Part II: Being an Expert Is a Lonely Business

In the second part of this special guest episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small interviews Ian Ratner, CEO of GlassRatner and B. Riley Advisory Services. Together they delve into the critical topic of expert witness preparation, emphasizing the importance of thorough preparation and knowing the boundaries of the expert's role. Mr. Ratner shares his extensive experience and stresses that even seasoned experts benefit from diligent preparation that helps them understand the case inside out. Mr. Small highlights three pillars of expert testimony — expertise, passion and clarity — and stresses that it's critical to translate technical jargon into "plain old English" that juries can understand. Mr. Ratner also offers insights into common mistakes lawyers make when preparing experts, the trend of overly aggressive depositions and the often lonely nature of the expert witness role.