FEWA is considered the gold-standard among attorneys and legal professionals when searching for an expert witness for a few reasons. FEWA has the distinction of being the only expert witness organization that requires verifiable references and testimonies to be designated as a member. In addition, each FEWA member is required to practice the FEWA Code of Professional Ethics to retain membership. The FEWA National Office is frequently contacted by law offices who are looking for experts. We are able to provide them the experts they need at no-cost as a member benefit to our members.

The Virtual Networking series is a new initiative to help connect members and the FEWA community. FEWA offers the unique opportunity to connect experts and consultants with one another; a benefit that other groups and online directories can't provide. The moderated discussion will allow you to give a short elevator speech, chat with other members, and discuss timely topics that you face in your expert witness or consulting business.  

Visit the Events page for the next installment of the FEWA Virtual Networking and to register.

Please note that space is limited and available for FEWA members only. 

Contact the FEWA National Office at info@forensic.org or 312.981.6780 with any questions. 

The FEWA e-newsletter is distributed twice a month – that’s 24 opportunities for you to contribute an article, news item or event notice for our newsletter! We are always interested to hear about your experiences as an expert witness and legal consultant, whether you are just starting out your career or are a seasoned expert. The Forensic Expert Witness is the perfect place to write an op-ed style article about it to share your insights with other experts, and gain visibility for your FEWA profile and expertise.

Submit your community editorial to the FEWA National Staff by email here. Happy writing!

Bob Bates is a CPA, CFE, CVA and CFO and has worked with dozens of lawyers on over 50 cases in various states. Sometimes he provides financial support for a client in litigation, or pre-litigation, and other times he provides a report, such as a damages calculation, which can be used in litigation. He also has experience providing testimony in depositions and trials. Read more below. 

Pamela Bensoussan has over thirty-five years of experience in the decorative and fine arts. She owned and operated galleries in San Francisco, San Diego and Paris, France. Pamela is an Accredited Senior Appraiser with the American Society of Appraisers in the Personal Property discipline, since 2003, and holds a second ASA accreditation in the Appraisal Review and Management discipline. Read more below. 

Your FEWA membership includes a number of benefits, including a listing in the FEWA Online Directory and an Enhanced Online Profile. Enhanced Online Profile allows members to improve their visibility to members of the legal community who are seeking experts by making effective enhancements. Are you making the most of your Directory listing? Do you have an Online Enhanced Profile? Take advantage of these benefits today!

Lawyers depend upon expert witnesses to convey their opinions in clear language, breaking down complex ideas into digestible portions that juries and judges can comprehend. While words are an expert witness’ primary tool, juries understand evidence more readily when they can visualize a concept. Studies suggest that people are more likely to understand new information when it is presented both in narrative and visual form.  Brains process information more effectively when they are stimulated simultaneously though multiple senses, including hearing and seeing.

Experts' meetings are a crucial stage in litigation. No one who has completed our expert witness training should be in any doubt about their importance. The Civil Procedure Rules indicate that the court may direct a discussion between experts (CPR 35.12) but in clinical negligence cases it normally does. Following their discussion, experts prepare a 'joint statement' for the court setting out those issues on which they agree and those on which they disagree, with a summary of their reasons for disagreeing.

Trial consultants know exactly how to leverage expert witness support. This includes working across a range of specialties to prepare for trial, deposition, and cross-examination. We spoke with eight leading trial consultants about the most common mistakes they see expert witnesses make and how you can avoid them.

We are all guilty of living with the status quo. Better the devil you know and all that. But there comes a time when even risk-averse lawyers have to take a risk on a new expert witness. Is it time to consider having a risk management strategy for your medico-legal experts, to deal with unforeseen events or even those quite foreseeable events? Have you considered what would happen to your cases if something did happen to your expert; the expert becomes sick, passes away, retires, gets struck off? There are also the day-to-day challenges you experience now, with a lack of availability for experts, causing delays in your cases

Did you attend the FEWA National Conference in June? Conference attendees earned up to 13 educational credits towards the Certified Forensic Litigation Consultant (CFLC Credential). FEWA Professional and Professional Consulting members are eligible to apply for the CFLC. Do you qualify for the CFLC? Learn more about the application requirements.