At IMS, we believe our people are our greatest asset. In honor of our incredible team, we are thrilled to go “beyond the bio” and share the personal stories of employees across our organization.
In the courtroom, technology can make or break a case. That’s where Jeff Dahm and Stephanie Bubel come in. As members of the IMS Trial Presentation department, they help their team “Operate as One” to ensure that our clients’ legal presentations are flawless and impactful. Read on to learn how Jeff and Stephanie became masters of trial technology, what they enjoy most about their work, and why they predict virtual hearings are here to stay.
Jeff Dahm, Director of Trial Presentation
Jeff Dahm “fell” into the trial presentation field more than 25 years ago and now directs a nationwide team of trial technology experts. Having spent thousands of hours in the “hot seat,” Jeff knows what it takes to deliver a great presentation in any courtroom or online setting. He has a true passion for the field and for helping clients and colleagues alike perform at their best.
Q: How did you get into this industry?
A: I fell into this industry after college. I saw a job posting in the career center in 1996 (before the internet) for a jury consulting firm that needed a research analyst—what we call a jury research coordinator at IMS. I liked the industry but quickly realized the jury research job was not for me.
While working at this firm, I met a woman whose husband was starting a company that set up computers in courtrooms for presenting evidence to juries, and I was very intrigued. I interviewed with him and was hired as the presentation company’s first employee. They taught me everything I needed to know to be a trial technician.
Q: How did you find IMS?
A: I had been in the “hot seat” for over 20 years and was working as a technology consultant at The Focal Point when it joined with IMS in 2019. I now serve as the Director of Technology & Trial Presentation and oversee a team across the country.
Q: What do you like most about your specific department/role?
A: Anyone who knows me knows the passion I have for trial presentation. My team is so talented, supportive, and just so much fun to work with in this wild and crazy industry. I cherish my corner of IMS and my team members.
Q: What internal accomplishment are you most proud of?
A: I am very proud of TrialLink® and our Zoom studio product. We worked hard to develop our virtual trial services, and that effort shines through in every feature, from hosting a remote hearing to setting up a full broadcast studio.
Q: Are there any other stories you’d like to share?
A: One of my favorite highlights was going to the All Employee Meeting in Pensacola in 2019—right after The Focal Point was acquired—and getting to meet everyone and celebrate IMS for a couple of days. I really enjoy my colleagues, and it was so nice to see everyone together.
Q: What do you think sets IMS apart from competitors or other companies?
A: IMS has the most talented and diverse group of consultants of any trial consulting firm. We span the entire US and UK, supporting several international markets. It’s impressive to see the wide spectrum of clients and cases we can handle.
Q: How do the IMS core values align with your own?
A: The IMS core values are the cornerstone of how I run the Trial Presentation department. I feel “Ownership Thinking” and “Quality & Excellence” are two of the most important values to my team’s workflow and our service to clients.
Q: If you were an attorney-client, what would you find most valuable about the process at IMS?
A: IMS is a one-stop shop for litigators. Our clients get the best in class from each facet of trial support they need—all the way through presentation in the courtroom.
Q: Do you have any predictions or comments on industry trends?
A: The demand for trial presentation services increased three-fold once the COVID closures were over. With there being a video conference component in quite a few trials now, it has become more important than ever to have a professional technician assist with trial presentations. It’s not as easy to have your paralegal do the presentations in this new environment.
Q: What has been your favorite case to work on so far?
A: My favorite case in my 25-year career is Jemez v. USA. A tribe in New Mexico was trying to reclaim their sacred land from the government. They were unsuccessful in this case, but it set up talks with the Department of the Interior to negotiate getting their land back. I received a piece of Jemez black and white pottery as a thank-you, and it is one of my most prized possessions.
Stephanie Bubel, Senior Technology Consultant
With a background in architecture and graphic design, Stephanie Bubel understands what it takes to develop an effective courtroom presentation—from conceptualization to execution and the complicated technical components in between. This experience also makes her a trusted resource for presentation technology and multimedia questions, which she is always happy to answer. Lately, Stephanie has also been supporting clients on projects involving pre-trial research.
Q: How did you get into this industry?
A: I graduated from Texas A&M in 2013 and was looking at different creative career opportunities. This field was one of the most interesting choices with a wide variety of things I would get to learn. I started as a Graphic Designer/Litigation Consultant at Barnes & Roberts (which later joined with The Focal Point).
Q: How did you find IMS?
A: I was with Barnes & Roberts for four years, then did some design and presentation work outside of the trial consulting field before joining IMS. I knew some of the core members since TFP had been acquired, and I was excited to learn from the bigger team.
Q: What do you like most about your specific department/role?
A: In the IMS Trial Presentation department, we spend a significant amount of time prepping videos and witness depositions for court. Lately, with the amount of Zoom meetings and focus groups, we also do a lot of work recording clients and editing their presentations for mock trials. I’ve spent most of this last year on mock jury trial recordings, and I’ve enjoyed getting to work with clients and helping them give the best presentations to mock jurors.
I also very much enjoy collaborating with fellow employees in my department; everyone is always willing to lend a hand if asked.
Q: What do you think sets IMS apart from competitors or other companies?
A: We bring an extra layer of knowledge and care to each case; we try to use everything in our toolboxes to give our clients 110% of our efforts.
Q: How do the IMS core values align with your own?
A: “Operate as One” is a big factor in how the Trial Presentation department works. It’s all about supporting each other and helping when asked. The same goes for the company motto, “Together, we win.”
Q: If you were an attorney-client, what would you find most valuable about the process at IMS?
A: The wide variety of knowledge we can draw from—everyone takes great pride in giving our clients all we can with each case. So, when a message goes out within our team that someone needs help, you always have plenty of people responding with advice and tips from past cases.
Q: Do you have any predictions or comments on industry trends?
A: I think we’ll keep seeing even more Zoom and virtual court cases. It’s much easier to bring a witness in through Zoom than to a courtroom half a country away.
Q: What has been your favorite case to work on so far?
A: I love to work on patent cases, especially with tutorials. Our voiceover actor has one of my favorite voices, so getting to participate in and edit the recordings makes my day.
Learn More
We are grateful to Jeff and Stephanie for all they do for their teammates and our trusted clients, and we are in awe of their technical expertise!
Visit the links below to meet our team and read more about the IMS culture and career opportunities.
