How to Prove You're a Rookie When Choosing and Preparing an Expert: The Magnificent Seven Mistakes

Abstract

There are many ways for the novice lawyer to show that he or she is a "rookie." One of the prime areas for demonstrating one's lack of experience in litigation is the area of experts. The use of experts in complex and not-so-complex litigation has skyrocketed in recent years. Experts have come to play an integral role in a party's case. Experts are used in virtually all types of litigation to help prove facts, give opinions and to meet burdens of proof. Thus, an error in choosing or preparing an expert witness can be fatal to one's case. While there are any number of articles and books on how to select and prepare experts, there is little to read on how not to select and prepare your expert. Accordingly, the following Magnificent Seven Mistakes are guaranteed to make your expert experience a disaster!

Keywords: novice lawyers, novice attorneys, expert witnesses, rookie, litigation, complex litigation, evidence, burdens of proof, trial practice, witness preparation

JEL Classification: K19, K29, K39, K49