Van Dermyden Makus Law

What Van Dermyden Makus Law does

Van Dermyden Makus Law Corporation is a Sacramento-headquartered professional law corporation founded in 2010 that operates as one of the largest law firms in the United States dedicated exclusively to neutral workplace and campus investigations. The firm provides third-party impartial investigation services to private sector employers (from startups to Fortune 500), educational institutions (K-12, colleges, and universities), and public sector entities, covering matters including harassment, discrimination, retaliation, Title IX, fraud, embezzlement, assault, and whistleblower allegations. It also offers Title IX hearing officer and adjudication services, expert witness testimony on investigation standards, workplace climate surveys, and financial investigation services through a dedicated practice group.

The firm's service portfolio is anchored in attorney-led investigation work, supplemented by two training sub-brands: VM Mastered (for workplace investigator training) and T9 Mastered (for Title IX campus investigator training), which extend the franchise into recurring training revenue. Technology adoption is limited to third-party case management and investigation documentation tools, notably a strategic partnership with HR Acuity (the category leader in employee relations case management software, announced December 2, 2025) intended to combine case management technology with the firm's investigation expertise.

The firm operates six offices across California (Sacramento, San Diego, Bay Area/San Rafael, Los Angeles) and Arizona (Tempe, opened 2023), with quote-based professional services pricing tied to matter complexity, scope, and attorney time. GTM is sales-led through direct engagement, referral networks, industry conferences, webinars, and thought-leadership content. In April 2026 the firm executed a planned ownership transition, with three longstanding partners acquiring the majority of founding partner Sue Ann Van Dermyden's shares as part of an evergreen succession plan to preserve the firm's independence.

Name

Van Dermyden Makus Law

Legal name

Van Dermyden Makus Law Corporation

Website

https://vmlawcorp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Van Dermyden Makus Law Corporation is a Sacramento-based professional law firm dedicated exclusively to neutral workplace and campus investigations for employers, educational institutions, and government entities, operating six offices in California and Arizona with specialized Title IX and training sub-brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Investigation Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Employment & Labor Law (BPAHAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Litigation Support & Expert Witness Services (BPAHALAG), HR Compliance, Policy, EEO & Labor Law (BPACAPAM)

Keywords

• Workplace investigations
• Title IX investigations
• Neutral employment investigations
• Expert witness testimony
• Investigator training services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Legal Investigation Services: The firm generates revenue through providing neutral workplace and campus investigations, Title IX investigations and hearings, expert witness testimony, workplace training services, and workplace climate surveys. Services are billed on a professional services basis with fees determined by matter complexity, scope, and attorney time.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Van Dermyden Makus Law Corporation is a professional services law firm that conducts neutral, third-party workplace and campus investigations for employers, educational institutions, and government entities. Services include workplace investigations (harassment, discrimination, retaliation, fraud, misconduct), Title IX investigations and hearing officer services, expert witness testimony, workplace climate surveys, financial investigations, and investigator training through its VM Mastered and T9 Mastered sub-brands.

Product overview

Van Dermyden Makus Law Corporation is a law firm offering a unified suite of neutral investigative and adjudication services. The core offerings include workplace investigations (covering harassment, discrimination, retaliation, fraud, assault, theft, and policy violations), Title IX investigations and hearing officer services for educational institutions, and expert witness testimony. The firm complements its investigative services with two training sub-brands: VM Mastered (for workplace investigator training) and T9 Mastered (for Title IX campus investigator training). Additional services include workplace climate surveys and financial investigation services. The firm serves diverse industries including sports & entertainment, healthcare, technology, public safety, public entities, colleges & universities, and Fortune 500 companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VM Mastered: A training company run by experts to train individuals how to conduct prompt, impartial, and thorough workplace investigations that comply with industry standards.
• T9 Mastered

