Articles Posted in Expert Witness Marketing

In Watermarking an Expert Witness CV, construction site expert witness William Gulya, Jr., President & CEO, Middlesex Trenching Company, writes:

At first glance it seems like a good idea, and having your CV on your website or on directory websites is a good way to promote your services and qualifications. As for the second part of their contention, “feeling secure and offering a current version of your CV without a watermark…,” that is debatable, in my opinion.

First and foremost, it is my experience that the vast majority of attorneys is not unscrupulous and works in an honorable and professional manner. I guess there are always a few bad apples in any barrel. Any attorney who would take your CV and present it to their adversary and/or the court without actually retaining the experts services with a signed retainer agreement or other written verification subjects himself to possible sanctions and ethical violations, not to mention potential legal action against them from the expert.

In Watermarking an Expert Witness CV, construction site expert witness William Gulya, Jr., President & CEO, Middlesex Trenching Company, writes:

A recent article on a prominent expert witness directory site recommended and encouraged their experts and consultants to watermark their curriculum vitae. Their reasoning, according to the article, was because, “As disconcerting as it may be, unscrupulous activity does exist in the legal industry.”

“Marking the CV with such statements as “UNOFFICIAL,” “NOT YET RETAINED,” “DO NOT SUBMIT,” or “UNAUTHORIZED,” prevents unconscionable practitioners from downloading a CV and submitting it as their “Retained” expert witness, or implying such, without the knowledge and consent of the expert.”(Experts.com)

In Cross-Examination Questions (and Answers) About Your Advertising, Rosalie Hamilton, the Expert’s Expert on marketing writes:

 Answer questions honestly, and do not elaborate, except to further defuse the question.

 As with all deposition and courtroom questions, respond only to questions, not to statements; be comfortable with the silence and wait for a question.

 Don’t answer compound questions, or at least divide your response, with one answer to the first part of the question and a clearly separate answer to the second part.

In Cross-Examination Questions (and Answers) About Your Advertising, Rosalie Hamilton, the Expert’s Expert on marketing writes:

Some experts are understandably wary of advertising. I see some forensic advertising that I consider objectionable, advertising that a skilled attorney could use to impeach an expert witness. On the other hand, the mere fact that one advertises is not objectionable. Advertising, in and of itself, is not the basis of being viewed as a “hired gun.” That results, instead, from the prostituting of oneself by manipulating the facts and opinions to provide a desired conclusion.

If you are concerned about how you will look when answering questions about marketing your expert services, remember that the attorney grilling you is probably listed in local, state, and national bar association publications; Martindale-Hubbell(c) attorney directory; local, state, and national legal magazines and newspapers; the Yellow Pages; and his child’s athletic booster directory. As was the judge when he practiced law as an attorney!

Do *not* take the questioning personally. Your responses to the questions, rather than the questions themselves, will determine the attitude of jurors and even judges toward you. Practice maintaining your poise and responses to emotion-loaded questions.

In Litigants Are Not Your Clients, expert witness marketing consultant Rosalie Hamilton offers the caution that rarely does good come from doing “legal work” for a non-legal client.

In the future, if/when you get a call from an individual, simply inform him/her that you do medical-legal consulting work only for attorneys, and they should ask their attorney to call you. If no attorney, pass. Too much risk for the pay.

Read more: http://expertcommunications.blogspot.com/

At www.expertcommunications.com, expert witness marketing consultant Rosalie Hamilton asks: Do you want to know how to become an expert witness, or to get more clients and cases?

Ms. Hamilton is the leading authority on expert witness marketing and founder of Expert Communications. Her company provides customized marketing plans and consulting and coaching to individual experts and firms. Resources include training products, practice development, as well as one-on-one coaching on communication skills. From Rosalie:

Expert consultants are expert at their own professions; they are not expected to be experts at marketing.

The American Institute for Expert Witness Education’s Expert Witness Bootcamp is an intensive three-day clinic designed to develop and enhance the testifying and communication skills of professionals who serve as expert witnesses in the courtroom in a variety of industries including accounting, financial and valuation, marital dissolution, fraud investigation, medical, high technology, fire and others.

The AIEWE Bootcamp is not a program where attendees work on simulated case studies, but incorporates the attendee’s actual work product and engagements that are used to tailor and personalize the training.

Read more: http://www.nacva.com/CTI/CTIExpertWitnessBootcamp.asp

In BECOMING AN EXPERT WITNESS & DEVELOPING YOUR CURRICULUM VITA OR RÉSUMÉ, Hallie Bongar White & Jane Larrington of the The Southwest Center For Law And Policy offer a template for Writing A Curriculum Vita or Résumé. The Southwest Center For Law And Policy is a non-profit organization providing legal training and technical assistance for tribal law enforcement, courts, prosecutors, community health care professionals, victim advocates, social services, and community members. SWCLAP hosts the National Tribal Trial College.

Ms. White is an attorney and Executive Director of the Southwest Center for Law and Policy. Ms. Larrington is a reference librarian at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law and a staff attorney at the Southwest Center for Law and Policy.

Read more: http://www.swclap.org/pdfs/EXPERTWITNESS.pdf

Computer expert witness Judd Robbins, author of Expert Witness Training, Profit From Your Experience, writes: You’re already a Professional. This book can enhance your reputation.

Two reviews from experts at Expert Communications:

“I just wanted to tell you that Judd Robbins’ book, Expert Witness Training – Profit From Your Experience, is the best book on the topic I have read in over 20 years. It is concise and to the point, yet it covers a great many topics while still being readable. I highly recommend it.”

In Your Competitive Advantage, leading authority on expert witness marketing and founder of Expert Communications Rosalie Hamilton writes:

A competitive advantage can be merely a perceived advantage. You can use this to your benefit. A large engineering firm may have many different specialties of engineers, along with its own testing facilities. Alternately, a sole practitioner engineer can promote himself as being more responsive to the attorney, more personally involved in each case, and possibly less costly. Learn to articulate your competitive advantage in a professional manner.

Read more: http://www.expertcommunications.com/