapidly changing environment by developing sustainable product stewardship programs and evaluating contamination risks across product lines, manufacturing operations, and supply chains. Her experience includes supporting matters involving PFAS-related false advertising claims, Proposition 65 claims, and other product-related matters that often require critical evaluation of analytical chemistry data. "Our clients are facing growing challenges around PFAS, microbial contamination, and product liability," said Managing Director Eric Guyer. "Sarahann has a remarkable ability to get to the root cause of these issues and help clients make sense of complex scientific and regulatory issues. We're thrilled to welcome her to the team." Before joining Secretariat, Dr. Rackl served as a Principal Engineer at a multinational engineering and scientific consulting firm, where she advised clients across a broad range of environmental, water quality, product stewardship, and regulatory matters. Throughout her career, she has built a reputation for helping organizations solve complex scientific and engineering challenges while effectively communicating technical issues to regulators, legal counsel, business leaders, and other stakeholders. Dr. Rackl earned her PhD and MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder and her BS in Biology from the College of William & Mary. She is a licensed Professional Engineer and an active member of the American Water Works Association. Latest insights. Article | july 15, 2026. eDiscovery is entering a new era, where AI-powered review and chat-based communications are challenging assumptions about data completeness and requiring organisations to focus on governance, explainability, and defensible decision-making. News | july 8, 2026. The continued growth of e-bike adoption has been accompanied by risks related to lithium-ion batteries, including fires and explosions. Recent developments in incident data, standards, and litigation trends suggest several important considerations for manufacturers, distributors, insurers, and counsel. Article | june 30, 2026. FCPA enforcement trends analyzed by geography. Discover where bribery risk is concentrated and how it impacts global compliance, investigations and risk management.