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.
When the world’s leading legal teams need expert insights for their complex cases, the IMS expert witness team conducts a meticulous search to connect clients with the most qualified experts. Nathan Ward, Engagement Services Lead, and Grace Langford, Associate Recruiter, are key players in this essential process. Both Nathan and Grace are deeply involved in recruiting and placing top experts to meet the precise needs of our clients. Learn about how they entered the field, what drives their dedication to their roles, and how their contributions enhance the quality and efficiency of our expert witness services. Discover also how Nathan and Grace embody the core values of IMS and their commitment to delivering exceptional service in every engagement.
Nathan Ward, Engagement Services Lead
Q: How did you get into this industry?
A: My original plan after finishing undergraduate studies was to take a break, work for a year or so full-time, and then jump back into graduate school. My college/career path was not planned for the legal industry originally, but I have enjoyed the change of pace, excitement, and challenges that come with each new day.
Q: How did you find IMS?
A: I was working at another local Pensacola company and a co-worker, who was their veteran job outreach coordinator, told me all about IMS. He thought I would be a great fit and took me to the IMS offices for a site visit. I was advised to apply for a research position, but when I did so, I was not selected. That said, the HR team then advised me that they thought I was a good candidate for the Engagement Manager role.
Q: What do you like most about your specific department and role?
A: The unpredictability of each new day challenges my critical thinking skills, my reliance on a close-knit team, and my ability to build professional relationships within the expert community.
Q: What internal accomplishment are you most proud of?
A: I am certainly humbled to have been nominated for this employee spotlight. Being the Engagement Services Lead these past few months has also been extremely rewarding as I have had the opportunity to grow and learn in my collaboration with many other IMS teams.
Q: What sets IMS apart from competitors or other companies?
A: As far as IMS expert witness services go, I would say it has to be our unique ability to track down niche experts for custom client searches and then provide white-glove service to our attorney clients and the expert community throughout the life of each engagement.
Q: How do the IMS core values align with your own?
A: I have tried my best to live and exude the core values below since they were first instilled in me by the US Army when I joined in 2002. I believe the IMS Core values are closely related, which has made it easy for me to seamlessly continue modeling the values I already hold dear.
Loyalty
Duty
Respect
Selfless Service
Honor
Integrity
Personal Courage.
LDRSHIP = Leadership
Q: If you were an attorney-client, what would you find most valuable about the process at IMS?
A: I would have to say the fact that IMS handles all administrative tasks from the beginning to the end of engagements for both experts and attorney clients, unless otherwise requested, has to be considered a huge value add. We build expert packets for presentation to attorney clients, draft and send out agreements, handle any redlines/negotiations on said agreements, as well as handle all aspects of billing and payment until projects are complete.
Q: Do you have any predictions or comments on industry trends?
A: I believe the growth I have seen just over the past five years, as well as the fact that COVID could not hold the industry down for long, can only mean the growth in both expert and consulting needs of attorney clients will continue to rise, as will the revenue stream.
Grace Langford, Associate Recruiter
Q: How did you get into this industry?
A: As part of my interdisciplinary degree plan at Texas Tech, I completed a concentration in legal studies. Some of the classes I took included constitutional law, library research, and logic. I enjoyed how these classes challenged and helped develop me into a critical thinker and writer. After graduating, I was unsure exactly what I was looking for, but I hoped to find a position that allowed me to apply the critical thinking and writing skills I had gained. I was so excited when the opportunity came to work for IMS, where I have been able to sharpen those skills and learn from an amazing team of colleagues and leaders.
Q: Why did you choose IMS?
A: Upon graduation from Texas Tech in 2022, I began my job search using LinkedIn. I was always interested in pursuing a career in the legal field; when I came across an IMS job posting for an associate recruiter, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to get my feet wet in the industry, so I applied. I remember Paige Perillard calling me to set up an interview; she was so genuine and kind, and I could tell that she enjoyed working for IMS. Her positive attitude has proven to be the standard at IMS, and I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of the IMS team!
Q: What do you like most about your specific department and/or role?
A: Working for the EWS department has given me the opportunity to explore a wide range of disciplines from a high level through the expert recruitment process. As an associate recruiter, there is no shortage of learning opportunities whether it is digging into a new case or speaking with potential experts. My role has shaped me into a more confident and effective communicator. I especially appreciate our EWS leadership for their constant encouragement and investment in each of us, both personally and professionally.
Q: What internal accomplishment are you most proud of?
A: I was proud to receive Employee of the Month in December 2023! Jolean Watson and I had been working on a medical doctor search for what seemed like forever; the search had been visited and revisited multiple times with continually changing expert requirements. It was revisited during the busy holiday season and Jolean asked me to make a couple of calls to new experts. Knowing the recruiters had a heavy load at the time, I decided to make quite a few extra outreach attempts than she requested and was able to get the search moving again after it had been stalled for some time. The team successfully placed an expert by February!
Q: What do you think sets IMS apart from competitors or other companies?
A: Something that I believe sets IMS apart is the trust and confidence that our leadership team has cultivated from within the company, which radiates to our client and expert relationships. When I first began reaching out to experts, I remember feeling nervous to speak on behalf of IMS to such high-ranking experts. My leadership team trusted me with full confidence and with their encouragement and instruction, I overcame those insecurities. I now speak confidently with experts and I am able to build trust with them as a result.
Q: How do the IMS core values align with your own?
A: One of the IMS core values that resonates most with me is “ownership thinking.” Taking ownership and pride in my work, no matter how big or small the task, is a lesson that my family instilled in me from a young age. I appreciate that this value is instilled in my team at IMS because I can be sure that when a colleague steps in to help me with a task or cover my desk while I am away, they will treat every task as if it were their own. This value goes hand in hand with “operate as one.” We trust and lean on one another with confidence, which makes for a positive and enjoyable work experience.
Q: If you were an attorney-client (or an expert witness), what would you find most valuable about the process at IMS?
A: If I were an IMS attorney-client, I would appreciate the fact that IMS is successful when the client is successful. Since IMS does not charge for the expert search process, the company charges only once the search has been successfully executed and the client has chosen to engage an expert. This means that IMS has every incentive to provide the absolute best expert candidates possible for every case.
Q: Do you have any predictions or comments on industry trends?
A: I am still very new to the legal industry; however, I am interested in seeing the impact artificial intelligence will have on the field. I suspect AI will bring significant changes to legal practice and some new cases for IMS to work on!
Q: What has been your favorite case to work on so far?
A: I was excited to get assigned to a trade dress case involving two large cosmetic brands. At times, the search process can be repetitive as we so often look for medical doctors, damages experts, etc. I enjoy working on cases that call for a more niche expert search!
Learn More
IMS is privileged to have Nathan Ward and Grace Langford on our expert staff. We are grateful for their vast knowledge, collaborative spirit, and dedication to excellence in every case.
Visit the links below to meet the IMS team and learn about our culture and career opportunities.
