How to Start and
Build a Successful Expert Witness Practice
June 20, 2007
Hyannis, MA
Four Points by Sheraton Hyannis Resort
www.sheraton.com
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Executive Summary
How to Start and Build a Successful Expert Witness
Practice is an intensive introductory workshop that is
designed to show prospective and novice expert witnesses exactly
what will be expected of them and how to start and build a
successful expert witness practice. This course is
specifically designed for prospective
and novice expert witnesses and requires no advanced knowledge or
training. Attendees
will learn from experienced faculty in a step-by-step fashion how to
start and build a successful expert witness practice. A continental
breakfast, lunch with faculty and a detailed workshop manual not
available anywhere else will be provided to all attendees.
Here's what past attendees have to say!
"Very well organized"
"Excellent"
"Very worthwhile"
"Very good-Dr. Baker very passionate and
knowledgeable"
"Very useful"
"Great"
"Great resources/ref. manual"
"Dr. Baker was great"
"Great personal history"
Distinguished Faculty
Terrance Baker, MD
,
is an attending emergency room physician at Good Samaritan Hospital
and forensic expert in Baltimore, Maryland. He received his BS and
MS from Johns Hopkins University and his MD from the George
Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Baker is board certified
in Family Practice, Geriatrics, and Emergency Medicine. Dr. Baker is
a former medical examiner of the city of Newport News, Virginia. Dr.
Baker has served as a forensic medical expert for trial attorneys,
defense attorneys, judges, district attorneys, and public defenders
throughout the United States. Dr. Baker has also served as a
forensic medical expert for the South Carolina Board of Medical
Examiners, the joint Underwriters Association, and the Carolina Peer
Review Organization. Dr. Baker has written and lectured extensively
on expert witness issues.
Tuition
The $395 tuition includes a continental breakfast,
breaks, lunch with faculty, a detailed manual which can be retained
as a bookshelf reference, and a dynamic learning experience.
Click here for registration information.
Continuing Education Information
Note: If your
specialty does not appear below and you desire credits, please
contact Karen Babitsky (781-261-9972 or Karen@seak.com). We can
often obtain desired credits upon request, but unfortunately,
obtaining some types of credits are not feasible. Please register
early, as we can only apply for credits after your registration form
has been received and it can take time to get the requested
approvals back from the accrediting agencies.
Accident Reconstructionists:
The ACTAR Continuing Education Unit has approved this program for
5.0 CEUs.
Accountants:
Earn 8.0 CPE credits in the field of study of Specialized
Knowledge and Applications. SEAK, Inc. is registered with the
National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a
sponsor of continuing professional education on the National
Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final
authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit.
Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be addressed to the
National Registry of CPE Sponsors, 150 Fourth Avenue North, Suite
700, Nashville, TN, 37219-2417. Web site: www.nasba.org For SEAK,
Inc.'s complaint and program cancellation policies please call SEAK,
Inc. at 508-457-1111. There are no prerequisites for this
introductory/intermediate group live program. No advanced
preparation is required.
Appraisers:
The American Society of Appraisers will accept 7.0 continuing
education hours for this program.
Attorneys:
Credit varies by state. Continuing legal education credits for
attorneys will only be applied for if requested in writing when
sending in the registration form for the conference. Please contact
Karen Babitsky (781-261-9972, Karen@seak.com) with any questions.
Engineers:
SEAK, Inc. has been reviewed and approved as an Authorized Provider
by the International Association for Continuing Education and
Training (IACET), 1620 I Street, NW, Suite 615, Washington, DC
20006. SEAK, Inc. will award .7 CEUs to participants who
successfully complete this program.
Nurses:
7.0 Contact Hours. This continuing nursing education activity
was approved by the Ohio Nurses Association (OBN-001-91) an
accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's
Commission on Accreditation. ONA assigned #13,149. Approval valid
through October 26, 2008.
Physicians:
SEAK, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing
Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for
physicians. SEAK, Inc. designates this educational activity for a
maximum of 7.0 AMA PRA Category 1� Credits. Physicians should
only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their
participation in the activity.
Psychologists:
7.0 CE Credits. SEAK, Inc. is approved by the American
Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for
psychologists. SEAK, Inc. maintains responsibility for this program
and its content. To receive credit each psychologist must attend the
entire program, sign in before the program, sign out after the
program and return a completed evaluation form. Partial credit is
not permitted. There are no prerequisites for this
introductory/intermediate group-live program.
