• While they may note that the work often just involves writing an expert report, they make clear that acting as an expert witness has the potential to be a significant commitment over a lengthy period and, in addition to writing a report, could include:
Attending meetings with the instructing party,
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Answering Part 35 questions,
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Attending discussions with the opposing expert,
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Writing joint reports,
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Attending court, and
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Providing oral evidence in court.
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• Either of their own volition, or at your request, they offer to put you in touch with other expert witnesses who work for them to discuss the role and their experiences working with the organisation. • There is transparency around where your instructions come from – most agencies receive instructions from a law firm or sometimes via another medical reporting agencies (MROs) – experts should expect to know where the instruction has come from originally and must be given the original letter of instruction. • They are clear about how they can help you to make the process more streamlined, for example obtaining and providing records in a medical case, liaising with you or your support team to arrange appointments, providing templates for your report and additional work, and generally helping you to fulfil your duties to the court. • They are a Corporate Member of the Expert Witness Institute or an equivalent organisation and have been assessed to confirm they achieve quality standards.
Expert Matters Podcast The EWI has recorded a podcast for people interested in becoming an Expert Witness with great advice on getting started and avoiding the common pitfalls. You can listen to the podcast at
www.ewi.org.uk/podcast
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