FTI Consulting Boosts IP Practice with Return of Expert Shelly Irvine

WASHINGTON, DC – February 03, 2026 – In a significant move to strengthen its position in the high-stakes arena of intellectual property disputes, FTI Consulting, Inc. today announced the reappointment of Shelly Irvine as a Senior Managing Director. Irvine, an IP damages expert with nearly three decades of experience, rejoins the firm’s Dispute Advisory Services practice within the Forensic and Litigation Consulting segment, bringing a wealth of global expertise at a time of escalating complexity in IP law.

Based in San Francisco, Irvine is a recognized authority on valuing and litigating intellectual property. Her return to FTI Consulting is seen by industry observers as a strategic maneuver to enhance the firm's capabilities in handling intricate cross-border disputes and navigating the evolving landscape of IP valuation, particularly in the technology and life sciences sectors.

A Strategic Homecoming

For Shelly Irvine, the appointment marks a return to a firm where she previously spent nearly two decades, playing a pivotal role in its growth. During her initial tenure, she was instrumental in launching FTI's San Francisco Intellectual Property practice alongside her colleagues. Her career path then led her to Ocean Tomo, an advisory firm specializing in IP that was later acquired by J.S. Held, where she served as a Managing Director in the Intellectual Property Disputes practice, leading and expanding its San Francisco office since October 2022.

Her decision to rejoin FTI Consulting underscores the firm's strategic focus on attracting and retaining premier talent. In a statement, Irvine highlighted the unique advantages of the firm's structure.

“The extent of expertise and the span of capabilities at FTI Consulting, combined with a collaborative and connected culture, enables our firm to provide exceptional, cross-border value to our clients,” Irvine said. “I am thrilled to rejoin my colleagues as we guide organizations through their most complex challenges and opportunities.”

This sentiment reflects a broader industry trend where top-tier consultants are drawn to platforms that offer deep, multidisciplinary support for tackling global challenges. Irvine's return is not just a personnel announcement but a testament to FTI's competitive standing as a destination for elite experts.

The High-Stakes World of Global IP

Irvine’s appointment comes at a critical juncture for international business. The protection and monetization of intellectual property have become battlegrounds for corporations, with disputes frequently spanning multiple jurisdictions and involving novel legal questions. Her expertise is particularly relevant to the growing complexities surrounding Standard Essential Patents (SEPs), which are patents crucial for implementing industry standards in fields like telecommunications and cloud computing.

Ken Rugeti, Leader of the Dispute Advisory Services practice at FTI Consulting, emphasized the timeliness of Irvine's return. “We’ve seen the protection of IP become increasingly complex as businesses and transactions continue to expand across borders, wading into new regulatory territory,” he noted. “Shelly brings a global perspective that will help our clients navigate the evolving international standards for IP litigation and protection.”

This global perspective is built on Irvine's extensive experience working with clients across the United States, Asia, the UK, and continental Europe. She has provided testimony on damages in federal and state courts, as well as in arbitration proceedings, on cases involving patent, copyright, and trademark infringement, and trade secret misappropriation. Her work is crucial for companies in fast-moving sectors like life sciences, software, clean energy, and manufacturing, where the value of intangible assets can far exceed that of physical ones.

A Career Defined by Expertise

Irvine's nearly 30-year career traces a path through some of the most respected names in financial advisory and consulting. Her journey is a case study in building deep, specialized knowledge. She holds an MBA in Finance from the prestigious Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and a BS in Economics from Santa Clara University.

Her professional trajectory includes a foundational period as a Senior Manager at Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LP from 1998 to 2004, followed by a stint as a Managing Director at StoneTurn. These roles helped forge her expertise before she embarked on her initial, nearly two-decade-long tenure at FTI Consulting. Throughout her career, she has not only practiced as an expert but also contributed to the field's thought leadership, authoring a piece in 2023 on license comparability principles while at Ocean Tomo.

This blend of hands-on litigation support, strategic consulting, and academic rigor makes her a formidable expert witness. She brings a practical understanding of IP valuation, licensing strategy, and corporate finance to the theoretical demands of the courtroom, a combination that is highly valued by clients facing multi-million or even billion-dollar disputes.

Bolstering a Consulting Juggernaut

FTI Consulting has established itself as a global leader for organizations navigating crises and transformations, reporting revenues of $3.70 billion in fiscal 2024. The firm competes with other major consulting powerhouses like Deloitte, PwC, EY, and Kroll in the specialized forensic and litigation space. In this competitive landscape, strategic hires like Irvine are essential for maintaining a leadership edge.

The firm has been consistently reinforcing its expert-led model, recently adding senior talent in areas ranging from private equity to cybersecurity. Irvine's reappointment fits squarely within this strategy of deepening its bench of world-class specialists. By bringing back a proven leader with an intimate knowledge of the firm's culture and an updated perspective from her time away, FTI is making a clear statement about its commitment to dominating the IP advisory market.

As corporations continue to grapple with the challenges of a globalized economy, the demand for sophisticated, credible, and battle-tested expertise will only grow. With Shelly Irvine back in its ranks, FTI Consulting is better positioned than ever to meet that demand and guide its clients through the intricate and often perilous terrain of modern intellectual property disputes.