Writing Expert Reports – Advanced
This Advanced Report Writing training is now offered as two half-day workshops focussing on crucial areas of expert report writing practice. Participants can attend either or both workshops.
Part 1: Understanding Legal Tests
Introduction
In Part 1 (the morning session), Giles Eyre of 9 Gough Square Chambers will explore the complex and difficult issues that arise when dealing with legal tests in evidence. These tests are critical to the proper and meaningful expression of expert opinion. Those experts who can apply legal tests appropriately stand out from the vast majority of expert witnesses who often struggle to apply legal tests properly, or simply do not apply the tests at all.
Three issues commonly arise for experts:
- the expert is unaware of which legal test to apply;
- the expert does not understand how to apply the legal test (even though the expert may be able to quote the test correctly); or
- the expert understands the test but is unsure how to apply it in complex factual situations.
When facing complex issues (be these factual or technical in nature) expert reports often lack the necessary clarity on the issues that are of most concern to the lawyers, exposing the reporting expert’s lack of forensic skill.
During this workshop, we will explore a variety of legal tests that need to be applied in expert evidence and will discuss case law and how to apply these tests to a variety of simple and complex factual scenarios. What will emerge from these discussions is the need for the expert to develop a systematic and logical approach to applying legal tests in the evidence.
Workshop Objectives
Morning Session
- Understand the importance of legal tests in evidence
- Explore the fundamental categories of legal test
- Learn how to identify the correct legal test to apply
- Apply legal tests in the evidence using a variety of simple and complex factual and technical scenarios
- Understand the thought process necessary for applying legal tests correctly when expressing expert opinion.
Benefits of Attending
- Receive specialist tuition on a vital area of expert reporting practice
- Learn techniques that help to clarify the issues that need to be addressed in the expert report
- Learn how to present each stage of the opinion in a logical and ordered way
- Focus on expressing opinion in difficult cases involving breach of duty, causation, damage, care and quantum
- Learn how to report on multi-incident causation claims
- Develop a coherent approach to presenting the evidence
- Understand when and how to seek guidance from instructing lawyers
Speaker
Giles Eyre
Giles Eyre is a highly experienced barrister who specialises in Personal Injury litigation. He has extensive experience of advising clients pre-trial and advocating cases in court. He is a Recorder and a mediator on the CEDR Solve Lead Mediators panel. He regularly presents workshops on expert witness evidence and practice to both experts and lawyers. He is a contributing editor to two legal guides and has produced his own book on expert evidence (written with Lynden Alexander): Writing Medico-Legal Reports in Civil Claims: An Essential Guide.
Venue
Chartered Institute of Arbitration
12 Bloomsbury Square
London
WC1A 2LP
Tel: 020 7421 7444
Part 2: Achieving Excellence in Writing Expert Reports
Introduction
In Part 2 (the afternoon session), Lynden Alexander will explore writing techniques that will improve the clarity and reliability of expert evidence. We will look in detail at each aspect of the expert report – the factual basis, the expression of opinion and the rationale that supports it.
In complex cases, experts may also have to work as part of a wider expert team, which itself may create evidential difficulties if the communication between the experts and the lawyers is not managed effectively. We will pay particular attention to difficult evidential situations where clear drafting strategies can transform the quality of the expert evidence. This will help to enhance the reputation of the expert with the lawyers who instruct them and will be impressive to the court should the matter reach court.
Workshop Objectives
Afternoon Session
- Develop opinion writing skills for complex cases
- Understand how to deal with causation in multi-incident compensation claims
- Understand how to deal with the range of professional opinion on issues in dispute
- Learn approaches to explaining complex issues
- Explore reporting situations dealing with technical difficult issues
Benefits of Attending
- Receive specialist tuition from an experienced forensic communication consultant
- Explore difficult drafting issues that commonly arise and which experts often do not know how to resolve
- Explore writing structures that enable complex evidence to be presented clearly
- Learn grammatical and presentational strategies that improve evidence
- Understand how to write opinion evidence in multi-incident claims
- Understand how to link evidence produced by different members of an expert ‘team’
Speaker
Lynden Alexander
Lynden is a communication skills consultant who specialises in forensic communication. Since 1996, he has trained more than 6000 expert witnesses in writing and presenting expert evidence in court and other tribunal. He trains experts involved in both civil and criminal courts and in mental health review tribunals. He also has more than ten years’ experience in training expert witnesses involved in planning appeals and highways inquiries. His book on expert evidence (written with Giles Eyre): Writing Medico-Legal Reports in Civil Claims: An Essential Guide.
Venue
Chartered Institute of Arbitration
12 Bloomsbury Square
London
WC1A 2LP
Tel: 020 7421 7444
Terms and Conditions
Cancellations
All cancellations must be made no later than 21 days before the seminar/workshop date. All cancellations made more than 21 days before the seminar/workshop date will receive a refund of monies paid, less a £50+VAT administration charge per delegate.
No refund will be given for any cancellation made within 21 days of the seminar/workshop date, though a substitute delegate may attend for a £50+VAT administration charge.
Professional Solutions Learning and Development reserves the right to make changes to the programme, venue and/or speakers at any time. Professional Solutions Learning and Development will not offer refunds to delegates owing to a terrorist alert or incident or to natural events unless the event is cancelled.
Confirmation
Once we have received confirmation of your booking in writing or through the website, we will send you an email confirmation - please look out for this both in your inbox and junk mail. An e-invoice will be attached where appropriate.
All invoices and outstanding accounts must be settled before the date of the event. CPD and attendance certificates will only be made available on settlement or all outstanding fees. If you have not received confirmation of your booking within 2 days of placing your booking please contact us on 020 7252 3200. We cannot be held responsible for the non-arrival of information.
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Workshop Date & Time
DATE: 19 June 2012
TIME: 9.30AM-13.00PM (Part 1)
Registration at 9.00AM
TIME: 13.45-17.00 (Part 2)
Workshop Prices
PRICES:
£165 + VAT (£33) = £198.00
for one half day workshop
£295 + VAT (£59) = £354.00
for both half day workshops
(Discount £42.00)
BOOK ALL 3 WORKSHOPS
(With Writing Expert Reports
- Introduction Workshop)
£550 + VAT (£110) = £660.00
(Discount £60.00)
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Delegate Feedback
100% of participants rated this workshop 'Very Good' or 'Excellent'.
"Excellent Workshop – the presenter knew his stuff inside out."
"Excellent – well-structured and planned"
"Well presented, good structure, relevant and useful"
"A very good Workshop that provides excellent knowledge that will be very useful in practice."
"Very good. I attended the introductory Workshop some years ago and was keen to refresh and advance my skills. The Workshop did indeed deliver."