Cassie Oates | Director of Litigation Discovery

Cassie Oates

Director of Litigation Discovery

Cassie Oates has a decade of experience working with software experts in large and small‑scale software failure litigation. Her litigation experience includes arbitration, bench trials, and jury trials; Ms. Oates offers expertise in document review, fact witness interviews, change management, and testing best practices. As a small-business owner prior to her specialization in litigation, Ms. Oates experienced first-hand the challenges of converting old database management into a modern CRM system. That, coupled with watching an SAP implementation fail because of poor change management practices at the corporate level, has given Ms. Oates unique insight into the customer side of software failure.

In addition to her work in litigation discovery, Ms. Oates specializes in deposition and testimony preparation for arbitration and trial.

Areas of Expertise

  • Project Management and Complex Problem Solving
    • Ability to trouble-shoot in the moment, assess, and mitigate risk including those related to interpersonal relationships and challenges in organizational change management
    • Comfortable with all levels of vendor management, including requests for proposal, negotiations, contracting, accounts payable/receivable and invoicing.
  • Litigation Support
    • Success working for a challenging pre-eminent academic and courtroom voice in the field of software failure. Helped uncover the story and identify key facts for both plaintiff and defendant; both customer and integrator.
    • Identified the most important documents among tens of thousands in a project’s lifecycle to highlight the narrative of what happened in a software implementation for an arbitrator, judge or jury. Able to recognize project-critical documents which have been omitted.
    • Assisted in expert witness deposition and trial preparation. Assisted in creating interview questions as well as conducting client/percipient witness interviews and site visits.
    • Handled and interpreted discovery research, beginning from contract and complaint, and narrowing down to key personnel’s relevant emails, project plans, and steering committee minutes. Developed tracking methods for value of project management documents. Understand the difference between usable facts presented in project tracking as opposed to “rosier than actual” or misleading, unusable metrics.
    •  Wrote, edited, and provided feedback for expert reports and rebuttal reports.
  • Records Management
    • Effectively managed 100,000+ documents with millions of pages for large-scale system failure litigation matters, including capturing and maintaining key passages from hundreds of documents to be used in expert reports.
    • Efficiently summarized hundreds of pages of deposition to isolate key points which led to critical facts for the expert report.
    • Organized expert report drafts including references and external support backing up customer and integrator history.
    • Comfortable collaborating with counsel and customer representatives to appropriately access Sharepoint and internal legacy document management software. Developed a method to track video game samples; established budget procedures for sales staff.
    • Adroit adopter of new technology.

