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Selecting the best

23 October 2008
Issue: 7342 / Categories: Features , Expert Witness
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Part two: Mark Solon considers the skills and qualities of the right expert

Expert witnesses only are permitted to offer opinions to the court on the meaning and implication of other evidence that may influence the outcome of the case. The courts are concerned to ensure that opinions are offered by reputable people, following recognised disciplines of knowledge.

The civil courts, under the CPR (rr 32.1, 35.1 and 35.4), have complete control over evidence, including expert evidence. Moreover, the Pre-action Practice Direction states that if parties need an expert pre-action they should if possible engage an agreed expert, and should be aware that if proceedings are issued the court may not allow the use of the expert's report or the recovery of the costs (paras 4.9–10).

    The CPR emphasise the role of the expert as adviser to the court, and that experts should be independent from the party who instructs them (CPR 35.3).  
- The courts have greater control, through judicial case management, over evidence in general (and expert evidence in particular), and over the costs

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

DWF—19 appointments

DWF—19 appointments

Belfast team bolstered by three senior hires and 16 further appointments

Cadwalader—Andro Atlaga

Cadwalader—Andro Atlaga

Firm strengthens leveraged finance team with London partner hire

Knights—Ella Dodgson & Rebecca Laffan

Knights—Ella Dodgson & Rebecca Laffan

Double hire marks launch of family team in Leeds

NEWS
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve reports on Haynes v Thomson, the first judicial application of the Supreme Court’s For Women Scotland ruling in a discrimination claim, in this week's NLJ
Charlie Mercer and Astrid Gillam of Stewarts crunch the numbers on civil fraud claims in the English courts, in this week's NLJ. New data shows civil fraud claims rising steadily since 2014, with the King’s Bench Division overtaking the Commercial Court as the forum of choice for lower-value disputes
The Supreme Court issued a landmark judgment in July that overturned the convictions of Tom Hayes and Carlo Palombo, once poster boys of the Libor and Euribor scandal. In NLJ this week, Neil Swift of Peters & Peters considers what the ruling means for financial law enforcement
Small law firms want to embrace technology but feel lost in a maze of jargon, costs and compliance fears, writes Aisling O’Connell of the Solicitors Regulation Authority in this week's NLJ
Artificial intelligence may be revolutionising the law, but its misuse could wreck cases and careers, warns Clare Arthurs of Penningtons Manches Cooper in this week's NLJ
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