Digital Evidence Mastery: From Mobile Data to Courtroom-Ready Proof

Donald Wochna, Founder | The Law Firm of Donald Wochna

Attorney Wochna is one of a few attorneys in the United States to be qualified and certified as a testifying computer/cell phone forensic expert (CCFE and CMFE) and to be an experienced litigator. He is a frequent seminar presenter to attorneys and to digital forensic experts combining his 42 years practicing law with 21 years as a cell phone and computer forensic expert. By working hard to make complicated areas of law and technology understandable to attorneys, judges, and jurors with little or no technical experience, Don provides “ways of thinking” about emerging technology that empower attorneys to issue- spot and address client needs involving data and electronic devices.

• Education & Credentials

Donald Wochna earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Chicago (1983) and his Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Criminal Justice from California State University (1981). He completed specialized training at the U.S. Navy Nuclear Power Training School and served in the U.S. Navy from 1971 to 1976, including three tours of duty in Vietnam. He holds the Certified Computer Forensic Examiner (CCFE) and Certified Mobile Device Forensic Examiner (CMFE) designations from the Information Assurance Certification Review Board, placing him among a select few U.S. attorneys certified to both practice law and testify as a forensic expert.

• Recognition & Leadership

Don’s published work has been cited in the Washburn Law Journal (2013) and the legal textbook Civil Litigation by Peggy N. Kerley (Cengage Learning, 2012). In 2006, he testified at a federal public hearing on proposed amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure governing electronically stored information. He has also served as Co-Chair of the KnowledgeNet Cleveland Chapter of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).

• Professional Involvement

Don is a prolific CLE presenter who has delivered hundreds of seminars for the Ohio State Bar Association, the National Business Institute, the University of Akron School of Law, and bar associations across the country. His topics span digital forensics, e-discovery, AI-generated evidence, cybersecurity ethics, and expert testimony under Federal Rule 702. Recent speaking engagements include the PFIC Conference in Digital Forensics and Incident Response, the Ohio State Bar Association’s Advanced Labor Law seminar, and the Bradley J. Schaeffer Real Property Institute.

• Experience

Don began his legal career at Thompson, Hine & Flory before becoming a partner in the Commercial Law and Bankruptcy group at Baker & Hostetler. He founded Computer Investigation & Evidence, Inc. in 1998 and co-founded Vestige LLC in 2004, among the first dedicated digital forensic firms in the United States, serving as Chief Legal Officer and lead forensic trainer. Since 2013, through The Law Firm of Donald Wochna, LLC, he has served as a testifying and consulting expert in matters involving trade secret theft, cell tower analysis, cyber harassment, and Rule 702 reliability challenges to opposing forensic testimony.

Amber Schroader, CEO & Founder | Paraben Corporation

With over 30 years of innovation in digital forensics, Ms. Schroader has developed cutting-edge recovery software for everything from smartphones to cloud storage. She is the architect of the “Forensics of Everything” (FoE) framework, a holistic approach to evidence that has set global standards for seizure and processing protocols. Beyond her technical contributions, she is an influential educator and founder of industry certifications, dedicated to shaping the future of the field through her teaching, writing, and speaking.

• Education & Credentials

Ms. Schroader brings 34 years of deep domain expertise cultivated through hands-on practice, research, and development in digital forensics. She is the founder of multiple industry-recognized certifications, establishing rigorous professional standards for practitioners worldwide. Her areas of specialized knowledge span mobile forensics, email analysis, wireless forensics, computer forensics, and network forensics. This breadth of expertise has positioned her as both a technical authority and a curriculum developer for the profession. Her certifications remain a benchmark for competency in the digital investigations community.

