Good people become great teams.
Cultivating a collaborative and supportive environment that attracts and retains outstanding talent doesn’t happen on its own. It takes effort. At Cogent Legal, we are proud of our culture and each member of our team. At the end of the day, a great idea can’t become a reality without the right people to implement it.
Founder & CEO
Morgan Smith thrives at the juncture of law and art. With over 17 years of experience as an attorney litigating high-value cases, he combined his litigation background with strong creative and visual communication skills to found Cogent Legal. Now he helps other attorneys hone their strategies and translate their stories into compelling and creative visuals for trial.
Co-Executive Director - Sacramento
Co-Executive Director - Sacramento
Litigation Consultant
Attorney Consultant
Prior to joining the Cogent team, Dustin was a practicing litigator handling: business disputes, product defect, and high value personal injury cases. Dustin tailored his career to trial work with an emphasis on case presentation and persuasion. Dustin now assists attorneys as a consultant, and is heavily involved with case strategy throughout each phase of litigation.
Director of Public Relations
Audrey has been a dedicated member of the Cogent team since 2014. She brought over 19 years of experience in the legal field, both as a paralegal and consultant. Audrey focuses on consulting and building client relationships. She is often instrumental in crafting case strategy and developing themes with trial teams. She prides herself on her creativity, resourcefulness, and leadership skills.
Trial Technician
Liz supports trial teams with in-trial technical services and graphics. With strong organizational skills, an analytical mind, and a keen eye for graphics, she keeps things running smoothly from the war room to the courtroom. Liz is certified in TrialDirector, and skilled in OnCue (trial presentation software). She is adept at providing creative solutions to complex issues and excels in high-pressure situations.
General Manager
Creative Director
Senior Animator
Matthew brings with him over 11 years of 3D production, and design expertise. Matthew’s thoughtful approach to design details are created using the highest levels of technology. With these techniques, he is able to achieve real-world accuracy for use across a wide array of litigation purposes. His work product has been utilized to great effect on countless high-value cases.
Marketing Director
Senior Consultant
Ryan brings over 18 years of experience in the digital marketing industry to the Cogent Legal team. With a passion for photography, videography, graphic design, and web development, Ryan excels at simplifying the message and perfecting the presentation. He supports the Mock Trial department as a Senior Consultant, providing clients with video production, graphic design, and case presentation services.
Director of Medical Illustration
With a master’s degree in Medical Illustration, Jessica heads up the Medical Illustration and Animation Department at Cogent Legal and is an expert in creating all kinds of high-quality, anatomically accurate images for your case. She has an acute understanding of medical/technical terminology, making it easy to dialogue with expert witnesses. This knowledge base is paramount in developing medical illustrations in a meticulous fashion.
A/V Production Specialist
Chris is a talented visual artist with over 13 years of experience across the A/V industry. His unique history has provided him with a wealth of knowledge focused on problem solving, communicating, and motivating through visual media. As a licensed drone pilot, videographer, and audio engineer, Chris uses his skill set to create compelling settlement and day-in-the-life videos for our clients.
Design Associate
Anne is a multidisciplinary designer who joined the Cogent Legal team shortly after receiving her BFA in Communications Design. She is an adept information architect who employs a contemporary, methodical approach to data visualization and information design. She is also an avid photographer, editor and fine arts fanatic.
It's no secret that going to trial is one of the most stressful and intimidating experiences that an attorney will face.
At Cogent Legal, we craft high-quality demonstrative graphics designed to help you explain your case. We have decades of combined experience in creating persuasive trial exhibits for use in openings, closing, and witness examinations. Cogent Legal also provides strategic case consulting and trial support. In myriad ways, our team helps attorneys prepare and present their cases for maximum results with minimum stress. We specialize in creating artful and persuasive graphics meant to complement each case’s own unique story.
What is said is not always understood. That is reason alone to incorporate compelling visual concepts into your case narrative. We also provide counsel and strategic guidance in areas of admissibility, design, tactics for presentation, interpreting legal issues, and other nuances. In addition to our design and consulting practice areas, we also offer in-court technology services, pre-trial support, mock trials, and focus groups. We pride ourselves in creating a boutique, client-focused experience, with the capability to handle any sized case.