As a practicing lawyer, clients may scrutinize every expense and hour you bill in their case. The key to avoiding billing surprises with your clients is to communicate your billing practices. While money has to be considered in hiring an expert witness, it is not the best place to cut costs. Advise your client not to expect experts to discount their fees. A good expert witness is not a bargain expert witness.
Expert witnesses have the education, training, and experience that makes them knowledgeable in their field. While it is understandable that clients want to keep litigation costs to a minimum, in order to win their case, it is advisable not to cut expert witness costs.