During this year’s EWI Conference on 17 May, Beth Rigby presented a session on the Expert Witness: In Practice. The session featured practical examples of an Expert under cross-examination to illustrate the pitfalls of oral evidence and how to avoid them, before concluding with breakout groups to discuss concerns with, and tips for, cross-examination. We've collated the insigfhtful feedback from these discussions. 

This is another case that illustrates how (at least) two forms of expert evidence can be distinguished: expert factual and expert opinion evidence.

Mercy Global Consult Ltd v Adegbuyi-Jackson [2023] EWHC 3203 (Ch)

Efstathios Maliakis is senior electrical engineer with 20 years’ experience, including 10 years supervising the construction of power plants. A full time Expert Witness since 2021, he tells us what led him to the profession, why he feels he’s found his perfect match career-wise, and his advice for aspiring Expert Witnesses.

One of the UK’s leading experts in Japanese knotweed, Dr Paul Beckett has been providing Expert Witness services since the early 2000s. He shares his insights into being part of a relatively new area of litigation; what makes a good Expert Witness; and why he approaches court like revising for an exam.

The Hon. Mrs. Justice Bacon delivered her closing address on how the role of the Expert Witness has evolved in modern litigation and the challenges this presents for experts, those instructing them, and judges alike.

Our annual conference is always a highlight in the Expert Witness Institute calendar. This year’s event, which took place on 17^th May, saw The Rt. Hon. Sir Keith Lindblom deliver a captivating opening keynote.

Rod Appleyard has been practising as an Expert Witness for almost 28 years, specialising in the forensic investigation of fenestration and building envelope defects. He shares what led him to the Expert Witness field; his advice for starting out; and why volunteering in a war zone changed his outlook on work and life.   

In this update on the 20-page limit for expert reports for cases on the Intermediate Track, we set out the position of the Civil Procedure Rule Committee on our concerns following further discussions, the Committee's intention to review the reforms after 12 months, and the EWI's advice to members. 

The judge considered, but did not reach a conclusion on, whether a party's communications with their expert before a joint meeting of experts should be disclosed. 

A Single Joint Expert caused difficulties by an unwise pre-hearing exchange with one of the parties in the absence of the other party, and legal representatives.