Litigation Consulting

  • Keller Holdings LLC and RLDGROUP v. Automattic Inc., and Matt Mullenweg |
    Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
    Case Number: 3:25-cv-01892
    Counsel: Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP, Tycko & Zavareei LLP
    Nature of Suit: Class Action
  • Originate Inc. v. Moauro Archer & O’Neill LLP, et al. |
    Jurisdiction: US District Court, Northern District of California
    Case Number: 3:22-cv-07461
    Counsel: Dykema Gossett PLLC
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract
  • Linked Inclusion Corp. v. Technology Dynamics, Inc., Cerebral Blue LLC, et al. |
    Jurisdiction: CA Superior Court, San Diego County
    Case Number: 37-2D23-00051085
    Counsel: Behmer & Blackford LLP
    Nature of Suit: Trade Secret
  • Chase Global Services v. Protech Solutions Inc. |
    Jurisdiction: AR Civil Division, Circuit Court of Pulaski County
    Case Number: 60-cv-19-739
    Counsel: McDaniel Wolff PLLC
    Nature of Suit: Trade Secret
  • Coupa Software Inc. and LLamasoft LLC v. Optilogic, Inc., et al. |
    Jurisdiction: US District Court, District of Delaware
    Case Number: 1:24-cv-01275
    Counsel: eliteXprts
    Nature of Suit: Copyright
  • Deltux Software Company Inc., v. Apptivo, Inc., et al. |
    Jurisdiction: Superior Court of California, Orange County
    Case Number: 30-2021-01195551
    Counsel: Burkhalter Kessler Clement & George LLP
    Nature of Suit: Trade Secret
    Technology: Mobile Apps, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Geo-Analytics
  • I.A.T.S.E. National Health & Welfare Fund v. Avenu Insights & Analytics LLC, and CPAS Systems Inc. |
    Jurisdiction: Supreme Court of NY, New York County
    Case Number: 650787/2024
    Counsel: DLA Piper LLP
    Nature of Suit: Breach-of-Contract
  • Marriott Vacation World v. Infosys LLC |
    Jurisdiction: Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services (JAMS)
    Counsel: Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP
    Nature of Suit: IT Managed Services, Breach of Contract
    Technology: IT Managed Services
  • Vimo Inc d/b/a GetInsured v. Deloitte Consulting LLP |
    Jurisdiction: Superior Court of CA, County of Santa Clara
    Case Number: G-24-7-NA, 22-cv-405262
    Counsel: Kirkland & Ellis LLP
    Nature of Suit: Trade Secret, Breach of Contract
  • Mudflap, Inc v. Trucker Path, Inc |
    Jurisdiction: Judicial Arbitration & Mediation Services, Inc. (JAMS)
    Case Number: 5100001313
    Counsel: Carr McClellan P.C.
    Nature of Suit: Trade Secret
  • MIADVG, LLC v. V2Solutions, Inc|
    Jurisdiction: American Arbitration Association, Santa Clara, California
    Case Number: 01-23-0000-2561
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract
    Counsel: Palmieri, Tyler, Wiener, Wilhelm & Waldron LLP
  • dmarcian, Inc v. DMARC Advisor BV |
    Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, Asheville
    Case Number: 1:21−cv−00067−MR
    Counsel: Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
    Nature of Suit: Copyright
  • Confidential Customer v. Confidential Vendor |
    Jurisdiction: Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services (JAMS)
    Case Number: 5450000478
    Counsel: Stinson LLP
    Nature of Suite: Software Dispute, Breach of Contract
  • LKQ Corporation v. Overall Parts Solutions |
    Jurisdiction: Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware
    Case Number: 2022-0036
    Counsel: Jones Day
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract
  • WIPRO Limited v. First Data Government Solutions, LP |
    Jurisdiction: District Court, D. Nebraska
    Case Number: 4:22-cv-03116-JMG-MDN
    Counsel: IMS Consulting & Expert Services
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract
  • AlmondNet Inc v. Amazon.com Inc |
    Jurisdiction: Western District of Texas
    Case Number: 6:21-cv-00898-ADA
    Counsel: Russ August & Kabat
    Nature of Suit: Patent
  • Best Ring, LLC v. Ronin POS, LLC |
    Jurisdiction: USDC Western District of Texas Waco Division
    Case Number: 6:22-CV-00766-ADA
    Counsel: Naman, Howell, Smith & Lee, PLLC
    Nature of Suit: Patent, Copyright, Trade Secret
  • K+S Potash Canada General Partnership v. Veolia Water Technologies Inc |
    Jurisdiction: Court Of Queen’s Bench For Saskatchewan
    Case Number: QB No. 817 (filed 2018)
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract
    Counsel: Stikeman Elliott LLP
    Technology: Plant Design Management Systems (PDMS), Clash Detection, Database synchronization
    Role: Electronic Discovery and Document Review Lead
  • FastTrac Transportation, LLC v. Pedigree Technologies, LLC |
    Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota
    Case Number: 3:22-CV-00053-PDW-ARS
    Counsel: Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract
  • OpenText Corporation v. Softil, Inc |
    Jurisdiction: American Arbitration Association
    Case Number: AAA 01-22-0001-8608-20361
    Counsel: Vedder Price
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract
  • ClubReady LLC v. Xponential Fitness |
    Jurisdiction: American Arbitration Association
    Case Number: AAA 01-21-0017- 8081-20347
    Counsel: Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract
  • 1-800 Hansons LLC v. Rightpoint Consulting LLC |
    Jurisdiction: American Arbitration Association
    Counsel: Honigman LLP
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract
  • Truinject Corp. v. Nestle Skin Health, S.A. |
    Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
    Case Number: 4:20-cv-457
    Counsel: Kasowitz Benson Torres, LLP & Beus Gilbert McGroder, PLLC
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract
  • FinancialApps, LLC v. Envestnet, Inc and Yodlee, Inc |
    Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware
    Case Number: 19-cv-01337 – 20177
    Counsel: Kasowitz, Benson & Torres LLP
    Nature of Suit: Trade Secret and Copyright
  • JK Soft, Inc v. Innoas, Inc |
    Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
    Case Number: Civil Action Number: 2:18-cv-00199 (WJM)(MF)
    Counsel: Choi Law Group
    Nature of Suit: Trade Secret and Copyright
  • Ventive LLC v. Title Pipe, Inc |
    Jurisdiction: American Arbitration Association
    Counsel: Mooney Wieland
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract
  • Appian Corporation v. Pegasystems, Inc & Youyoung Zou |
    Jurisdiction: Circuit Court of Fairfax County, Virginia
    Case Number: 2020-07216
    Counsel: Choate Hall & Stewart LLP
    Nature of Suit: Trade Secret and Copyright
  • Mueller Supply Company, Inc D/B/A Mueller, Inc v.
    JNL Steel Components, Inc and Web Plant Media, LLC
    |
    Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas San Angelo Division
    Case Number: 6:21-CV-00036-H
    Counsel: Foley and Lardner LLP
    Nature of Suit: Trade Secret and Copyright
  • Manipal Education Americas, LLC v. Campus Management Corp. |
    Jurisdiction: American Arbitration Association
    Case Number: 01-19-0003-0449
    Counsel: Egozi & Bennett, P.A.
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract
  • Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Dept. of Labor and Industry v. International Business Machines Corp. |
    Jurisdiction: Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
    Case Number: 2017-CV-1740-CV
    Counsel: Jones Day
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract
  • ECI Software Solutions, Inc v. John Plyler Plumbing and Hardware, Inc |
    Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas Dallas Division
    Case Number: 3:18-cv-02758-S
    Counsel: Greenberg Traurig, LLP
    Nature of Suit: Trade Secret and Copyright
  • Toms Shoes v. Infosys |
    Jurisdiction: Mediation
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract
  • American Type Culture Collection v. Armanino, LLP |
    Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court Eastern District of Virginia (Alexandria Division)
    Case Number: 1:2017cv01235
    Counsel: Holland & Knight LLP
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract
  • Iowa Workforce Development |
    Counsel: Special Litigation Division, Office of the Attorney General of Iowa
    Nature of Consultation: Discussion of Breach of Contract
  • Electronic Transaction Consultants Corporation v. Miami-Dade County Expressway Authority |
    Jurisdiction: Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Miami-Dade County, Florida
    Case Number: 12-46272CA10
    Counsel: Vezina, Lawrence and Piscitelli
    Nature of Suit: Retrial of Breach of Contract
  • America’s Collectibles Network, Inc d/b/a Jewelry Television v. Sterling Commerce (America), Inc |
    Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville
    Case Number: 3:09-cv-143
    Counsel: Kilpatrick Townsend
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract
  • H.B. Fuller Corp. v. Accenture, LLP |
    Jurisdiction: American Arbitration Association
    Counsel: Bowman & Brooke/ Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract
  • Xerox State and Local Solutions, Inc f/k/a ACS State & Local Solutions, Inc v.
    Xchanging Solutions USA, Inc f/k/a Albion, Inc and Xchanging Solutions Limited f/k/a Cambridge Solutions Limited
    |
    Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court Southern District of New York
    Case Number: 13 Civ. 3472 (LLS)
    Nature of Suit: Breach of Contract

