How to find an Expert Witness

There are many ways that solicitors, courts, insurance companies, employers or private individuals can find an Expert Witness.

However, the most important factor to consider before selecting an Expert Witness, is what type of Expert Witness is most appropriate to undertake the medico-legal report that is required.  This is best discussed with a solicitor as there are many different types of Expert Witness, who all have specialist training, skills and experience in different areas.  A solicitor will normally be able to advise you as to which type of Expert Witness is most suitable and can also ensure that the instructions given to that Expert Witness are most likely to assist in the case.

Once you have decided upon the type of Expert Witness that is required you can find an Expert Witness by various means, some of which are explained below:

Regulatory authorities and Governing or Professional bodies

Many professions, such as Psychology, have regulatory authorities and/or Professional bodies who regulate and/or represent the professional interests of their members. Some of these bodies may have a register or directory of Expert Witnesses available on their websites.  These lists of Expert Witnesses will contain the names of their members who offer Expert Witness services and may also provide details of their location and areas of specialty. There are two main Professional bodies for Psychologist:

- The Health Professions Council

- The British Psychological Society

Companies providing Expert Witness services

The provision of Expert Witness services is a very specialised area but there are several companies who can assist in choosing the most appropriate Expert Witness.  They are also often able to provide CVs, costs & timescales for Medico-legal reports undertaken by one or more of the Expert Witnesses on their database.

The main advantage of working with a specialist Expert Witness agency is that they will often have in depth knowledge of both the professional field in which they operate and the Expert Witnesses on their database.  This can mean that you can save valuable time and money as the Expert Witness service provider may be able to advise you on the most appropriate expert for the case and then manage the case for you to ensure that agreed costs and timescales are met.

Registers or directories of Expert Witnesses

If you would prefer to find the Expert Witness yourself and manage the contact directly with that professional, then you may wish to consider searching a directory of Expert Witnesses.  Please note that there are many such directories and the quality of the lists of Expert Witnesses that they contain as well as the rigour with which they are regulated may vary.  Many of these registers of Expert Witnesses contain details of numerous different types of professionals and do not specialise in any one particular profession.  Some useful Expert Witness directories include:

- Legal Hub – General database of Expert Witnesses

- Expert Witness – General directory of Expert Witnesses

- UK Register of Expert Witnesses – General list of Expert Witnesses