Na Dawson, Vice President
On joining up
I had worked with Keith Ugone, the Dallas office managing principal, for several years at another firm, doing litigation support work. When he opened the office here for Analysis Group, I was thrilled and decided to join. I had researched Analysis Group on the web after I heard about the Dallas office. I was impressed with the credentials of the professionals, the business model of providing in-house expert testimony and working with top academics, and the firm's collaborative culture.
Dallas office
The Dallas office thrives on litigation! Almost all of our case work involves litigation. A lot of our cases end up going to trial, so it can get pretty intense here. Since so many patent infringement suits are filed in Texas, I work on a lot of patent cases. I also work on breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, lost earnings, antitrust, and security cases. I work with attorneys all over the country in addition to those in Texas, and really enjoy working with colleagues from other Analysis Group offices.
Challenging work
Some cases are more challenging than others. I worked on a case that followed a major airplane crash in which we evaluated the economic damages to the surviving family members. Obviously, there are a lot of emotional issues involved in this type of case. Our job was to focus on the economic side of the case – quantifying lost earnings to the decedents' families. The circumstances of this case made it especially challenging for me.
Working mom
For me, one of the motivating factors to join Analysis Group was the company's culture. I enjoy the "flat" structure, in which collaboration is strongly encouraged. Also, I have a young daughter and know that there are many other mothers in the firm, working either full time or part time. We all work hard, but I try to make up the time with my daughter after a project is over. It is not always easy to keep a balanced work life in our line of work, but the firm's culture is encouraging.