Financial Expert Witness Communication: A Practical Guide to Reporting and Testimony

CHAPTER 13 Financial Expert Witness Deposition Preparation

PREPARATION FOR DEPOSITION

Preparation for financial expert witness deposition is necessary to ensure testimony is relevant, clear, and understandable. It also helps reduce the financial expert witness’s stress levels to enable better personal performance. There are a number of things the financial expert witness can do to prepare for deposition. Some things are quick and easy to complete, but others may take several sessions over a number of days. In any case, every financial expert witness, regardless of experience level, has a professional responsibility to prepare thoroughly for deposition.

In the weeks leading up to a deposition, the financial expert witness should obtain engagement information and study materials expected to be the subject of deposition inquiries. Obviously, the financial expert witness must master knowledge about case facts and the financial expert witness’s work, reports, declarations, and opinions. In addition, the financial expert witness must have command of important dates and events. This is likened to a final examination in college; it’s all about the cram studies before the big test.

Basic Preparation Steps

As each case has differing facts and circumstances, there is no one way to prepare for deposition. However, there are some basic things that should be considered, regardless of case ...