Description
Now in its third edition, this is SEAK’s perennial best-selling text on expert witnessing. How to Be a Successful Expert Witness: SEAK's A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing is the standard desktop reference of experienced experts and the perfect starting point for less experienced expert witnesses. Newly updated and expanded to reflect the latest developments in expert witnessing, this is the comprehensive resource which every expert witness should have on their desk. © 2015 SEAK, Inc. ISBN 9781892904454
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***CLICK HERE FOR SAMPLE PAGES FROM CHAPTER 14: CROSS-EXAMINATION***
By James J. Mangraviti, Jr., Esq., Steven Babitsky, Esq. and Nadine Nasser Donovan, Esq.
You will learn:
• How to draft a powerful CV which is essential for expert witness work
• Numerous proven techniques to market and expand your practice
• How to form defensible opinions and express these in superior expert witness reports
• Advanced techniques on how to excel when testifying at deposition and at trial
• How to avoid and survive Daubert challenges
• The essential steps to running a profitable expert witness practice
• How to manage risk and avoid ethical traps
• The most common forms of abuse and how to avoid each
• How to avoid critical expert witness mistakes
• The meaning of common “legalese” used by lawyers
• Much, much, more.
Practical and insightful answers to questions such as:
• How do I get started as an expert witness?
• What are the best ways market and grow my expert witness practice?
• How do I form opinions that will be both admissible and persuasive?
• What should and should not be included on my CV?
• What can I and can’t I be asked at deposition and trial?
• How far is opposing counsel allowed to go when fishing for damaging information against me through discovery?
• How do I best protect myself from abuse from both retaining and opposing counsel?
• Do I need to obtain liability insurance?
• What cases should I accept and which are best for me to decline?
• What should and should not be included on my retention contract?
• How much should I charge?
• How should I collect my fees?
• How can I be more effective when testifying at deposition and trial?
• How can I make myself more attractive to lawyers?
The Comprehensive, Yet Easy to Use Guide
• Hundreds of easy to understand examples with explanatory headnotes
• We don’t just tell you, we show you by including sample CVs, sample reports and sample cross examination and deposition questions.
• Simple to use checklists
• 626 Pages, Hardbound
• Detailed index and table of contents
• 22 Concise chapters which can each be read as a stand-alone so that you can focus on the areas of most interest.
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 Overview
Chapter 2 Fundamental Elements of a Lawsuit
Chapter 3 The Discovery Process
Chapter 4 Anatomy of a Civil Trial
Chapter 5 Evidence
Chapter 6 Qualifications
Chapter 7 Bulletproofing an Expert CV
Chapter 8 Properly Forming & Expressing Expert Opinions
Chapter 9 Methodology
Chapter 10 Bulletproofing an Expert’s Report
Chapter 11 Preparing to Testify at Deposition & Trial
Chapter 12 The Expert Deposition
Chapter 13 Direct Examination
Chapter 14 Cross-Examination
Chapter 15 What Attorneys & Clients Look for in an Expert
Chapter 16 How Attorneys Locate & Select Expert Witnesses
Chapter 17 Marketing an Expert Witness Practice
Chapter 18 Expert Witness Fees & Practice Management
Chapter 19 The Expert Witness Retention Agreement
Chapter 20 Expert Witness Liability & Risk Management
Chapter 21 Ethics & the Expert
Chapter 22 Handling Abuse
Appendix A CV Quality Control Checklist.
Appendix B Report Quality Control Checklist.
Appendix C Deposition Areas of Inquiry
Appendix D Areas of Inquiry During Cross-Examination
Appendix E Complaint
Appendix F Answer
Appendix G Sample Answer to Expert Interrogatory
Appendix H Sample Request for Production of Documents
Appendix I Sample Schedule from Subpoena Duces Tecum
Appendix J Sample Deposition Transcript
Appendix K Referral Organizations
Appendix L Expert Witness Directories
Appendix M Legal Journals & Other Publications
Appendix N Forensic Organizations
Appendix O Bar Associations & Other Legal Associations
Appendix P Sample Bills
Appendix Q Sample CVs
Appendix R Sample Reports
Appendix S Fee Survey
Appendix T Sample Expert Witness Disclosure
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why do you recommend How to Be a Successful Expert: SEAK’s A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing as a starting point for new experts?
