Expert Witness Blog
Some expert witnesses believe that their professionalism is affected if they make it known that they are available to be retained as an expert witness. For example, many fear embarrassment or a loss of credibility when it is revealed on cross-examination that they market their services.
In reality, the judge and jury just don’t care about your marketing. On cross-examination, attorneys will not risk alienating a jury by delving deeply into your marketing, and judges frown upon such a line of questioning. Good cross-examination is short and hits hard. Attorneys are going to concentrate on two things in their limited amount of time to cross-examine an expert witness: the fact that you are a paid witness, and any inconsistencies in your prior testimony. Even these issues can be quickly defused on direct examination. You, of course, can point out that you are paid for your time, and not for your testimony. Lawyers are simply not going to gain ground with a jury by pointing out that you make your services available to the legal community through marketing.