International Law Firm Pinsent Masons has recently cut 78 admin roles across their UK offices. The firm has claimed that these redundancies are in the long term interests of the business, but this move has attracted criticism from solicitors and assistants alike.

This move has highlighted the impact that support roles such as personal assistants and legal secretaries have on the overall running of the firm. Not only do secretarial staff act as the first point of contact for clients and prospective clients, these staff members relieve solicitors from the burden of administrative tasks, freeing up their time to concentrate on fee-earning work. Without sufficient legal secretaries, solicitors are often left overstretched by juggling secretarial tasks alongside their main tasks.

Assistants are sometimes also given responsibility for arranging expert reports for court cases. They will undertake research to find an appropriate expert, brief the expert about the case, and ensure expert reports are received on time. Arranging experts can be a very time consuming task, and occasionally staff must make contact with several experts in order find one that fits the requirements of a specific case, and who can complete an assessment and report within the necessary deadline.

Foresight is here to help in these situations. When legal professionals are overstretched, it inevitably leads to poorer service for clients, and poor service for clients means a damaged reputation and loss of business. Here are some ways in which our expert witness service can help the time strapped legal professional.

Responsive Service

Your time is precious and valuable, so we won’t keep you waiting for a response. Within 24 hours of your enquiry, a member of the team will get back to you with a fully itemised quote and at least one expert CV. Where possible we aim to supply you with a selection of expert CVs so you are free to choose the one who you feel will be best for your case. Our service involves full management of the process of instructing an expert witness, making the process as smooth as possible. We are available by phone and email to answer any queries you have, and we will communicate regularly with you on the progress of your case.

Time Saving

The whole process of instructing an expert witness can be very time consuming. Searching online to find the right expert can be a laborious task, and it might seem to deliver few results. And that is just the beginning; briefing the expert about the case, ensuring reports are received on time and arranging for the expert to attend court make the process especially long. This process usually takes up a minimum of four hours’ unbillable time per expert required.

Our expert witness service involves full management of the process of instructing an expert, freeing up your time to focus on other matters. We care of finding the right expert, briefing the expert, monitoring case progress and ensuring reports are received on time. Whatever assistance you need with expert related matters, our team will be able to help.

Cost Saving

Given that instructing an expert can be a time consuming process, it can be a costly one too. The cost aspect of instructing an expert witness is exacerbated by fact that most experts charge by the hour, and their rates can vary according to their experience and how highly specialised that expert is. Making arrangements for experts to attend court can also incur substantial additional expenses. We can help to solve this problem by providing you with a fully itemised quote, so there will be no additional costs and no surprises.

If your firm is faced with job cuts and your time is under even more strain, just one call to Foresight will take the burden away from you. We supply expert witnesses in many medical disciplines, psychology, forensic accountancy and IT forensics, so get in touch for help with any expert witness requirements you have.