The book is comprehensive and will provide you with an excellent introduction to the areas, issues, and pitfalls that expert witnesses need to deal with.
If I have read How to Be a Successful Expert: SEAK’s A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing will I ever need any other books on expert witnessing?
The book is comprehensive, but of necessity does not exhaust each topic. Such a book would be thousands of pages long. Experts who later wish to obtain more in depth information on Report Writing, Marketing and Testifying Skills should consult SEAK’s dedicated books on those topics.
At 626 pages, is How to Be a Successful Expert: SEAK’s A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing overwhelming to use?
Not at all. As you can see from the sample pages above, we write in a user friendly, no nonsense manner. Much of the length of the text is devoted to examples and appendices. In addition, we have included a detailed table of contents so that you can flip to and find needed information quickly and easily.
What types of experts is SEAK’s A-Z Guide appropriate for?
SEAK’s A-Z Guide is appropriate for all expert disciplines.
How fast do you ship out orders?
We typically ship within one business day.
How are your orders shipped?
USPS Priority Mail. Overnight shipping is also available if needed. All orders ship from our offices on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
How satisfied have your expert clients been with the book?
Extremely. Please look at the below testimonials to see what your colleagues have had to say.
Is this book available cheaper on Amazon or other online sources?
No. We do not sell SEAK’s A-Z Guide through Amazon or other online portals.
Are there less expensive books available on expert witnessing?
Yes, but you will get what you pay for. SEAK’s A-Z Guide has been painstakingly researched and written by the leading experts on expert witnessing and it is an extraordinary value. We guarantee you will be satisfied or you can request a money back refund within 30 days.
When do you have sales and offer discounted book prices?
SEAK does not conduct sales and does not discount its books.
About The Authors:
The authors are the lead trainers for SEAK, Inc.-The Expert Witness Training Company (www.testifyingtraining.com). They have collectively trained thousands of experts, reviewed thousands of expert witness reports and have worked one-on-one with numerous expert witnesses. Mr. Mangraviti and Mr. Babitsky have written and lectured extensively on expert witnessing. Their texts include How to Write an Expert Witness Report, How to Become a Dangerous Expert Witness, and How to Market Your Expert Witness Practice. Mr. Mangraviti and Mr. Babitsky are the co-founders of SEAK’s National Directory of Expert Witnesses (www.seakexperts.com), the top-rated expert witness directory. They have been retained to train the experts of the FBI, IRS, FAA, Department of Defense, and the United States Secret Service.
Testimonials
"Dear Jim, Your text “A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing” has arrived and I am thoroughly immersed in it. I can say without any reservation of any kind whatsoever that it is the single, most instructive, clearly written, immediately useful text I have ever read. PERIOD."
"very informative...would recommend it to anyone doing expert witness work"
"This is a great book and a valuable resource for anyone who serves as an Expert. It took a lot of work and research to prepare such a resource."
"I am a long-time consumer of your products, having purchased 5 or 6 of your text books over the past several years, as well as having contributed to your “Survey of Expert Witness Fees” the past 2 or 3 times they have been solicited. I am currently reading and re-reading the texts “Expert Witnessing A-Z” and “How to Write an Expert Witness Report”. I consider both books my “bibles” when it comes to my work and they are never far from my desk, usually sitting right on top and within reach. I consider the advice provided invaluable to what I do."
“Very comprehensive and covers all the important topics. It has practical suggestions that are very useful. The checklists are very effective in improving products such as reports.”“As a novice in comparison with those in the class I have found the book to be very straight forward and the key is the comment section. I enjoy the fact that the comment section with regards to a particular ruling is willing to state an opinion and what to look for in the future. Very helpful. The section on CV combined with the class information on websites, pushed me into revising both and cleaning up the language. That to me was a very big help. There is a lot to go through and I don't expect to retain it all, but it has proven to be a very good guide with easy to identify locations, for items that I want to read or review."
“An outstanding reference for a non-attorney. I have found answers to several questions I have had quickly and easily. I highly recommend it to anyone serving as an expert witness.”
“I have found SEAK's book, How to Be A Successful Expert Witness; SEAK's A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing to be an invaluable reference for my forensic engineering assignments, report writing, deposition and trial testimony. It is my go-to source when questions arise. Examples and commentary are very insightful. It is the best reference I pass on to friends who are venturing into expert witness assignments.”
