Does an Expert Witness Need a
Legal Background?
When facing a lawsuit involving employment issues, trial attorneys and litigants require more than the expertise offered by an expert with years of workplace experience. They also need someone with the ability to assess the viability of a case and communicate abstruse policy and compliance issues clearly and effectively. This is where my experience as an employment attorney and law school professor differentiates me from experts with only workplace HR experience.
I can provide a powerful link between HR and the courtroom, providing expert testimony that comprehends the demands of litigation. With over fifteen years of experience in the HR function and workplace investigations, I can easily translate my specialized knowledge of workplace issues to the legal milieu, augmenting the impact of my role as an expert witness to assist counsel.
My value as a witness begins long before a trial commences. During preparation, I can examine the merits of a case and offer guidance with regard to moving forward or settling and offer valuable insights into the critical elements of the legal arguments. I offer enormous value in assessing whether the employer acted in a reasonable manner.
As an investigator, I am skilled at evaluating whether the fact-finding exercise conducted was judicious, prompt and thorough, without leaving the workplace shredded by an over-zealous investigator. I can also accumulate valuable research and perform cogent fact-finding that will strengthen a case if a trial becomes necessary.
My suitability and proficiency as an expert witness begins with expertise in a broad range of workplace conflict issues, including sexual and other harassment, discrimination, ADA and disability accommodation, workplace investigation procedure, compliance standards, and case analysis. There are other experts who can provide this foundational background, but exhaustive expertise is only useful in a trial if it can be woven seamlessly into the legal mesh of a formidable case. I have an equally expert knowledge of the legal implications of witness testimony and employment law on the whole that will exponentially increase the effectiveness of my participation in even the thorniest litigation involving workplace conflict.