Products and services

• Workplace Investigations Services Comprehensive neutral workplace investigation services covering harassment, discrimination, retaliation, embezzlement, fraud, assault, conflicts of interest, theft, threats of violence, whistleblower allegations, and policy violations. Delivered to private sector employers, educational institutions, and government entities.
• Title IX Investigations Investigation services for Title IX sexual misconduct and other complaints at colleges, universities, and K-12 schools, including cases of sexual assault and harassment.
• Title IX Hearing Officer Services Adjudication services where the firm serves as a hearing officer, applying institutional policies and serving as final adjudicator and appeal officer for Title IX complaints.
• Expert Witness Services Expert witness testimony evaluating whether workplace investigations meet industry standards, including review of Title IX and sexual harassment matters.
• Workplace Climate Surveys Assessment services that evaluate workplace environment and culture for organizations, often used alongside or following workplace investigations.
• Financial Investigation Services Investigation services focusing on financial misconduct including fraud, embezzlement, misuse of public funds, and data falsification, led by a Certified Fraud Examiner and Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist.
• Training Services Professional training programs for workplace and Title IX investigators, including seminars, workshops, and certification preparation, delivered through the VM Mastered and T9 Mastered sub-brands.
• Review and Adjudication Services Comprehensive review and adjudication services for various investigation matters, including oversight of completed investigations and serving as a decision-maker.
• VM Mastered Training sub-brand that trains individuals how to conduct prompt, impartial, and thorough workplace investigations that comply with industry standards.
• T9 Mastered Training sub-brand that trains individuals how to conduct Title IX sexual assault campus investigations that comply with industry standards.

Quantifiable outcome

• Conducted and overseen thousands of workplace and campus investigations

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• HR AcuitycoreTechnology or Integration · 2 December 2025HR Acuity, the category leader in employee relations case management and investigations software, announced a strategic partnership with Van Dermyden Makus Law Corporation on December 2, 2025. The partnership aims to elevate workplace investigations and legal defensibility by combining HR Acuity's investigation case management technology with VM Law's expertise in conducting neutral workplace investigations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Seyfarth Shaw: A full-service national law firm with a substantial employment practice that conducts workplace investigations. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for the same employer-side investigations engagements.
• Kroll: A global investigations, risk, and financial advisory firm with a workplace investigations practice serving corporate clients. Comparable on the financial investigation and broader corporate investigations side that overlaps with VM Law's financial misconduct work.
• Ogletree Deakins: A major management-side employment law firm with a national workplace investigations practice. Competes with VM Law for the same HR and legal-counsel buyers but as part of a broader employment, immigration, and litigation portfolio.
• Jackson Lewis: A leading U.S. employment law firm with a dedicated workplace investigations group that conducts neutral investigations for employers. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering investigations alongside larger employment law capabilities.
• Littler Mendelson: The largest U.S. employment and labor law firm, representing management in workplace matters including internal investigations. A broad incumbent that competes for the same employer buyers and offers investigations as part of a much larger employment law portfolio.

Others

• HR Acuity: The employee relations case management and investigations software platform that announced a strategic partnership with Van Dermyden Makus in December 2025. Adjacent ecosystem participant — a technology provider rather than a competing law firm — but directly relevant given the strategic alliance.
• JAMS: The largest private alternative dispute resolution provider, with neutrals who serve as workplace investigators, hearing officers, and adjudicators. Comparable as a neutral third-party services provider, though broader in scope (mediation, arbitration) and not law-firm based.

Direct peers

• T&M Protection Resources: A workplace investigations and security consulting firm that conducts neutral workplace investigations, executive background screening, and integrity audits. Closely comparable to VM Law in offering third-party impartial investigations to employers across industries.
• Resolutions Northwest: An independent workplace investigations firm conducting neutral investigations of harassment, discrimination, and misconduct for employers and educational institutions. Comparable niche-specialist peer with a similar mission of impartial workplace investigation work.
• Margolis Healy & Associates: A specialized consulting and investigations firm focused on campus safety, Title IX, and workplace investigations for higher education and K-12 clients. Directly comparable to Van Dermyden Makus's campus and Title IX investigation practice, with similar institutional buyer profile and neutral-investigator positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vmlawcorp
• Facebookfacebook.com/vmlawcorp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vmlawcorp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Van Dermyden Makus Law