Fresh Perspective On Expert Selection

An expert is a story teller, one who must be qualified and persuasive to a broad universe of listeners that may include a judge, an agency, an arbitrator or a jury, as well as “secondary influencers,” such as personnel working for a judge or agency. That potential audience is an increasingly diverse group by any definition, and this means that when it comes time to select the expert some weight should be given to a selection that mirrors that diversity, says this Today’s General Counsel article. Keep in mind that a “non-traditional expert, even one who is slightly less experienced, may still be highly credible and appropriate, providing a better choice for communicating complex opinions to the particular audience.” It’s also true, the author says, that within a more diverse pool there is a strong possibility you will find more qualified and more experienced experts, particularly in many emerging areas of controversy.