Click here for Continuing Education Information.
7:30-8:00Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:00-8:45Role of Expert
Witnesses in Civil Litigation
Attendees will learn
the proper role of expert witnesses in civil litigation. Included is
an explanation of Federal Rule of Evidence 702, what specific
qualities attorneys are looking for when selecting expert witnesses,
and the types of specific assignments experts can expect from
retaining counsel including forensic consulting, report writing, and
where necessary, testifying at deposition or trial. Questions and
Answers.
Learning Objective:
Explain the role of expert witnesses in civil litigation.
8:45-9:15Fine Tuning Your
Expertise and the Geographic Area You Would Like to Practice In
In order to start and
build a successful expert witness practice, experts need to def ne
what specif c areas they feel qualified to opine on and decide the
geographic boundaries of their practice. Attendees will learn the
importance of staying within their true area of expertise, how to
craft a positive image and the pros and cons of statewide, regional
and national forensic practices. Questions and Answers.
Learning Objective: Discuss your true area(s) of expertise.
9:15-10:00Pulling
Together a CV Appropriate for Expert Witness Work
Anyone
considering starting an expert witness practice needs to maintain a
C.V. Attendees will learn the importance of an accurate, up-to-date
C.V., what should and should not be on a C.V., and how mistakes in
preparing C.V.s can damage or destroy an expert's credibility
Questions and Answers. Learning Objective: Describe how to
draft a CV appropriate for expert witness work.
10:00-10:15BREAK &
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY
10:15-11:15Spreading the
Word-Marketing Your New Expert Witness Practice
In this segment, the
faculty will show attendees numerous techniques to cost effectively
market an expert witness practice and get high quality cases.
Included, will be a frank discussion of what works and what doesn't
work. Techniques discussed include networking, word of mouth, 24/7
marketing, internet marketing, directories, advertising, writing,
speaking and expert witness referral agencies. Questions and
Answers. Learning Objective: List numerous techniques to
market your expert witness practice.
11:15-12:00Maintaining
Your Integrity, Credibility and Ethics
An
expert's integrity, credibility and ethics are his or her most
valuable assets. In this section experts will learn how to deal with
common problem situations and maintain their credibility and
reputation. Included is an explanation of how to deal with short
time lines, missing documents, inadequate information, being pushed
outside of your true area of expertise, abusive questioning,
amendments to your reports and other common problem situations
experts face. Questions and Answers. Learning Objective:
Explain how to deal with common ethical problems.
12:00-1:00LUNCH PROVIDED
WITH FACULTY
1:00-2:00Essentials of
Expert Witness Report Writing
Anyone wishing to
start a successful expert witness practice must be prepared to draft
a written report summarizing their investigation,
findings and opinions. Such reports are often requested by counsel
and may be legally required depending upon the jurisdiction in
question. In this section attendees will learn why counsel may need
a written report, what he or she is looking for in the report and
what should and should not be included in expert reports.
Questions and Answers.
Learning Objective:
Describe how to properly draft an expert report.
2:00-3:00Excelling While
Testifying
Successful experts are those who are persuasive during direct
examination and who stand up during cross-examination and at
deposition. Excelling while testifying requires preparation and
skill. In this section, attendees will learn the qualities and
specific testifying skills and techniques that attorneys are looking
for from experts. Questions and Answers. Learning
Objective: Describe essential testifying skills.
3:00-3:15BREAK &
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY
3:15-4:15Essentials of
Expert Witness Practice Management
In
this section attendees will learn the nuts and bolts of expert
witness practice management. Included will be a discussion of how
much to charge, what to charge for, how and when to collect your
fee, how to prepare a basic retention agreement, and expert witness
risk management. Sample forms will be provided to attendees.
Questions and Answers. Learning Objective: List practice
management techniques that will help improve an expert's bottom
line.
4:15-4:30Takeaways,
Conclusion and Evaluation
The
faculty will answer any and all outstanding questions. The faculty
and attendees will then work together to develop a "bullet-point"
list of the most important concepts, techniques and action steps
learned in this workshop. Questions and Answers. Learning
Objective: List the most important concepts, techniques and action
steps learned in the program.