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Into Court

Date: 19th March
Venue: The Academy
Members:  £295
Non-Members: £375

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Date: 28th-29th April
Venue: The Academy
Members:  £495
Non-Members: £650

Mediation Training

Next Course Starts
March 2010
Venue: The Academy
From:  £275/day

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Expert Witness Training

Mediation Training

Training in Hong Kong

On 1st October 2009 the 50th update to the Civil Procedure Rules come into effect including mandatory changes to Expert Declarations.

The Academy of Expert has produced a short briefing note setting out the changes which affect Expert Witnesses - [click here] for further details.

The updated mandatory Statement of Truth:

"I confirm that I have made clear which facts and matters referred to in this report are within my own knowledge and which are not. Those that are within my own knowledge I confirm to be true. The opinions I have expressed represent my true and complete professional opinions on the matters to which they refer."

On 1st October 2009 The highest court in the United Kingdom was formally opened, with the swearing in of its 11 justices in a ceremony in London. One of the new justices is The Academy's President, Lord Saville of Newdigate.

The Supreme Court is independent of Parliament and replaces the Law Lords as the final court of appeal for most cases in the UK, meaning that lawmakers and the judges who oversee these laws are separated.

The new court is intended to increase transparency - it is open to the public and has permanent television cameras installed.

It is with great sadness that The Academy reports the death of its former President The Rt Hon Lord Slynn of Hadley on 7th April 2009. Lord Slynn was a very active President (1992-1996) and was instrumental in the Academy’s Judicial Committee issuing guidance on contingency fees for experts (which is noted in the Telegraph’s obituary).

Lord Slynn was a strong believer in ADR and in particular mediation establishing under The Academy’s auspices The Faculty of Mediation and ADR. Lord Slynn will be much missed for his guidance and support.

Obituary: The Daily Telegraph

Obituary: The Times

The Academy is delighted to be a supporting organisation of the forthcoming the Lighthouse Club, Asia Pacific Region’s, International Construction Conference and Construction Services Exhibition.

The event entitled “New Solutions to Old Construction Problems” will take place in Hong Kong  on 25th and 26th May 2009. Click to download details

For further details click here

23/10/08

A large part of TAE's work is in support of its members and their Expert Practices. To help both members and the legal profession the Academy undertakes a regular survey of Expert's Fees.

The current survey was launched on 23rd October and is intended to be the most wide ranging yet encompassing both TAE members and other experts around the world. All experts are invited to help by completing the short survey.

For further details and to complete the survey click hereLHC_Conference_Brochure_May2009.pdf

01/09/08

From the 1st September 2008 Antonio Louro QDR MAE (a member of TAE's Executive Committee) took office as President of EuroExpert representing the Portuguese Association of Experts (Associação Portuguesa dos Avaliadores de Engenharia). His presidency is two years and one of the areas he will be focusing on is Alternative Dispute Resolution, and in particular Mediation, within Europe.

08/08/08

The Academy's Commercial mediation training has been accredited by the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre. The Academy will be taking it's course to Hong Kong in November 2008.

For further details - click here

31/07/08

The Academy of Experts has now opened an online store to enable members and non-members easy access to Academy services and publications

To enter the store click here

10/07/08

The Academy of Experts is again proud to be supporting the ADR in Asia Conference - "Arbitration & Mediation - Global Platforms for Dispute Resolution".

The conference will take place in Friday 12th September at the Four Seasons Hotel, Hong Kong.

For a brochure and further details click here

01/07/08

Continuing its policy of increasing cooperation with other Professional Bodies, on 26th June The Academy signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Institut fur Sachverstandigenwesen e.V..

17/06/08

A revision to The Academy's widely used Model Form of Expert's Report was launched at a reception on 11th June.

In 1989 the Lord Chancellor approved the formation of the Judicial Committee consisting of seven senior Judges representing the English, Scottish and Northern Irish Benches.

The first version of the Model Form of Expert Report was approved by The Judicial Committee to further assist Experts and their clients by indicating a format that the Judiciary would find of assistance. In other words a "judge friendly" format. Although the original version has stood the test of time the new version takes into account the developments encapsulated within the Criminal Procedure Rules which have also been adopted in England and Wales.

For full details click here >>

11/06/08

The Academy of Experts (TAE) has today unveiled a new set of rules for Expert Determination.

