A ‘gold-standard’ register of experts has been officially launched by the Expert Witness Institute (EWI).
Experts can now apply for Certified Expert Witness Membership, for which they will be assessed on core competencies such as report writing, discussions between experts and giving oral evidence in court.
One key aspect of the certification process is that applicants will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate actual practice in real scenarios.
Certified members must also commit to undertaking continuing professional development and will be required to go through the Certification assessment every five years to revalidate their practice and retain their Certified status.
On achieving certification, experts will be identified as such on the EWI’s Find an Expert Directory and will appear at the top of search results.
The certification scheme, which has 40 members since its soft launch in July, costs £325 for EWI members and £425 for non-members to apply.
Welcoming the launch of the register, Lord Hodge, deputy president of the Supreme Court, said: ‘The complexity of much of modern litigation means that expert witnesses often play an essential role in the administration of justice.
‘Unfortunately, judges have had to criticise experts for failing to understand and comply with their duties. Such failures can result in injustice and such criticism can cause serious damage to a person’s professional reputation.
‘I hope that the initiative will assist experts, the parties who instruct them to give evidence, and the judiciary in their collaboration to ensure high standards in the administration of justice.’
Lord Carloway, Lord President of the Court of Session, said: ‘It is crucial that expert witnesses are properly trained and qualified so that they are able to comply with their duties to the courts and tribunals before which they appear.’
Sir Martin Spencer, chair of EWI, said the scheme would provide the legal profession with ‘a pool of talent with the relevant education, training, understanding and experience to provide expert guidance to the courts’.
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