FOR ATTORNEYS

It is important, even crucial, to have an attorney who understands the technical issues where engineers and engineering are involved in legal actions.  Mr. Sowell has that understanding, gained from many years as a consulting process engineer world-wide. 

For matters that involve expert witnesses, California law requires an attorney to "understand the substantive details of the expert's testimony and field of expertise." (Forensis Group, Inc. v. Frantz, Townsend & Foldenauer (2005), 130 Cal.App.4th 14, quoting California Expert Witness Guide (Cont.Ed.Bar 2d ed. 2005) ("CEB treatise"), section 8.29, page 291)  The court in Forensis also said "it is the lawyer's responsibility to make sure that his or her [the expert's] expertise is presented to the trier of fact in an admissible and persuasive way."  (Ibid) Where a lawsuit involves experts in refineries or petrochemical plants or other process plants, Mr. Sowell can meet that standard. 

Many attorneys have found that engineers are a "different breed" and are sometimes difficult to communicate with or understand.  If you or your partners or associates have a case involving an engineer or a refinery or process plant, then Mr. Sowell urges you to contact him for assistance.

Because of his unique background of more than 20 years as a refinery process engineer, Mr. Sowell can be of great value in areas such as preparing for and conducting depositions of engineer expert witnesses and other technical people, preparing witnesses for trial, also direct and cross-examining lay witnesses and experts.  

He is also valuable in answering or preparing complaints, preparing and answering interrogatories, preparing and responding to discovery requests, and analyzing documents and other items produced during discovery.

Having Roger Sowell on your team can be the difference in the outcome of the case. As an attorney with more than 20 years as a consultant and process engineer world-wide, Mr. Sowell's ability to quickly and accurately get to the heart of the matter is a valuable asset that he can bring to you and your legal team.

Refineries and other process plants are highly complex and specialized systems, with literally hundreds, if not thousands, of items linked in specific ways to achieve the plant's purposes.  These plants are designed, operated, repaired, improved, and expanded by several types of engineers.   These include chemical engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, environmental engineers, corrosion engineers, metallurgical engineers, and others.

In addition to engineers, these process plants typically employ non-engineers as process operators, maintenance technicians, laboratory technicians, information technology specialists, process control technicians, and others.  These employees and contractors have specialized technical knowledge that may be as difficult to understand as is an engineer.

And, because most cases settle before trial, Mr. Sowell can assist in the negotiations process by evaluating the strengths and weaknesses in the case, then by interacting smoothly with engineers, technicians, and attorneys on both sides. 

Mr. Sowell is admitted in California and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.  He is eligible to practice in other jurisdictions pro hac vice.