Adam Wirtzfeld

Adam Wirtzfeld, IMS Legal Strategies Graphic Design Advisor, is an accomplished visual storyteller with nearly 24 years of graphic design experience and close to 20 years in litigation graphics. He is adept at explaining complex ideas through a careful combination of words and images.

At IMS, Adam oversees design production and helps illustrate a wide variety of concepts with his design team and animators. He works directly with trial teams to identify communication challenges and create compelling visual presentations that convey the necessary messages while complementing the team’s presentation style and budget needs.

He has led graphics development teams on cases resulting in favorable verdicts or settlements for clients such as 3M, UPS, General Mills, ConAgra, US Bank, KBR, General Electric, and the State of Minnesota.

Adam’s experience in dynamically communicating case themes has proven effective in front of juries, judges, and arbitrators in diverse venues around the country. He previously worked for several years as a user-interface designer, which strengthened his abilities to clearly explain difficult concepts and processes to jurors.

Adam earned his BA in philosophy and German from Grinnell College before going on to study visual storytelling, design, and illustration at the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art. He now resides in Minneapolis and enjoys working on vintage motorcycles and playing the musical saw in his free time.

Representative cases

• State of Minnesota v. Derek Chauvin (Fourth Judicial District Court of MN)
• Stryker v. XL Insurance. First Federal trial during COVID. (U.S. District Court, Kalamazoo, MI)
• Gary A. Paulson, Karen Paulson, William Henry, and Bradley Krank v. 3M Company
• Wells Fargo v. DOJ (U.S. District Court, Minneapolis, MN)
• In RE: KBR, Inc., Burn Pit Litigation
• EOLAS Technologies, Inc. and the Regents of the University of California vs. Microsoft Corporation
• Elain Khoury and Alex Khoury v. ConAgra Foods, Inc. (Circuit Court of Jackson County, MO)
• Fage Dairy Industry, S.A. et al v. General Mills, Inc. et al (New York Northen District Court)

Notable publications and presentations

• Wirtzfeld, A. & Ilg, J. (2021). 5 Lesser-Known PowerPoint Features to Use in Your Trial Presentations. Insights.
• Polavin, N., Wirtzfeld, A., & Ilg, J. (2020). Millennials and Gen Xers Are in Your Jury – Are You Ready? 2020 National Federation of Paralegal Associations’ Annual Convention, October 10, 2020, Virtual Conference.
• Bloomberg, A., Wirtzfeld, A.W. & Ilg, J. (2019). Millennials and Gen-Xers Are in Your Jury – Are You Ready? CLE Presentation for Minnesota State Bar Association, Minneapolis, MN.
• Bloomberg, A., Wirtzfeld, A.W. & Ilg, J. (2019). Millennials and Gen-Xers On Your Jury. CLE Presentation for MPA Annual Convention, Inver Grove Heights, MN.
• Bloomberg, A. & Wirtzfeld, A.W. (2015). Multigenerational Jurors’ Attitudes and Effective Storytelling through Trial Graphics. CLE Presentation for Fredrikson & Byron, PA, Minneapolis, MN.
• Wirtzfeld, A.W. (2014). Trial Graphics and the New Widescreen Format in PowerPoint: A Review. Insights.
• Wirtzfeld, A.W. (2013). Effective Use of Timelines in the Courtroom. Minnesota Association For Justice Wrongful Death Seminar
• Wirtzfeld, A.W. (2012). Demonstrative exhibits today: Developing and exceeding your communication strategy. Presentation for Larson King.
• Wirtzfeld, A.W. & Featherly, R. (2011). PowerPoint 101: An interactive workshop. Presented at International Association of Defense Counsel Midyear Meeting.
• Wirtzfeld, A.W. (2011). Effective use of presentations in trial: Basic rules – People (even judges and GCs) think in pictures. Presentation for Stoel Rives.