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.

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).