“Want to be successful as an expert witness? Want a handy, smart, resourceful, reference book for experts? For beginning to experienced experts, if you want fundamentals, how a trial works, preparing and writing a better CV, report writing, preparing for a deposition and methodologies, the answer is in the title of “How to be a successful expert witness by SEAK. Get the A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing.” As a Marketing and advertising expert witness, I find it an excellent resource. I have been an expert for 14 years. I have made several Marketing presentations at Law Schools including USC Gould, Ucla, Southwestern and Loyola Law School."
“I have read the book "A-Z Guide..." and found it very well done and useful. It is overloaded with examples which makes it a long read if one is to read all the examples. Once I received what I needed from each chapter I would not necessarily read all the examples. I found the conclusions at the end of each chapter an excellent way to allow me to periodically review the essence of what I may have forgotten. The comprehensive appendix also provides an excellent way to remember or "bone-up" for a particular case. The book is a great resource for expert witnesses and I intend to refer to it periodically. Thanks for providing this "Guide" with your two other co-authors.”
“Steve – I am a litigation lawyer in Ontario. The type of litigation that I do always involves expert witnesses. When I am getting ready to take an expert into a hearing, I always loan them your book and advise them to take careful note of the advice being provided. I recommend that less experienced witnesses read the entire book from cover to cover. For more experienced witnesses, I tell them to look at the chapter headings as a refresher. We have very strict rules about a lawyer’s communication with their experts. Your book allows me to provide good neutral advice to my experts without risking or threatening their independence and impartiality.”
“Several years ago I purchased the first edition of SEAK’s A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing. I utilized the book as a reference when setting up my forensic practice. The second edition, now on my desk, is an expanded and updated reference covering issues encountered by experts. The guide provides me with guidance for addressing issues relating to conflicts, retention, and the operation of my practice. The material is presented in a conservative manner which is, I believe, designed to keep the expert from engaging in practices that could lead to conflicts or exclusion of testimony.”
“I am very pleased with SEAK's A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing. By following suggestions and examples, I have been able to develop a game plan to facilitate communication with Attorneys.”
“Prior to attending the National Expert Witness Conference, no one from the Oklahoma City Police Department has ever attended training of this nature or quality. The A-Z Guide has been a means of bringing the training home with me. I've only been through a few chapters at this point, but I've found it to be a very practical how to guide, that has helped to acquaint me with civil arena. At this point my experience has primarily been in criminal court. The A-Z guide is precisely what I was looking for when I purchased it.”
“I'm about 3/4 through it. It has a lot of useful information & the chapters are easy to follow. It can be hard to get the main point out of the longer cases, but I suppose that's how legal texts are? I often have to read them a few times to understand them.”
“The book is very useful and helpful in understanding how the world of Expert Witness works. It helped me learn about potential pitfalls and traps the opposing attorney would use to discredit my expert witness testimony. I would recommend it to any new expert witness who is serious about the business.”
“This is a clear roadmap of the things that an expert should do as well as those things an expert should not do. Whether a novice or a seasoned veteran, this text is invaluable as a resource to success. This is the key textbook that should be in every expert’s library. (this book) has saved the day for me on more than one occasion. If nothing else an expert must read this book.”
“I feel that the literature of yours that I have so far is of great help in my efforts to start my new practice. It does take time to comb through all of the information but it is well organized. It is heavily oriented toward the highly credentialed/degreed professional which is understandable. My situation is less of the above and more experiential in nature however so I have to adapt.”
“I use it frequently as it’s the ONLY text I can find that provides really VALID, SOLID, assistance.”
“I was fortunate to have examined Chapter 6, Qualifications, immediately upon receipt because I have been called to two trials in the past month. In both cases I qualified as an expert witness under Daubert in the Federal Court and under Frye in the State Court. In both cases I was able to describe my background in toxicology and link this to the key issues in the two cases.I Found Chapter 7, "Bulletproofing", a great document to read and then address issues in my CV. After assessing my then current CV, I re-wrote and clarified sections in accordance with your suggestions. The result of this updating was that in both Court cases and again in a recent deposition my CV has been virtually unchallenged.”
