Mark Clews

Background

Forensics and disclosure work where the evidentiary record spans multiple jurisdictions and collection regimes.

Twenty-five years ago, Mark Clews started pulling on a thread that most people never even see: the digital evidence hiding inside the machines, drives, and data systems that run modern business. He has not stopped pulling since.

At iDS, Mark is the expert clients rely on when the legal and technical complexity runs deep. His practice spans the full arc of digital forensics and eDiscovery, from the moment a legal hold is issued to the moment evidence is produced in court. He has led hundreds of engagements: single-machine forensic investigations, multi-jurisdictional class actions spanning hundreds of custodians, and everything in between. He has testified as an expert, been appointed as an independent forensic examiner, and built the operational infrastructure (evidence rooms, chain-of-custody protocols, standard operating procedures) that makes defensible work possible at scale.

The nature of his work has put him in front of nearly every major regulatory body in the country: the SEC, the DOJ, the FTC, FINRA, the EPA, the CFPB, and state attorneys general. He has investigated illegal cartels, securities fraud, accounting irregularities, theft of intellectual property, and whistleblower matters. In one case, his forensic work helped the SEC reach a $300 million penalty settlement. In another, his challenge of an opposing expert’s methodology led the judge to grant every one of his client’s requests.

Mark has spent his career at the intersection of legal complexity and technical precision, building and leading digital forensics practices across some of the most respected consulting firms in the country. Most recently, in 2025, he established a digital forensics service line from the ground up before bringing his expertise to iDS.

What he brings to every matter is not just technical depth. It is judgment. The ability to look at a complex data environment and know what matters, where it lives, and how to get to it in a way that holds up. That is the work. He has been doing it since 2000.

Mark holds certifications as a Magnet Certified Forensics Examiner (MCFE), EnCase Certified Examiner (EnCE), and Certified Cyber Forensic Professional (CCFP). He has been recognized in Who’s Who Legal as one of the world’s leading digital forensics experts every year from 2016 through 2024, and named a Global Thought Leader in 2023 and 2024. As a member of the Sedona Conference Working Group 6, he helps shape the evolving standards at the intersection of law and technology.

Beyond his professional work, Mark is deeply committed to giving back to his community. He serves on the board of The Priority Center, a charity dedicated to breaking the generational cycle of child abuse, and regularly volunteers at Second Harvest of Orange County, which works to ensure food and nutritional security for the community.

Insights by Mark Clews

• The Digital Paper Trail: What the LIV Golf Collapse Tells Us
• TaylorMade v. Callaway: What the Golf Ball Lawsuit Means for Sports Litigation
• What the Examiner Is Actually Looking For