As young lawyers, you’re motivated to impress, to seem like the smartest person on the team. But no one person can know enough to succeed entirely on their own. We rely on the assistance and expertise of those around us, building a community of trusted allies who can help ensure we’re capable of fully serving our clients’ interests. Expert witnesses are one such invaluable resource in many avenues of legal practice.

In this episode, host Montana Funk sits down with Dr. Chris Spaeth, an expert focusing on neuroscience, toxicology, and pharmacology. Together, they discuss the role of an expert witness and how lawyers can foster better working relationships with experts and be more effective lawyers in the process.

Additional Resources:

Expert Witnesses: Demystifying Science in and out of the Courtroom, By Chris Spaeth
Pretrial Gatekeeping: How to Handle Junk Science and Unqualified Experts

Best Practices for Working with Expert Witnesses

Qualifying an Expert Witness

American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division

American Bar Association Litigation Section

Associate Producer: Montana Funk

• (00:00) - Opening
• (00:25) - Introducing our guest, Dr. Chris Spaeth
• (01:13) - Becoming a toxicologist
• (03:21) - What is toxicology?
• (03:56) - Applying the science of toxicology to the law
• (05:21) - Toxicology in the civil litigation arena
• (07:53) - When to consult a toxicologist
• (09:38) - How lawyers can work well with experts
• (12:22) - The value of objectivity vs the desired answer
• (14:10) - The lesser known ways experts can help lawyers
• (18:20) - Warning signs when hiring an expert
• (20:41) - The process of retaining an expert
• (26:35) - Closing thoughts