“Your book is incredible. It covers a huge amount of material and is organized very well. I had some specific questions and concerns about a case I am involved with as an expert. I started reading several sections of the book and now understand the CONTEXT of my questions on a different level. I'll be looking at the book again as I move to deposition and then to trial. Thanks for creating the book.”
“I found this book to be very informative covering all aspects of the business and practice of being an expert witness. I use it as a regular reference.”
“The book is a good comprehensive textbook on how to be an expert witness from starting out to trial to repeat business. It explains all aspects including marketing and legal issues in clear language with a comprehensive appendix that has examples of CVs, marketing materials, reports, contracts, and invoices. It has helped me improve the business and technical aspects of my expert witness work. The only thing I would add is either a disc or web link to templates for the documents mentioned as well as additional resources updated say every 6-12 months.”
“I thought it was probably the best introduction to the subject — so much so that I’ve loaned my copy to a junior colleague. While many of your books have some overlap in content, this one seems like it includes most of the key points from the other introductory texts, explains them well, and provides enough detail that it stands on it’s own. If I were to buy one book, or recommend one book to a potential expert witness, this is the one I would choose.”
“I truly appreciate the information I have received from SEAK's text How to Be A Successful Expert Witness: SEAK's A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing. It is well-written, and I believe the advice contained will greatly assist me in building my new expert witness practice.”
“This is an excellent book covering every detail of being an expert witness. I particularly like the executive summaries as they make it very easy to search for specific information.”
“Great book for any level of provider looking to get into the expert witness field. Well laid out and not at all intimidating to dive into. Extremely thorough in its content. You quite literally would need nothing else to get started after reading the text.”
“I really like the one volume summary of the high points for reference. Since I attended the San Diego conference, I've had several repeat clients, in addition to new cases. I feel much more confident about my report writing skills. Thanks for your guidance.”
“I have read several chapters and so far it has been terrific. Very insightful and informational. I have already started to act on some of the recommendations provided in the book: revamped my CV, updated my fee schedule, signed-up and developed a nice Linked-In page… There have been numerous learning points, from understanding the basis and concepts of some legal terminology to the explanations of the lawsuit process. I have also gained better appreciation about the importance of crafting careful opinions backed by scientific literature, understanding that consistency is key to prevent previous opinions from coming back to haunt you later. I am planning to read the entire book, from cover to cover, and will sure have it handy as a reference.”
“How to Be A Successful Expert Witness: SEAK’s A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing is as user-friendly and enlightening as it is comprehensive and detailed. I have consulted this book again and again at all stages of civil and criminal litigation. SEAK resources will have considerable value for anyone seeking to develop and maintain an expert witness practice.”
“I found it to be very helpful and detailed with information concerning a variety of legal subjects. I was very impressed with the section on depositions which we all find ourselves involved in from time to time. It covers the questions that most attorneys ask, but most Experts never think will be ask and experience a poor performance to the detriment of their employer. It also helps the Expert to recognize and avoid verbal traps set by attorneys and to take off the gloves and meet counsel on an even basis instead of being a whipping boy, so to speak. All information is presented on a professional level so the Expert who follows same will be shown to be an asset to their area of expertise.”
“I found your text extremely helpful. Specifically, it was focused, to the point and easy to make applicable to work situations. Additionally, the scenarios helped place it into a context of how it could play. It was one thing to hear that X was not a good idea but another to have the real life court room situation played out with the concomitant feelings of embarrassment, shame etc. That's a great motivator to get it right. Having only testified, perhaps, twenty times, I have just relied on my knowledge of the subject and the protection of "telling the truth". Your book demonstrated that those may not be enough with an aggressive counsel.”
“I think the book SEAK’s A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing is a really good first book to read because it provides a good general overview of all aspects of expert witnessing and the other books dive into much more specific details into any relevant area of focus. i.e. Depositions, Marketing, etc. I bought the A-Z book after purchasing the other books but in hindsight, I recommend the A-Z book first. But honestly, I find them all to be very helpful and filled with great information. I look forward to spending more time to building my expert witness business through the books and live training.”
