Attorneys Getting the Most Out of Their Experts

The Expert Witness Committee of the ABA's Litigation Section publishes a quarterly "Expert Alert" for attorneys about working with expert witnesses. The latest issue (Fall 2007) features the article "Tips From the Experts: Getting the Most Out of Your Experts." Although written for attorneys, it highlights some best practices for the attorney-expert relationship. Making the process easier for the attorney is definitely good marketing, so it's worth a read.

Growing Your Expert Practice

Some time ago we did a random survey of our newsletter readers about the issues they face in building and expanding their expert practices. Experts mentioned five concerns/challenges above all the rest:

1. Identifying and locating the specific attorneys who handle issues issues involving their expertise, reaching them at the right time, and targeting the decision maker.

2. Attaining visibility/credibility and educating the attorney about their expertise and how they differ from the competition.

3. Avoiding appearing like a 'hired gun' and how to defend marketing and advertising on the stand.

4. Choosing the most effective venues in which to advertise and determining how attorneys find experts.

5. The time and money involved in effectively marketing an expert consultant practice.

Are these still the main challenges? What is the biggest issue you face in your practice today? What questions would like to have answered that would help you achieve your business development goals? Please leave your thoughts in the Comments below.

Expert Witness Deposition on YouTube

Expert witness video has made it to YouTube. Check out this video clip from the deposition of an accident reconstruction often retained by insurance companies. Search a little through the videos - there is a surprising amount of expert witness related material.

Practice Management Tips

Although written for lawyers, I found many realistic tips applicable to any professional service providers - in a solo practice or firm. Written by Jason Krause for the ABA Law Journal, the article is titled "Law Hacks - 101 tips, tricks and tools to make you a more productive, less stressed-out lawyer."

Krause includes both high and low-tech tips on subjects as varied as email to time management. Don't miss tip 101 - I let loose a big guffaw when I got to that one!

Too Much Litigation Experience?

In a blog post at Science Evidence, attorney Cliff Hutchinson comments on a Georgia trial court's standards and decisions regarding expert testimony in the case Bowers v. Norfolk Southern Corp.

Does the number of cases an expert has been retained on determine his classification as a "hired gun"? If so, does this warrant a stricter application of Daubert to the admissibility of that expert's opinion? Can wishy-washy terminology be cause for exclusion of an expert's testimony? (Take note of the italicized terms in his post).