We’re Celebrating 15 Years in Business

Fifteen years is a significant milestone in the world of business. For OPVEON, it's a testament to our dedication, resilience, and the ability to adapt through ever-changing landscapes. We are thrilled to celebrate 15 years in business, and in this blog post, we'd like to take you on a journey through our evolution, highlighting key moments, lessons learned, and our vision for the future.  As we reflect on the journey that brought us here, we want to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to everyone who has been a part of our story.

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Our journey began in 2008, when OPVEON was founded by our current CEO and Senior Trial Consultant, April J. Ferguson, and her former business partner, Jason Wietholter. At that time, we were a small team with a big dream to make litigation more efficient and litigators more effective by creating a seamless, synergistic fusion of the legal process, trial strategy, and technology.

As the years have passed, we have experienced steady growth. Our commitment to client satisfaction, quality, and creative legal strategies helped us become leaders in the legal consulting industry, both locally and nationally. Over time, we have expanded our team, diversified our service offerings, and ventured into new markets. Our clients' trust and support has played a pivotal role in our success.

‍Key Milestones

Reflecting on the past 15 years, several milestones stand out:

2008: OPVEON was founded on June 1, 2008.  Armed with determination and a clear sense of purpose, our founders started OPVEON from the ground up.  The early days were challenging, marked by long hours, tight budgets, and countless hurdles to overcome.  But it was this adversity that shaped us and made us stronger.    

2009:  OPVEON worked on the historic State of Oklahoma vs. Tyson Foods case, showcasing its many talents to both local and national law firms.    Throughout 2008 and 2009, OPVEON continued to become known for our creative technology solutions, compelling graphics, and our team of experienced and tech-savvy paralegals.  

2013:  OPVEON launched OPVEON Reporting & Legal Video, providing court reporting and expanded videography services to our clients.  

2015:  OPVEON moved to our current office space for the purpose of expanding our jury research and consulting practice.   The expansion has allowed us to host a broad range of focus groups in our own facility, saving clients significant facility rental expense.  

2018:  OPVEON becomes a certified Woman-Owned and Woman-Controlled Small Business (WOSB) as defined by the Small Business Administration, a certified Woman’s Business Enterprise (WBE), and a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE).   OPVEON continues to hold these certifications to this day.  We are also TERO certified through the Cherokee Nation.  

2020: On January 17, OPVEON’s CEO and Senior Trial Consultant, April J. Ferguson, received an exciting phone call. On the other end of the line was counsel for President Donald J. Trump, asking her to assist the President’s legal team in the Senate Impeachment trial scheduled to begin on Tuesday, January 21st. OPVEON was thrilled to have their expertise called upon and be a part of one of the most publicized trials in recent history.

2020-2021: COVID-19 was impacting the world. Our team did what we do best – we came together to brainstorm innovative strategies to help our clients continue to win through a time of unknown certainty.  We began Virtual Jury Focus Groups which, to date, is one of our most popular, cost-effective service offerings that more and more litigators are utilizing to set themselves up for success.

2021:   OPVEON was involved in the historic Texas v. New Mexico trial, an original jurisdiction case pending before the United States Supreme Court.  

2022: 2022 was a HUGE year for us. On July 1, 2022, OPVEON acquired Litgistix, LLC, one of the largest document and data management companies in the region.   OPVEON’s strategic acquisition of Litgistix made us the largest full-service litigation support provider in the state of Oklahoma.

2023: OPVEON expands our current office space to accommodate the growing needs and demands of the combined OPVEON/Litgistix business.  

Valuable Lessons

Our journey has been filled with valuable lessons. Here are a few that have shaped our business:

Adaptability: The business landscape is ever-changing. Even the traditional courtroom can experience sudden disruptions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. We've learned the importance of staying adaptable and being open to new ideas and technologies.

Client-Centric Approach: Putting our clients first has been a cornerstone of our success. Listening to their needs and exceeding expectations has been a driving force behind our growth.

Team Collaboration: Through team collaboration, we can provide superior work product beyond what any one individual can provide.

Continuous Learning: Embracing a culture of continuous learning, cross-training, and ongoing improvement has allowed us to stay at the forefront of our industry.

Giving Back:  To whom much is given, much is required. OPVEON believes that public education is at the heart of our communities and our homes.  In 2018, OPVEON founded the Opveonward Classroom Scholarship program where we partner with local public-school educators to provide resources for their classrooms.   Over the years, the scholarships have varied in size and number.  This year, OPVEON was pleased to contribute to 3 Amazon wish lists for deserving Oklahoma public school teachers.    Separately, OPVEON employees give of their time and resources through a variety of charitable organizations.  As a company, and individuals, we want to make our community a better place.  

Conclusion

We are so excited that we get to celebrate 15 years in business. We wouldn’t be here without our amazing clients who come to us for all their litigation support needs. We are grateful for our dedicated team members who have been instrumental in our success. As we look back on our journey, we're excited about the future and the opportunities that lie ahead. Thank you for being part of our story, and here's to the next 15 years of innovation, growth, and excellence!

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