“I am very pleased with the content of SEAK’s text, How to Be A Successful Expert Witness: SEAK’s A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing. Candidly, it is more than I expected. I am seriously considering registering as an Expert Witness. This text provides excellent insight into how and where to begin. In addition to the valuable information and examples found in the Appendices, I found the following chapters of particular interest and help:
• Chap 8 - Forming and Expressing and Expert Opinion
• Chap 10 - Bulletproofing a Report
• Chap 15 - What Attorneys and Clients Look for in an Expert
• Chap 16 - How Attorneys Locate & Select Expert Witnesses
• Chap 19 - The Expert Witness Retention Agreement
• Chap 20 - Expert Witness Liability & Risk Management”
“This is the second edition of this book that I have purchased because I have found the material so valuable and want to keep up on your updates. For medical expert witness work, it is my go to guide and encyclopedia. Thank you for compiling such a valuable resource. The book gives me background information that helps me sound somewhat intelligent when I have questions for retaining lawyers or challenges for opposing counsel. They did not teach me this stuff in medical school! Keep up the great work and I look forward to your next live course.”
“I found the book to be a concise directive on what how to handle the legal profession from a medical point of view. It reviewed with great detail the 4 day week I spent in your course in February. I read the book before my first contract, and I'm glad I had a way to review the details you put before us at that time. For the three books I bought I would consider this book the most valuable. Money well spent. Thanks again.”
“Here are some thoughts on How to Be A Successful Expert Witness: SEAK’s A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing. I should start by being clear that I am still trying to get my feet wet in expert witnessing. I did some interesting work for a law firm around the valuation of a patent portfolio, but I have yet to be retained for any litigation. A couple of cases came up which I thought I was well qualified to work on, but lack of deposition experience has excluded me each time. So while I have read the book and taken notes on it, I have no battle-tested experience using it. I’m still doing 100% technical consulting in medical devices. I found a wide variety of useful information in the book. The most useful topics, giving me confidence that the EW game is one I can learn and become competent at, were:
• How to handle the initial call from an attorney
• Emphasis that qualifications are the foundation of anything an expert witness does
• The need for extreme care and thoroughness in analysis and report writing
• Understanding of how Daubert challenges work
• What should and should not be included in the report, and how to deal with retaining counsel
• How to prepare for, and behave at, deposition and trial
Overall I found the book well worth the cost and I have purchased several other SEAK texts.”
“Regarding the A to Z Guide to Expert Witnessing, this is an excellent book to get started or to improve your skills as an expert witness. I bought it on the advice of a friend who had been doing expert witness consulting for several years. I have been an expert witness on several occasions with the opportunity to do a lot more and wanted to fine tune my "product". I had thought being an "expert" in my field was enough, so I was shocked at all the details and potential pitfalls of which I had been unaware. I highly recommend this book.”
“My overall impression of the book was that it was brilliant. I read the section on cross-examination and handling abuse and preparing to testify before a recent court appearance. It prepared me amazingly well, as did the course in Washington. What I really liked was the case example for each point, which drove the point home. I used several of these lessons in my testimony, in a recent case. The malpractice judgement was for 4 million and shortly after my cross-examination was complete the judge asked the opposing attorney if they had started settlement talks. The jury subsequently told the attorneys that my testimony was important in their decision-making. I spotted several traps and avoided them. I followed the guidance to be a teacher to the jury and some observing attorneys commented on this style and how useful it was for a jury that was not very scientific. Finally, I prepared (as recommended in the book )and had the dates and time-lines down cold (prepare as if for an examination) and I caught the cross-examining attorney out some factual data which unnerved him. I plan to re-read these sections each time I am to testify and to prepare a report. I felt sorry for the opposing attorney in this case because he was the one who inadvertently introduced me to SEAK by asking me questions about whether I was listed in the SEAK directory during my deposition. I would recommend this book to anyone who is an expert witness but I think it is also illuminating for anyone who is being sued because you learn so much about the legal process. I wish I had read it before my anti-trust cases. What would I change: 1. In each chapter I would have a box of highlights that people can quickly refer to. This would break up the dense text 2. I would look at a crisper font and a different method of highlighting (rather than underlining) to make it look more modern.”
“As you stated in Chapter 1 (Overview) this book is a "handy and concise reference book for experts to use when needed." More important, it is a wealth of information not found anywhere else... and, I have searched long and hard. Thank you for putting it together.”
