Employer Profile: Califorensics (Computer Forensics)

Califorensics is an up-and-coming consulting company that provides litigation support and investigative services to a list of clients that spans the spectrum of government and industry. Located in Roseville, CA, the firm was started by Don Vilfer, a lawyer and former FBI agent. Don is constantly on the look-out for new talent to serve as Investigative Assistants and Forensic Examiners; he also hosts internships for students pursuing careers forensic technology and information security.

According to Don, people seeking employment in the field will do well to supplement their technical knowledge with robust communication skills. He encourages students to take electives in professional writing, public speaking, debate, and logic. He’s adamant that students hone their writing skills while in college. “[They] need to be able to express their technical knowledge in a report that is understandable and professional,” he said. Writing skills are even more important than having extreme technical skills in his opinion. “We can take a person who has basic computer and forensic training and bring them up to the level of expertise we require, but teaching writing skills is not so easy and not something we want to do,” he said.

The ability to speak confidently is also key. Don said that he and his partners generally provide the testimony on behalf of the firm during litigation; however, associates occasionally are called to testify to aspects of the cases they may have worked on. “They should feel comfortable speaking in front of people, whether in court or at a client meeting.”

For additional information about Califorensics, visit www.califorensics.com.

Don’s Preferred Resources

Professional Memberships: Licensed Investigator associations, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners

Web sites: Guidance Software’s bulletin board.

Other: Plenty of good technical resources in print. Our library seems to grow monthly.