Expert witnesses are an integral part of the vast majority of significant lawsuits. As such, trial attorneys need to identify and then retain expert witnesses numerous times per year. There are various ways that attorneys go about this process.
For users of the SEAK Expert Witness Directory who reach out to experts initially via email:
- 54% are attorneys who reach out to the experts themselves;
- 19% are paralegals who have been delegated the task of contacting potential experts;
- 12% are Legal Nurses (either employees or contractors) who have been asked by counsel to identify and contact potential experts;
- 3% are expert witness search firms or referral agencies; and
- 1% are law clerks and legal assistants.
Conclusion: Expert Witness Business Development/Marketing Advice
Over 30% of new case inquiries in SEAK’s Expert Witness Directory were made by legal nurses and paralegals. As such, both paralegals and legal nurse consultants can be appropriate targets of expert witness business development efforts such as networking, speaking, advertising, and direct outreach.
About the Author
Kelly J. Wilbur, Esq., is a Trainer and Consultant for SEAK, Inc – The Expert Witness Training Company. She in on the faculty for SEAK’s “How to Make More Money as an Expert Witness” seminar and has been retained by numerous expert witnesses to expand and grow their practices. Phone: 617-791-6802 Email: kelly@seak.com www.seak.com www.seakexperts.com