"I have been attending seminars, conferences, and using SEAK’s textbooks and videos for the last eight years and rely heavily on them in my day-to-day practice. The knowledge that I have gained from their products and advice have been invaluable to the success of my firm. While my library includes many of their texts, How to Be a Successful Expert: SEAK’s A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing is an all-inclusive, soup-to-nuts text that I would enthusiastically recommend to anyone on providing expert witness services or thinking of doing so.”
“I have received and have starting reading How to Be A Successful Expert Witness: SEAK’s A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing. This seems to be a rather comprehensive text on the subject. I like the format and style of writing. I like how points are emphasized with questions and responses one might encounter in an actual trial. Legal terms are clearly defined. I have taken an approach of skipping around from chapter to chapter instead of reading chapters in order. This book will definitely improve my approach to expert witnessing. I have already learned important information regarding preparation for deposition as well as properly forming and expressing expert opinion. I plan to read chapters 2 though 5 this weekend to learn more about the fundamental of a lawsuit and the anatomy of a civil trial. So far I am pleased with my purchase and look forward to completing the book. I feel this text will definitely help me become a more effective expert witness. This is a text I will refer to often in the years to come.”
“This text is an excellent primer and overview for Expert Witnesses. As a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant and Expert Witness I have learned a tremendous amount of new information as there are many areas that differ between the role of a Legal Consultant and Legal Expert. This text warns the expert on literally hundreds of common myths or mistakes that new or unknowledgeable experts make in the course of their work. Some are career ending and can inadvertently jeopardize an attorney’s case. The book is laid out in a very logical sequence from legal procedure overview, key points on bullet proofing the Expert CV and Report, how to prepare for deposition and trial and finally how to market and manage the expert practice. A to Z “soup to nuts” it is all there. Areas that require more in-depth information are covered in additional individual text books on Marketing, Expert Report Writing, Depositions and Trial Testimony. I have ordered and read them all and I consider them a unique reference for my practice that I expect to use again and again over the course of my career. It is simply information that is not available anywhere else. To the authors-well done and thanks!”
“I have relied upon SEAK publications to build a professional expert witness practice. Your new book, SEAK's A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing, provides an excellent benchmark to compare and improve my current practices. Keep up the great writing!”
“Our office is very pleased with the book purchase. I know at least a handful of individuals in our office have referenced the material contained therein. I consider the reference material to very comprehensive, well written and easily understood by non-legal professionals (architects & engineers). Over the years we have participated in a few dozen design/construction legal cases. I hope to do more in the future because I find the work both interesting and profitable. Undoubtedly, I will continue to use the book as a guide for future reference when we are engaged in expert witness services. I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others.”
“I do have a lot yet to study to be the expert witness that I want to be, but it’s coming. The handbook has a lot of concise information in one place. I like the conciseness. In a learning situation like this, you need to know the facts. The sample CV and reports have been most helpful. I’m currently in the process of developing my CV and the quality control checklist has been a huge benefit. I don’t think I’ve seen that in any other place. The QC checklist for reports is also hugely helpful. Being a beginner at this, the outline of the civil trial proceedings has been a help in my understanding of what to expect and when to expect it. What to expect as an Expert Witness (EW). The examples of opposition questions and various motions to discredit you and the responses to those motions and questions are positions that I now can better understand, keep the right mindset about it, and appropriately respond. I have been putting myself in positions to become an expert witness on business valuation. I have taken some good courses for expert witness work in that arena to prepare myself. I will say that I’m especially happy to have attended the conference in April and to have purchased the handbook. SEAK teaches and trains from a different perspective from previous courses that I have found most helpful. I will also say that some of my instructors in those classes were very complementary of SEAK training. While I feel very comfortable with my professional skills for BV work, I have been slow to get into the expert witness work due to my lack of specific understanding of the system, etc. While I do have things yet to learn, this handbook has helped accelerate my knowledge of the terminology, the requirements, and the process.”
“I found that "How to Be A Successful Expert Witness" was very much to the point and had great examples of the various concepts that were covered. It was well worth the price for the text. Thank you.”