Meet More of Our Experts

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Eric Koskinen | Senior Computer Scientist
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Dr. Eric Koskinen has expertise ranging from operating systems, networks, and servers to high-level concepts such as software architecture and compilers. Currently, he is an endowed Assistant Professor at Stevens Institute, and holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Cambridge.

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Jerry Lee Barth | Principal Consultant
Principal Consultant Spokane

Jerry Lee Barth specializes in source code analysis and technical consulting for litigation involving patents, trade secrets, and software disputes. With a background in computer science and experience across wireless, streaming, and embedded systems, he helps legal teams translate complex technology into clear arguments.

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Tom Ashley | Senior Software Consultant
Senior Software Consultant Washington D.C.

Tom Ashley has fourteen years of experience in the IT profession, utilizing analytic procedures to generate expert reports on various software-related matters. He employs structured data analytics to forensically analyze project schedule delays, assess software performance, and conduct data-based comparisons of program source code and user interfaces to identify potential instances of copying.

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Josh Mathew | Software Consultant
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Nenad Medvidović | Senior Computer Scientist
Professor of Computer Science, USC Los Angeles

Nenad Medvidović is a Professor and Associate Chair for Ph.D. Affairs in the Computer Science Department at the University of Southern California. He has been deposed and testified at trial numerous times in patent infringement cases.

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