The new rules provide a clear and easy to follow framework that is suitable for adoption as the "agreed rules" in an original contract. The Academy rules are a focused set of independent procedures designed for use in almost any dispute, in virtually every part of the world. The main advantages of Expert Determination are that the decision process is confidential, it is also speedy, cost effective and final.

The Academy of Experts is one of the leading nominating bodies for Expert Determination.

For full details click here >>

25/01/08

The Academy is happy to announce that it's Corporate Scheme has been relaunched with the addition of accountancy firm Wilkins Kennedy to its ranks.

Wilkins Kennedy are a Top 30 firm (Accountancy and Accountancy Age June 2007) of Chartered Accountants with 13 offices in the South East of England. Their dedicated Forensic Accounting team comprises a range of specialists with substantial experience in forensic accounting, dispute resolution, and mediation and litigation support.

26/07/07

On Tuesday 24th July The Academy of Experts and the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

For full details click here >>

25/01/07

On 21st March an Academy team comprising of the Chairman, the Chairman Emeritus and the Secretary General will sit as a panel on Dispute Resolution practices in Singapore.

For full details click here >>

15/11/06

The newly launched designation of "Accredited Expert Environmental Witnesses" recognises specialists who are both registered expert members of the Academy of Experts and Chartered Environmentalists registered with the Society of the Environment. They provide recognised expertise in both environmental and expert witness matters.  

To download the press release please click here >>

Sir Roy was initially struck off the medical register

The Appeal Court has overturned a ruling that expert witnesses should be exempt from disciplinary action by their regulatory body.

The issue was debated following the case of Professor Sir Roy Meadow.

The paediatrician was struck off after giving flawed evidence at Sally Clark's 1999 trial for the murder of her sons.

The High Court previously ruled that regulatory bodies such as the General Medical Council could not punish expert witnesses over "honest mistakes".

The GMC said that ruling rendered it "toothless", preventing it from doing its work comprehensively, and establishing a principle which would affect other regulators.

The Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, supported the GMC's case. He said it was not up to a court to decide if expert witnesses should escape punishment.

However, the three Appeal Court judges also ruled that the High Court decision that Sir Roy was not guilty of professional misconduct should stand.

The full text of the judgement may be found at: http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2006/1390.html

New membership category

As part of it's policy of working with other organisations The Academy of Experts has created a new 'forensic practitioner' grade, at a special subscription rate, available only to practitioners registered with the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners (CRFP). Those taking up the offer will have access to the Academy's services and activities, including conferences, seminars, training and other events, in the company of experts from a wide range of professional disciplines.

The July newsletter of the CRFP stated "We commend this scheme, a tangible benefit of being registered with CRFP".

For further details of this and other membership grades click here>>

Code of Practice for Experts

On 26th June the Master of the Rolls, Rt Hon Sir Anthony Clarke and the President of the Queens Bench Division, Rt Hon Sir Igor Judge endorsed The Academy of Experts' Code of Practice for use by Experts in criminal cases.

The Academy's Code of Practice has long been used by Academy members in both Civil and Criminal proceedings. A joint Code of Practice was agreed and endorsed in June 05. It is this same Code of Practice which has now been endorsed for use by all Experts in Criminal Proceedings in England and Wales

Conference 2006 - The Immune Expert

The Academy's conference a the Brewery was well attended with representatives from around Britain and Europe.

The conference was opened with a keynote address from The Hon Mr Justice Colman, a vice president of the Academy.

His paper is available for download click here>>

Conference 2006 - The Immune Expert

30th June 2006

Details of the Academy's 2006 Conference have been announced. Taking place on 30th June, 2006 at the Brewery the conference will examine the effects of the Meadow case on the Expert Witness world and provide an update of the most recent developments effecting Experts.

The Conference is supported by a number of organisations including: Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, EuroExpert, Expert Witness Institute, Forensic Group of the ICAEW, Institute of Structural Engineers and the Society for the Environment.

[click here] for full details of the conference.

New President

Today The Rt Hon The Lord Saville of Newdigate took over as President of The Academy of Experts from Lord Howe of Aberavon CH QC.

At a reception at The Academy of Experts attended by many members of the Judiciary and the legal profession - including Mr Justice Jackson, Lord Dyson, HH Judge Nic Madge and Lord Phillips, Lord Saville expressed his delight at the appointment and his intention to work closely with the Academy.