“I have found from my study of SEAK’s text, ‘How to Be A Successful Expert Witness: SEAK’s A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing’, a reference source that is most informative and instructive in my efforts to become proficient in the matter of providing professional testimony. It’s content is both broad and in-depth. In my use and experience to this point, I have found few stones (topics) unturned. The organization of the book is suburb, logically and clearly presented in an easy to use manner. The twenty (20) topics which are covered in the Appendix section, have already and will continue to provide, valuable direction and enhanced capabilities in future application. I am of the opinion the “… A to Z Guide …” tag is most appropriate”.
“I think this text is an excellent resource to anyone that is in the expert witness industry, The following are my thoughts on the text book: * The book was well structured and well organized in terms of explaining the fundamentals of a law suit to handling abuse and everything in between * Thoughout the text, cases and examples were given to help understand a particular situation or concept * The appendix gave great examples/.samples of different things that an expert witness could and should do Overall, I think the text was great and I continue to use it as a reference and have referred others to get the book to help them educate themselves and have a resource if they have questions.”
“I read the book cover to cover. I thought that it had very thorough coverage of the topic and I shared insight from the book with my partner, who also subsequently also purchased a copy. It was well written and has helped me in my practice. I use it as a reference book on expert witness matters.”
“I have been going thru your book thoroughly and find it extremely informative and an excellent beginning tool in learning about the Expert Witness profession. As an engineer with over 25 years of experience I am learning about this profession in an effort to begin building the foundations of being an expert witness. Your book thoroughly goes into what is expected of and what an expert witness can expect as part of the entire process. While I am at the very beginning stages of learning this business I know I will be referencing this book and ultimately other information and publications you offer.”
“The Seak textbook How to Be a Successful Expert Witness – The A – to Z of Expert Witnessing is extraordinary in it’s comprehensive, all-inclusive subject matter. Each Chapter has “Real World” actual case examples for the Expert to review and analyze. There is no other text on the market that includes such relevant data and information. In the various fields of science and law a literature search is essential to assist the expert in forming his/her “basis in fact” opinion. This text assists the Expert in reaching that goal. Ms Donovan, Messrs. Mangraviti and Babitsky have created a five star publication that I personally recommend.”
“It is far more information than I ever expected, to the point of being overwhelming. That is a good thing as I really want to learn everything about this industry and the opportunities that it presents. I found the book laid out logically and encapsulated that if I need to understand one piece of material, I can go to that section and read it to understand it. The book certainly is not a cover to cover read, instead it is a modular section at a time. As for the overall impression, I have learned that I don’t know what I don’t know, so I continue to refer to it for guidance. It is a great first step. However, I really see it as a lead-in to other sources of information, such as the seminars that you offer. My plan over time is to enroll in a couple of these sessions (e.g. how to deal with depositions and aggressive deposing attorneys, how to write the best expert report that also protects yourself, etc.) Having been deposed already a few times now, I realize that there are tips and tricks to the overall process used by both sides. It is my job to now find out what they are so that I am a better expert. Additionally, setting rates is a new issue that I need to look much harder at. I see expert reports that list the expert’s rates that are 3X more than what I accustomed to, yet I also don’t know what the best formula is to set a rate.”
“I've found the A-Z guide very useful. It's clear, succinct, and practical. My only suggestion would be to make it available in an electronic edition for reading on a tablet device.”
“Very helpful. Clear, understandable and practical. Concrete, effective tools. Easy to find specific topics. Excellent reference.”
“I'm very much enjoying SEAK's A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing, but I am only partway through it. My plans for starting my own consulting engineering business were delayed when I was persuaded to stay at my job for several more months than originally planned. I actually just retired last Friday, and I'm in Canada now with you excellent book in front of me. I have read and reread most of chapters one through six, and I've found them informative. Reading about evidence and the discovery process, and what being qualified truly means was extremely interesting to me. Perhaps I will write you again in a couple of weeks when I've read more about the nuts and bolts parts of being an expert witness that come in the later chapters.”
"SEAK’s A-Z Guide to Expert Witnessing is a treasure trove of practical information for the expert witness. Whether you are researching a topic such as Daubert challenges in depth, understanding the legal background underlying tort litigation, or responding to unexpected challenges, the A-Z Guide is your best friend. Information is easily retrievable and well organized, with abundant legal references for further reading. This is not a book you will breeze through in one sitting. Rather, it is one to be absorbed a little at a time, and used for reference as needed. Consider it the equivalent of a highly experienced litation attorney sitting on your bookshelf."
