Joint Expert Meetings: Best Practice, Common Pitfalls, And What Instructing Solicitors Expect

Joint expert meetings are often pivotal in litigation. Their importance should not be underestimated. A focused expert discussion can narrow the issues, clarify disagreement, and materially affect the parties’ assessment of risk. In this article, Alexandra Winch explains why it is essential that both solicitors and experts understand the purpose of the meeting and the importance of the joint statement in assisting the court.

Joint expert meetings can be nerve-racking for an expert. Experts are left to their own devices and required to engage directly with their opposite number without the immediate support of the legal team. A poorly prepared expert, an unclear concession or unexplained change of opinion can materially weaken, and in some cases derail, an otherwise well-prepared case.