If you haven't already, register now for the FEWA National Conference, August 28-29, 2020 in Houston! This year’s two-day conference will provide advanced training skills for all levels and disciplines of experts and forensic consultants. Learn key topics and issues of importance to attorneys and expert witnesses while earning up to 12.75 Hours, including 1 hour of Ethics in MCLE credits.

FEWA is closely monitoring COVID-19 information and working with the CDC regarding the possibility of the future events. Based on the information we have today, the 2020 FEWA National Conference is still scheduled to take place August 28-29, 2020 in Houston. We will continue to provide updates as necessary.

FEWA’s Certified Forensic Litigation Consultant (CFLC) certification sets CFLC certificants above the rest. CFLC certificants exhibit the experience and knowledge expected of an expert or consultant, giving an attorney the confidence needed when selecting an expert. If you’re an expert, take the time to learn more about the CFLC Certification to see if it’s the right next step for your professional development. If you’re an attorney, look for CFLC in members’ designations or on their FEWA online profile to help give you the confidence you need when sifting through experts. 

Join FEWA for the next installment of the FEWA Virtual Academy series on Wednesday, June 17 at 1:00 pm PT! The program, Utilizing Existing and Emerging Technologies to Maximize Juror Connection, will be presented by Senior Managing Directors at Ankura, Erica Massaro-Hales and Chad Paulin.

The Forensic Expert Witness Association offers webinars specifically tailored to the continuing education of expert witnesses. The FEWA Webinar series is free for all FEWA members and offered at the low price of $30 for non-members. The webinars are created to fit within the CFLC Core Program.

Webinars and virtual chapter meetings are open to all members and non-members.

Dr. Jeff Sugar is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at USC. He is Board Certified in General and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. In that role, he sees patients, teaches psychiatry and medical student trainees and performs research. He is also the Director of the USC Child Psychiatry Trauma Program and has been named Faculty of the Year four times at USC. Not only that, but Jeff is the Past President of the Southern California Society of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. Read more about Jeff below.

The question of whether COVID-19 would forever change the world as we know it remains to be answered. For the time being, however, the pandemic has certainly changed the way we live and conduct business. In an effort to adjust to the current requirements of strict social distancing, we have had to be creative and use technology to our advantage. For instance, in order to sustain the administration of justice, we have had to allow virtual hearings to become the new norm.

The potential jurors popped onto the screen one by one. They confirmed their names and told the judge how they were connecting to the court: on laptops, tablets and iPhones. There were some wireless issues and camera problems, but eventually 26 Texans in separate boxes raised their hands for the judge and together swore the juror's oath, beginning the experiment of conducting a civil jury trial entirely over Zoom.

Every court case is different, meaning the experts the case requires will vary, whether for the benefit of the prosecution or defense. Hiring an expert witness means that there will be someone with a deep understanding of the subject under litigation to weigh in on the case. Cases often heavily depend on the testimony from the character witness, which is why it is beneficial to have one on your side.

Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and applicable state court rules, qualified experts may provide opinion testimony at trial, enhancing the presentation of your case. An expert witness who has not been properly prepared, however, may undermine your case rather than strengthen it. While effective expert witness preparation may seem intimidating to a young attorney, it is crucial to any successful trial strategy. This article provides helpful tips for young attorneys preparing experts to testify.

During a car accident case, expert witnesses may be highly valuable. They can testify on your behalf and help prove what happened and why you’ve been injured. Insurance companies will insist in court that your injures are not as bad as you claim they are, that’s when expert witnesses come in. An expert witness can be key in your case, to help prove the total amount of your damages.