In Expert Witness – A Valuable Asset, William Gulya, Jr., construction expert witness and President & CEO, Middlesex Trenching Company, writes:
Expert witnesses often will be required to be deposed and testify under oath at trial. The attorney should know in advance how the expert would appear and perform under pressure. The expert should always be dressed in business formal attire, which sends a clear signal to the jurors the expert is respectable and professional.
The attorney should meet with the expert so he can observe the expert’s composure and tone and how he carries himself in a mock deposition or trial testimony atmosphere. Even some of the very best experts can get somewhat flustered during a rigorous and demanding cross-examination. The attorney should educate the expert in the redirect process so he or she fully understands the process and its importance.
By incorporating the guidelines above, an attorney utilizing an expert witness will be better able to serve his client effectively.