Riley Welch LaPorte and Associates Forensic Laboratories

What Riley Welch LaPorte and Associates Forensic Laboratories does

Riley, Welch, LaPorte & Associates Forensic Laboratories, Inc. is a privately held, Frankenmuth, Michigan-based forensic science firm founded in 1996 that provides expert witness and consulting services across seven core forensic disciplines: document examination (handwriting analysis and identification), ink dating via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), latent fingerprint examination, firearms and toolmarks comparison (including bullet trajectory and serial number restoration), forensic biology and DNA analysis (including sexual assault kit technical review under FBI Quality Assurance Standards, autosomal/Y/Mini STRs, mitochondrial DNA, and SNPs), forensic toxicology reviews, and quality assurance consulting on forensic laboratory reports. The firm also offers crime scene investigative consulting.

The business is organized as a fee-for-service professional services firm, not a software platform, and sells its expertise primarily through expert witness testimony, case-based forensic examinations, and recurring technical reviews delivered to large law firms, government crime laboratories, and private sector clients in both criminal and civil matters. Its go-to-market is sales-led and relies on professional network referrals, membership-driven thought leadership in organizations such as the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners, ASTM International, ASQDE, and regional forensic science associations, and a free initial consultation offered to prospective clients.

The firm's competitive position rests on a small bench of senior credentialed scientists — including co-founder Todd Welch (33+ years, former Michigan State Police and U.S. Secret Service trained), Gerald LaPorte (former U.S. Secret Service Chief Research Forensic Chemist), Jennifer Naso (ABFDE Diplomate, former U.S. Secret Service apprentice), Kirk DeLeeuw (STRmix-licensed DNA specialist), Dr. Sara Schreiber (board-certified toxicologist and 2021 MAFS Outstanding Scientist), and Dorothy Catella (30+ years in forensic biology/DNA, currently a DNA Technical Leader) — and on a body of favorable court rulings, including admissibility victories, Frye-standard exclusions of opposing experts, and case-critical findings in matters involving Facebook, James Cameron/Lightstorm Entertainment, Cott Beverages, and Aequitas Solutions. The firm operates globally in terms of client footprint but maintains a single Frankenmuth headquarters, with no disclosed capital raises, M&A activity, or product-line expansion beyond 2021.

Name

Riley Welch LaPorte and Associates Forensic Laboratories

Legal name

Riley, Welch, LaPorte & Associates Forensic Laboratories, Inc.

Website

https://rileywelch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Riley, Welch, LaPorte & Associates Forensic Laboratories is a Frankenmuth, Michigan-based private forensic science firm providing document examination, ink dating, fingerprint, firearms and toolmarks, DNA, toxicology, and quality assurance consulting and expert witness testimony to law firms, government agencies, and private clients worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Forensic Science Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Legal Services (5411), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Forensic Science & Crime Laboratories (Justice System Support) (BPAIAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Criminal Investigations & Forensics (Detectives, Crime Labs, CSI) (BPAIAGAI), Litigation Support & Expert Witness Services (BPAHALAG), Forensic & Anti-Counterfeit Testing (Product Integrity) (HLAGADAM)

Keywords

• Forensic document examination
• Ink dating analysis
• Latent fingerprint analysis
• Firearms toolmark examination
• Forensic DNA consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankenmuth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Forensic Consulting and Expert Witness Services: Professional fee-for-service consulting and expert witness testimony for forensic document examinations, ink dating, fingerprint analysis, firearms and toolmarks examination, DNA technical reviews, toxicology reviews, and crime scene investigative consulting. Services provided to law firms and government agencies on a case-by-case basis.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Riley, Welch, LaPorte & Associates Forensic Laboratories provides fee-for-service forensic examinations and expert witness testimony across disciplines including questioned document analysis (handwriting, signatures, alterations), ink and document dating via GC/MS, latent fingerprint comparison, firearms and toolmarks examination, forensic DNA technical reviews, forensic toxicology reviews, crime scene investigative consulting, and quality assurance reviews of forensic laboratory reports. Services are delivered on a case-by-case basis to law firms, government forensic laboratories, and private clients.

Product overview

Riley, Welch, LaPorte & Associates Forensic Laboratories, Inc. is a worldwide forensic science laboratory offering a comprehensive suite of expert witness and consulting services. The company operates as a unified service offering (not a software platform) organized around distinct forensic examination disciplines: Document Examinations (handwriting analysis and ink dating), Latent Fingerprint Examinations, Firearms & Toolmarks Examinations, Forensic Biology & DNA analysis, Toxicology Reviews, Quality Assurance Reviews, and Crime Scene Investigative Consulting. These services are delivered by certified forensic experts who provide testimony in both criminal and civil court proceedings, serving law firms, government agencies, and criminal justice institutions globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Document Examinations
• Ink Dating
• Latent Fingerprint Examinations
• Firearms & Toolmarks Examinations
• Forensic Biology & DNA
• Toxicology Reviews and Consulting
• Quality Assurance Reviews and Consulting
• Crime Scene Investigative Consulting
• Investigative Analysis Reviews/Consulting

Quantifiable outcome

• Ink dating test ruled accurate and reliable by District judge
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NMS Labs: NMS Labs is a national forensic and clinical toxicology laboratory offering toxicology, DNA, and forensic testing services with expert testimony support—directly comparable to Riley Welch LaPorte's toxicology and forensic biology practices.
• ForensisGroup: ForensisGroup provides expert witness and forensic consulting services across multiple disciplines, directly overlapping with Riley Welch LaPorte's litigation-support and forensic examination offerings for law firms.
• SNA International: SNA International provides forensic science services and expert witness support to government and legal clients, including DNA, crime scene, and laboratory services, paralleling Riley Welch LaPorte's full-spectrum forensic offerings.
• Bode Cellmark Forensics: Bode Cellmark is a private forensic DNA and serology laboratory serving law enforcement and legal clients with DNA testing and expert testimony, comparable to the firm's Forensic Biology & DNA service line.

Broad incumbents

• EFI Global: EFI Global provides forensic engineering, environmental, and fire investigation services with expert testimony, adjacent to Riley Welch LaPorte's investigative and forensic consulting practice though focused on engineering failure analysis.
• J.S. Held: J.S. Held is a global consulting firm offering forensic, scientific, and expert witness services to legal and insurance clients, with overlapping expertise in forensic analysis and litigation support.
• Huron Consulting Group: Huron Consulting provides expert services and litigation consulting to law firms and corporations, including forensic and investigative work, sitting in the same expert-witness orbit as Riley Welch LaPorte though at a much larger scale.
• Kroll (Duff & Phelps Forensic Services): Kroll is a global advisory firm that includes a forensic investigations practice, providing expert witness, litigation support, and forensic accounting services to law firms—comparable as a broader expert witness/consulting player.

Emerging players

• DNA Diagnostics Center: DNA Diagnostics Center provides forensic DNA testing and paternity analysis with court-accepted results, partially overlapping with the firm's forensic DNA technical review and consulting work.
• Strand Diagnostics (sTRAND): Strand Diagnostics provides forensic DNA identification and paternity testing with court-admissible reports, an emerging player in the same forensic DNA and expert testimony space.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RileyWelchLaPorteForensic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Riley Welch LaPorte and Associates Forensic Laboratories