In Utilizing Experts In An Expert Way, Kelli Hinson and Tesa Hinkley describe the crucial role expert witnesses have at trial and give advice on how best to use them. In this excerpt, Hinson and Hinkley give tips on how deal with the timing of expert witness reports.
Because clients often want to review reports prior to filing, experts must complete their reports well in advance of the actual deadline. Depending on the complexity of the report, up to two weeks may be needed for auditing to ensure an error-free analysis and preparation of backup material. Planning to substantially complete the report several weeks prior to the deadline will leave sufficient time for you to review it, for your expert to address client comments, for the expert’s support team to resolve last minute concerns, audit the report, and complete backup material.
Excerpted from the ABA Expert Witness Alert, Summer/Fall 2007