When hiring the mechanical engineering expert witness, explain your client’s goals in the case. The expert also needs to hear your approach to the case. It may be that the expert’s opinion is against your own so it is advisable to find this out before the expert sees your case documents.
It is also a good idea to research any advertising the expert may have. Get copies of ads from the expert to determine how he or she may present themselves in front of a jury. They will not respond well to an expert who appears to be a “hired gun.” An expert’s own web site should be carefully reviewed prior to retaining them. Is there anything embarrassing or contradictory on the site? Does the expert pronounce that he or she “is the leader in the industry” or put forth similar bravado that could affect how the jury perceives the expert? Imagine how the jury would react if the pages of the expert’s web site were displayed as exhibits at trial – because they very well could be.