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An expert’s report is one of the most important services provided to retaining counsel. A well-written report is immensely helpful to retaining counsel and may well lead to future referrals and the ability to charge premium fees. A poorly written report can and will be used to impeach the expert in the case at hand and future cases for years to come. Expert Report Writing Workshop is a lively, hands-on program that features numerous interactive writing exercises and mock trial demonstrations. It will teach you how to write more valuable and more defensible reports and how to avoid the most common pitfalls involved in expert report writing. Attendees will learn how to structure their reports so as to be resistant to cross-examination and will even be provided an opportunity to have an actual expert report of theirs critiqued by a colleague. Ample time will be set aside for questions and answers.

Learning Objectives

At the completion of this seminar you will be able to:

• Dramatically improve your forensic report writing skills

• Avoid the most common pitfalls in drafting expert reports

• Understand the tactics attorneys use to attack an expert report and learn how to defend against each of these tactics

• Be a more valuable expert witness

James J. Mangraviti, Jr., ESQ, has trained hundreds of expert witnesses across the United States and Canada. He is a former trial lawyer with experience in defense and plaintiff personal injury law and insurance law. He currently serves as Vice President and General Counsel of SEAK, Inc. Mr. Mangraviti received his BA degree in mathematics summa cum laude from Boston College and his JD degree cum laude from Boston College Law School. His publications include the texts Cross-Examination: The Comprehensive Guide for Experts, Writing and Defending Your Expert Report: The Step-by-Step Guide with Models, SEAK Law School for Physicians, Law School for the Safety and Health Professional, The Independent Medical Examination Report: A Step-by-Step Guide with Models, The Successful Physician Negotiator: How to Get What You Deserve, How to Excel During Cross-Examination: Techniques for Experts That Work, How to Excel During Depositions: Techniques for Experts That Work, and The Comprehensive Forensic Services Manual: The Essential Resources for All Experts.

For FEWA Members who register before February 28, the tuition is $345.  For Members registering after March 1st, tuition is $395.   For Non-Members who register before February 28, the tuition is $445.  For Non-Members registering after March 1st, tuition is $495. The tuition includes continental breakfast, breaks, seminar manual, and a unique and practical hands-on learning experience. We expect this seminar to sell out early.

Seminar Venue:
The Sutton Place Hotel
4500 MacArthur Blvd., 
Newport Beach, CA 92660

How to register:

Register directly with the FEWA.

Phone (949) 640-9903
Fax (949) 640-9911

Or print this page and mail it to 

FEWA Executive Director
2402 Vista Nobleza
Newport Beach, CA  92660

Thursday, March 25, 2004

Introduction

Experts will learn when to write their expert report and more importantly when not to write an expert report. The law governing the discoverability and admissibility of expert reports will be explained. The specific reasons why a well-written report is of crucial importance will be explained. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OF EXPERT REPORTS

Experts will learn the legally mandated content requirements for Rule 26 Reports for cases in federal court and reports used to oppose or support motions for summary judgment (Rule 56 motions). QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Experts will learn the optimal ways to format an expert report and how this can assist them during cross-examination. The importance of proper formatting will be emphasized, with a specific discussion of cover pages, fonts, topic headings, paragraph breaks and lengths, spacing, and page numbering. A mock trial demonstration will emphasize the importance of proper formatting. Model reports with superior formatting will be provided. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Through a combination of a didactic presentations, interactive writing exercises, and mock trial demonstrations, experts will learn the best way to document, in an expert report, the research upon which their opinion was based and the importance of doing this in a proper manner. What should and should not be included will be discussed. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Break and Networking Opportunity

The expert’s stating of his own qualifications in an expert report is an area where avoidable mistakes with severe consequences are all too often made. Through didactic presentations, interactive writing exercises and a mock trial demonstration, experts will learn the importance of accurately and objectively stating their qualifications and the common errors that experts often make in this area. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

The purpose of an expert report is the expression of the expert’s opinion. This opinion should be expressed in a clear, confident and supportable manner. Through didactic presentations, interactive writing exercises and a mock trial demonstration, experts will learn how to properly express an opinion and the reasoning for that opinion in an expert report and the common pitfalls to avoid in this area. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Through didactic presentations and a mock trial demonstration, experts will learn the importance of proofreading their report and how to catch and correct the most commonly made errors in expert reports. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

LUNCH WITH FACULTY (PROVIDED)

Through didactic presentations, interactive writing exercises and a mock trial demonstration, experts will learn 20 proven techniques to make their expert report more powerful, persuasive and defensible. Specific techniques explained will include: avoiding absolute words, staying within the expert’s true area of expertise, identifying red flag words to avoid in expert reports, identifying common damaging superfluous language that should not appear in expert reports, avoiding hedge words and over a dozen more specific techniques. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

BREAK AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY

Through didactic presentations and mock trial demonstrations, experts will learn the 25 most effective tactics counsel uses to attack an expert through his report and, more importantly, specific advice on how to defend against each and every one of these tactics. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 

Experts will have the opportunity to have an actual expert report of theirs critiqued by a colleague. Experts who wish to participate in this part of the program should bring one of their shorter reports with them to the seminar.