Expert Witness Blog
Practical guidance for expert witnesses — testimony, report writing, depositions, fees and building a successful practice.
December 19, 2012
Expert Witness Report Example
When drafting an expert report, it is often helpful to review model reports prepared by other expert witnesses. The following expert witness report example is excerpted from SEAK’s text
Expert Witness Report Example Free Whitepaper: How to Draft a Powerful, Persuasive, and Understandable Expert Witness Report ——————————————————————————————— Below is an example of an expert witness report: The following represents my Rule 26 Report in the matter of Hurt v. Brown & Drecker. It is based on review of materials submitted to me by your office (enumerated later),
Read moreDecember 18, 2012
How to Start Providing Expert Witness Services
Expert Witnessing is a one strike and you are out environment, those providing expert witness services will want to deliver a superior work product and avoid traps for the unwary.
How to Get Going Providing Expert Witness Services Providing expert witness services is, in a certain sense, a very simple and easy business to get into. The three practical things you will need are: 1) Some experience, knowledge, skill, or training that a litigator may find of use in a case. 2) A curriculum vitae (CV) 3) An expert witness
Read moreDecember 18, 2012
Types of Expert Witnesses
As someone who focuses in a sub area of expertise, the niche expert witness will tend to be more knowledgeable and more in demand by litigators. Many types of expert witnesses that we train operate in a niche or sub niche and are very successful doing so
Types of Expert Witnesses I am often asked who is qualified to become an expert witness. Many qualified people never consider getting into expert witnessing work because “they are not a doctor.” Others may think that their area of expertise is too narrow. Let’s debunk both of these common misconceptions. First of all, you don’t need to be a PhD,
Read moreDecember 18, 2012
Role of An Expert Witness
Expert witnesses who appear to be hired guns or advocates for their clients rapidly lose credibility. The most effective expert witnesses call cases as they see them. They are advocates for their opinions, not the party who is paying their fees.
Role of An Expert Witness Expert witnesses are allowed under the rules of evidence to “help the trier of fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue” (See Federal Rule of Evidence 702). The trier of fact in a jury trial is the jury and the trier of fact in a bench trial is the judge.
Read moreDecember 14, 2012
Expert Witness Questions
The questions asked on cross examination will typically be leading ones where the cross examiner tries to tightly control the expert witness and restrict the him to “yes” or “no” responses.
Expert Witness Questions Expert witnesses should anticipate the types of questions which they will face at deposition and during direct and cross examination. The types of questions the expert witness is likely to face while testifying at deposition and during direct and cross examination varies greatly. An expert witness in civil cases is on average 15-20 times more likely to
Read moreDecember 7, 2012
Direct Examination of an Expert Witness
During direct examination of an expert witness the expert needs to persuade, without appearing to be an advocate or hired gun.
Direct examination of an expert witness is often more challenging than cross examination of an expert witness. This is because during direct examination of an expert witness the expert needs to persuade without appearing to be an advocate or hired gun. Additionally, the expert witness may need to explain complicated concepts in a potentially dry field of study to a
Read moreNovember 28, 2012
How expert witnesses can benefit from an independent review of their depositions
We have seen expert witnesses demonstrate dramatic improvements after they are provided with such a line-by-line analysis and critique of their deposition.
Most civil cases never go to trial. The only testimony given in the case will be at deposition. Expert witnesses commonly testify in 15-20 depositions for every trial appearance they make. Expert witnesses need to excel at their depositions. This will allow them to provide the highest quality work product and encourage repeat and word of mouth referrals. Many expert
Read moreNovember 21, 2012
2013 SEAK Expert Witness Conference – Chicago, April 27-28, 2013
Our highly-acclaimed national expert witness conference is only presented once each year. The faculty includes an award winning trial judge, lawyers from top international firms such as Sidley Austin, Weil Gotshal, and Sedwick, nationally known jury consultants and multiple highly successful expert witnesses.
Our highly-acclaimed national expert witness conference is presented only once each year. We have assembled a top notch faculty. Our faculty includes an award winning trial judge, trial lawyers from top international firms such as Sidley Austin, Weil Gotshal, and Sedwick, nationally known jury consultants and multiple highly successful expert witnesses. I have provided a summary of our presentations and
Read moreNovember 20, 2012
Why Being High Profile May Be Dangerous For Expert Witnesses
Attracting too much attention may result in the expert witness being targeted by either the plaintiff or defense bar. Counsel may attempt to put the expert out of business by putting the expert under continuing intense scrutiny.
Many experts believe that having a high profile is a good thing for an expert witness. The higher the profile, the more likely the expert witness is to attract new clients and business, the thinking goes. Does there come a point when having too high a profile can become counterproductive for an expert witness? Targeted by Bar Flying too close
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