Handling lawyers who coax you to work from their summary of the evidence Expert witnesses have an ethical responsibility, as well as a business imperative, to ensure they review the actual evidence that supports their analyses. Because expert witness testimony can make or break litigation outcomes, consultants cannot risk having their testimony excluded by the trial judge or discredited by the jury. ...

Ways to prevent costly misunderstandings One of the most important documents valuation, forensics, and litigation support experts produce is the engagement letter. Just as you painstakingly explain what your firm plans to do, it’s also imperative to explain what the client needs to do. ...

Limiting the potential for abuse and delay Discovery can reduce the costs of litigation, but it can also be used to harass and delay. There are a number of things that counsel and a forensic professional can do to limit the misuse of the discovery process, save costs, and lead to a settlement. ...

What discount rate should you use? Economic damages in litigation must be reduced to present day dollar values to avoid over-compensating the Plaintiff for harm caused by the defendant. This article explains present value theory in simple terms and addresses different methodologies used in reducing future economic damages to a present day dollar value. ...

A good start for a forensic accounting engagement Statistical data is commonly presented in litigation reports. The data provides valuable information to test the hypothesis. This article provides an introduction of how some statistical techniques that are readily available can be used in practice. ...

The Expert’s Role The article offers the comments of one expert on how the courts (judges) could improve the end process. ...

Anticipating questions allows us to think through the best ways to phrase our responses Questions about an expert’s skills and work can be phrased in ways that make it difficult to answer accurately on the spot, but advance preparation can smooth the process. ...

Good communication skills are essential for the expert Witness Expert witnesses and litigation support professionals generally do not consider the importance of communication skill training and practice as part of their preparation process. Communication is the third leg of expert witness preparation and separates the average witness from the great witness. ...

Forensic accounting examinations of not-for-profit entities The keys to performing a successful expert forensic accounting fraud engagement is to gain an understanding of the present internal control system, including policies [or lack thereof] in place to prevent fraud and abuse, as well as other key steps and procedures, as John J. DeLuca outlines in this article. ...

Management techniques from new China Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese warlord, wrote the military treatise titled The Art of War. On a lighter note, similar 21st century business management techniques can be found in fortune cookies. ...

As experts, don’t we owe loyalty to ourselves and our profession? The article draws a parallel between the qualities that are needed to obtain the Eagle Scout designation and those that are necessary to serve as an expert witness. ...

Getting ready for your day in court Part 1 of Preparing for Expert Witness Testimony was published in QuickRead in August 2013.  The article dealt primarily with the importance of effective engagement letters and information gathering in the expert witness preparation process.  It would behoove readers to revisit  Part 1 to receive the full value of the expert witness process.  ...

Benefits and rules to successfully mediate claims Mediation is a process that can be employed pre- and post-litigation to settle claims. A successful mediation requires upfront work and effort, as well as good faith and settlement authority. The selection of a mediator is also critical. This article provides an overview of the practices employed to successfully settle claims. ...

Equity creditor appointment standards and lessons for hiring business valuation professionals from Kodak’s bankruptcy This article provides an overview of the Eastman Kodak bankruptcy case and focuses on the standard a bankruptcy court will use deciding whether to appoint an official equity creditors' committee. It also explains why the bankruptcy court granted Kodak’s motion in limine to exclude‒under Daub ...

Maximizing the benefits of divorce mediation This article discusses some of the benefits provided by divorce mediation and how identifying the ideal clients can make divorce a less painful and even pleasant process. ...

Using software to digitize your litigation consulting practice How well does your current document management system measure up? Learn more about the latest trends and techniques in using electronic data storage and how accountants are uniquely positioned to transition into the use of this technology in their litigation consulting engagements. ...

Practice techniques used to serve as an effective expert witness In this final part of Mark Shirley’s litigation services series, the focus turns to practical tips for new and experienced expert witnesses. These include what to consider before engaging, how to organize the file, the need to understand the vernacular and preparation, as well as the need to understand the discovery process. Impressions are al ...

On June 4, 2013, Florida Governor, Rick Scott signed HB 7015, joining the Federal Courts and other jurisdictions in adopting the Daubert test for admission of expert testimony. Just weeks ago, Florida followed the Frye Standard which allowed experts to testify if their expertise was “generally accepted” in the field in which it belongs. Many had felt that is allowed “phony science” or strange testimony from ...

Diversify your practice and expand your skillset Valuation analysts can develop the necessary skillset to perform economic damages calculations and construct detailed reports. This is the case despite the differences in how economic damages calculations are prepared vis-à-vis commercial damages calculations. ...

The financial neutral plays an important role in the collaborative law process One of the team members in the collaborative law process of divorce is the financial neutral. This article explains the role of the financial neutral as an impartial expert. ...