The Expert Witness Handbook
The stakes in litigation can be enormous. And at the center of these high-pressure moments, quietly but critically, stands the expert witness.
Expert witnesses are the translators of complexity, trusted guides through specialized knowledge. Whether in headline-grabbing trials or behind the scenes, experts illuminate the obscure so that lawyers can advocate, judges can interpret, and juries can decide. In many of today’s most complex disputes, the case turns not only on what happened but also which expert the decision-maker believes. The truth often hides behind layers of technical nuance and it is the expert who gives that nuance shape, structure, and force.
Over the course of three decades providing great expert witnesses to litigators, Round Table Group has developed a deep appreciation for well-run expert witness engagements. However, expert witness engagements are not always works of art. First-time experts typically know little about the litigation process or what serving as an expert witness entails, let alone how to do it well. Attorneys have many competing priorities, and keeping experts in the loop is sometimes overlooked.
Our passion is facilitating smooth and productive expert witness engagements. For the past several years, Round Table Group has been interviewing attorneys and experts on best practices, and what each party wishes they’d known when they first got started. This handbook combines our own experience with the wisdom distilled from hundreds of these interviews to help experts quickly improve and gain experience without so much “trial” and error along the way.
This handbook is intended especially for newer expert witnesses. The handbook’s first section answers many questions novice experts have: “Why do expert witnesses matter?”, “How do trials work and how do expert witnesses fit into them?”, “Would I be a good expert witness and if so, how can I get the opportunity?”
Subsequently, we take a deep dive into best practices, sharing suggestions for reports, depositions, and testimony; as well as project management, billing, and legal tips that will improve the odds of successful engagements. Even seasoned experts may find valuable takeaways from the experiences and recommendations shared in these chapters.
Expert witnesses matter. Not only is being one interesting and potentially lucrative, but great subject matter experts help lawyers, judges, and juries sift through and make sense of complicated litigation. Whether you are taking your first steps or have been around the block a few times, we hope our Expert Witness Handbook helps you become a more successful and more knowledgeable expert.