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A HISTORY OF BREAKING NEW GROUND

We are a solutions-based visual communications firm known for turning our clients’ complex issues into visual stories that provide clarity and impact. Partnering with legal teams and experts across the United States and all over the world, we thrive on inventing new approaches to presenting impactful arguments. We approach each case and visual strategy with pure creativity and ingenuity, which is why we have continued to set precedent in our industry.

EXPLORE SOME OF OUR MOST INNOVATIVE CASES

zaxis timeline
Z-Axis
Founded
1983
Present

Connors v. The United States
(Crash of Delta 191-Dallas, TX)

Client: U.S. Department of Justice

  • The first re-enactment of an airline crash synching the black box, cockpit voice recorder to animated flight path and cockpit.
  • Produced 50 minutes of animation that was cited as substantive evidence.
  • The wind shear tutorials have been used to train pilots world-wide.
Outcome: In favor of the Department of Justice

Honeywell v. Minolta

Client: Honeywell (Robins Kaplan)

  • Early adoption of animation in IP litigation to educate the jury about auto-focus technology.
  • Developed a touch-screen program to access and draw on exhibits from laser disc in court.
  • Created a multi-media presentation that included 6 foot physical models, exhibit boards
Outcome: $127 million for Honeywell

Oklahoma City Bombing Trials
(McVeigh and Nichols)

Client: U.S. Department of Justice

  • Produced hundreds of presentations for the largest criminal case in U.S. history.
  • Culled masses of exhibits into concise visual displays that concisely told the story to the court.
  • Used Z-Axis patented trial software to display the presentations which shortened the trial by 30 days.
Outcome: Guilty

State of Minnesota/Blue Cross
Blue Shield v. Tobacco Industry

Client: Minnesota/BCBS (Robins Kaplan)

  • Precedent-setting case against Big Tobacco exposing conspiracy to defraud the public.
  • Collaborated with trial team in preparing their presentations for trial.
  • Produced dozens of animations, 150 exhibit boards and video for world-leading experts and the lawyers.
Outcome: 4th largest settlement in history - $6.6 billion

World Trade Center Litigation

Client: Silverstein Properties

  • Created program to convert FEA data into 3D models of the two towers which were 100% accurate. Presented to National Institute of Standards & Technology.
  • The library for all visual exhibits for trial including 1000 hrs. of video depositions and 1.2 terabytes of data.
  • Produced 3D animations, tutorials, photogram metric analysis, PowerPoints, exhibit boards for trial preparation and ultimately trial.
Outcome: Silverstein awarded $2.2 billion

U.S. Department of Justice
v. Phillip Morris et al

Client: U.S. Department of Justice

  • Consulted and designed presentations for all major witnesses, opening statements, the 2 interim summations and closing arguments.
  • Produced 2D animations, interactive witness tutorials, timelines, and graphics to support direct testimony in advance.
  • Developed and printed large color books of teen advertising.
Outcome: Guilty

Yukos v. Russian Federation

Client: Yukos (Shearman & Sterling)

  • Collaborated with the lawyers to customize Chronos’ functionality and look for their hearing in The Hague.
  • Consulted on organizing hundreds of timeline events to display using Chronos, Z-Axis’ interactive timeline software. Designed and created a visual summary of all events color-coded by category.
Outcome: $50 billion award to the shareholders of Yukos

Singapore v. Malaysia

Client: Malaysia

The Permanent Court of Arbitration (The Hague) was registry in this arbitration between Malaysia and Singapore. It concerned a treaty in which Singapore swapped prime properties in its business districts in exchange for railroad land. Singapore executed a $1.1 billion development charge (a tax) on the transaction, that was not mentioned in the treaty nor discussed between the parties.

  • Created an interactive map of Singapore showing the route of the railway across the country.
  • A map of the route was synched to an accelerated video of a train running the entire railway. It could be played straight through or at specific points.
  • An animated pie chart emphasized the financial impact to Malaysia if the tax was held to be valid.
Outcome: Malaysia won the arbitration and the development charge was nullified.

Class Suit v. Auto Manufacturer

Client: Plaintiffs

  • Helped provide the judge in the 6 court-appointment mediations with presentations that contained more detailed, precise information from the technology and findings.
  • Used the Car Sim program and data from the engineer testing cars with and without the defect, using varied case scenarios.
Outcome: Undisclosed

IN RE: Oil Spill by the
Oil Rig “DEEPWATER HORIZON”
in the GULF OF MEXICO

Client: Transocean Ltd.

  • Virtual models of the BOP and rig designed in 4 dimensions (3D plus time) were used in case preparation and later in all the presentations for the judge.
  • A custom program was developed to hold the models, animations and graphics for quick access and editing when building the trial presentations.
  • 3D printed physical models and a large exhibit board of the BOP were also made.
Outcome: Not found grossly negligent (Transocean was indemnified by BP who was found grossly negligent)

MGM Resorts, Dubai World v.
Tudor Perini Building et al

Client: MGM Resorts, Dubai World

  • Consulted on how to organize over 3 million digitally stored pieces of evidence from many sources to design the visual story that supported the case issues.
  • Transformed the existing evidence into animated tutorials, interactive timelines, virtual forensic models and graphics to summarize and make their arguments.
Outcome: Settled during trial

MGM Resorts, Mandalay Bay Hotel
(Mass Shooting, October 2017)

Client: MGM Resorts

  • Z-Axis was hired by Munger Tolles & Olson LLP to help with a visual forensic investigation of the incident following the mass shooting at MGM’s Mandalay Bay Hotel.
  • Using hotel security footage from surveillance cameras, hotel and police radio transmissions and 3D animations, Z-Axis produced in an interactive multi-media chronology of the sequence of events. MGM’s attorneys used this tool to demonstrate, second by second, how MGM’s employees first became aware of the shooting, promptly notified police and coordinated an immediate response to the situation.
  • Z-Axis combined the audio and video sources with a 3D model of the hotel and casino to track the position of officers as events unfolded. The timing of events were recorded five different radio and audio channels and dozens of security cameras.
Excerpts of the animations were used in ABC’s Nightline production “A Killer On Floor 32”.