• Recognition & Leadership

Ms. Schroader is widely recognized as one of the most influential leaders in the digital forensics industry, with national and international media coverage including a featured appearance on NBC Nightly News. As a sought-after keynote speaker, she has addressed audiences at major domestic and international events, delivering both technical depth and forward-looking vision. Her founding of a woman-owned enterprise that has shaped the investigations landscape for over 25 years stands as a milestone achievement in a highly specialized field. She has received recognition for her role in advancing forensic standards and developing technology that equips investigators worldwide. Her leadership continues to set the tone for innovation and professionalism across the industry.

• Professional Involvement

Ms. Schroader is an active and influential presence in the global forensics community through her roles as educator, speaker, and standards-setter. She has developed and delivered training courses across computer forensics, mobile technologies, wireless forensics, email extraction, and network forensics. Her certification programs have equipped thousands of professionals with the skills needed to meet the demands of modern digital investigations. She has appeared in national and international media and delivered keynote addresses at events around the world. Through her writing, teaching, and speaking, she remains a driving force in advancing the discipline and mentoring the next generation of practitioners.

• Experience

Amber Schroader founded Paraben Corporation in 1999 with a singular mission of problem-solving, growing it from a consumer technology firm into a pioneering digital investigations company. Under her leadership, Paraben developed cutting-edge forensic solutions for mobile devices, IoT, gaming systems, email platforms, hard drives, and cloud storage, all unified within the flagship E3 Forensic Platform. Her “Forensics of Everything” framework reflects her belief that no device or data source is beyond the reach of a well-equipped investigator. With 34 years of experience, she has personally led the development of groundbreaking evidence extraction technologies used by investigators worldwide. Today, she continues to drive Paraben’s innovation while serving the field as an educator, author, and thought leader.

I. From Mobile Device Data to Evidence & Mastering Review, Authentication, and Courtroom Readiness | 1:00pm – 2:00pm

Speakers will guide attorneys through the modern mobile data ecosystem, clarifying the critical distinctions between device data, cloud repositories, and social media platforms to ensure no key artifact is overlooked. Participants will explore the “three-legged stool” of digital evidence; local, sync, and server-side data; while examining deep sources of proof, including app data, metadata, geolocation records, and even deleted or hidden “ghost” artifacts embedded in system logs. They will also address the nuances of social media investigations, from public versus restricted content to foundational OSINT techniques and the platform-specific differences that make TikTok data distinct from LinkedIn or other networks. Emphasis is placed on preservation imperatives in a mobile-first world, including implementing defensible legal holds and identifying relevant data early to mitigate spoliation and privacy risks associated with over-collection. Attendees will learn how to transform raw mobile and social data into a coherent evidentiary narrative through effective review strategies, cross-platform timeline reconstruction, and conversation visualization. The session concludes with practical guidance on authentication, leveraging metadata to establish the “who, when, and where,” and building a collaborative workflow among attorneys, paralegals, and forensic experts that preserves chain of custody and ensures courtroom readiness.

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

II. How Veils Get Pierced Defending the Integrity of Mobile Evidence | 2:10pm – 3:10pm

Speakers will examine how and why mobile and social media evidence is successfully challenged, and what attorneys must do to defend its integrity from the outset. They will begin with building a defensible preservation workflow, moving beyond passive legal hold notices to active preservation of ephemeral data, clear trigger-event analysis, and meticulous chain-of-custody documentation designed to withstand Rule 37(e) scrutiny. Attendees will then evaluate strategic collection models, weighing full forensic imaging against targeted approaches, addressing the risks of remote and BYOD environments, and avoiding the authentication pitfalls of self-collection under FRE 902(13) and (14). The discussion pivots to proportionality under FRCP 26(b)(1), focusing on scope control, protection of private and privileged data, and the delicate balance required during internal investigations involving employee devices. Emphasis is placed on forensic validation standards, including the role of hash values, adherence to NIST-aligned methodologies, and identifying metadata red flags that may signal tampering before collection occurs. They will conclude with practical guidance on supervising forensic vendors, conducting effective “forensic interviews,” and ensuring expert reports are drafted with judicial scrutiny in mind, so the evidentiary veil remains intact rather than pierced.