Expert Witness Certificates - England and Wales

In conjunction with Cardiff University, Bond Solon offers three expert witness certificates:

Cardiff University Bond Solon Civil Expert Certificate
Cardiff University Bond Solon Criminal Expert Certificate
Cardiff University Bond Solon Family Expert Certificate

This is the first university certificated expert witness programme in the UK. The programme is made up of 5 days of training, which can be attended over a period of 2 years. Experts who successfully complete the corresponding assessments are awarded this widely recognised certificate.

As a Cardiff University Bond Solon Expert Witness Certificate Holder, you will be eligible to register for free on the National Register of University Certificated Expert Witnesses.

Visit our National Register of University Certificated Expert Witnesses for more information.

To date over 2,000 experts from a wide variety of professions have completed or are in the process of completing one or more of the three Expert Witness Certificates. These unique expert witness Certificates enable you to demonstrate to both instructing solicitors and the courts that you have been assessed and hold the core and requisite competencies to act as an expert witness.

Expert Witness Training Brochure

Training

You are required to complete the following compulsory training courses:

Experts can then work toward one or more of the Certificates by completing the relevant 2-day Law and Procedure courses:

Assessment Process

The Certificate is assessed in three parts, and all three assessments must be successfully completed within a two year period.

Part 1 - Assessment of your expert witness report
You can submit your expert witness report at any time during this two year period. You are required to submit the report in court-ready condition including any photographs, plans etc.

Part 2 - Review of your performance under cross-examination
An audio-visual recording of your performance will be made during the Cross-Examination Day.

Part 3 - Multiple choice examination on law and procedure
A multiple-choice examination is sat at the end of the Law and Procedure day 2.

Providing a pass standard is reached in all three assessments, you will then be awarded the Civil, Criminal or Family Cardiff University Bond Solon Expert Witness Certificate. You will also be provided with the certificate logo and specific wording, which can be used on all your marketing material.

Holders of the Certificates can take advantage of discounts for other expert witness services and products with our partners, including: expert witness indemnity insurance, listings in a number of expert witness directories and adverts in the legal press.

Cost

£2245 + VAT if the 5 days are booked separately (includes the £499 certification fee)
£2045 + VAT if the 5 days are booked together (includes the £499 certification fee)

Leading barrister highlights the importance of training for experts.

Filmed at the 2013 Cardiff University Bond Solon Expert Witness Certificate award ceremony in which Michael Mansfield QC presented experts with their certificates.

"I WOULD urge all experts to receive training from either Bond Solon or a similar organisation. I think you will find it critical that you do so" Lord Woolf, former Lord Chief Justice and Master of the Rolls

"This course should be mandatory for anyone wishing to be an expert witness! Excellent." Chris Walklett, Forensic Accountant, Bishop Fleming

"Extremely useful course. Trainer clearly very knowledgeable and informative. I feel that the course has equipped me with the relevant knowledge to be confident in my role as an expert witness." Kelly Gaskin, Clinical Psychologist, Private Practice

"The trainer was excellent and tailored the content to the specific needs of two separate groups of delegates. The course is clearly critical to being able to effectively perform the role of an expert witness." Ben Mossop, Fire Engineering, London Fire Brigade

"Following this training, my Medico-legal reports will be of considerably higher quality. My confidence in writing reports will be improved. The trainer was very enthusiastic, good communicator. Excellent teaching skills. Clearly has great expertise. Very pleased to have the course run by Master Farrimond." Andrew Mallick, Paediatric Neurology, UH Bristol NHS Trust

"Excellent training day. I learnt lots and will definitely use the learning to improve my practice. Very informative training day." Melanie Adegbite, Independent Child & Family Social Worker

"Excellent course which should be mandatory for all giving expert evidence. Exceeded expectations and very useful." Paul Roger, Veterinary Surgeon

"Fay was brilliant. At no stage did I feel that the discussion was taking place without my understanding. She made sure that the important elements were understood by all without getting sidetracked." Haresh Devalia, Consultant Surgeon, Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells Hospital

"Excellent. Trainer was very knowledgeable. Enthusiastic. Well structured day. Very practical." Graham Lowings, Clinical Neuropsychologist, NHS Independent Work

"This was an engaging day that has been invaluable to me. I do feel a lot more confident about my first appearance in court." Mike Sidery, Pain Medicine, NHS

"Very realistic approach to the cross examination 'experience', which I am sure will be very helpful to my first court experience." Chris Penfold, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

"Excellent trainer, approachable and very professional. The course is a good preparation for real-life experiences." Helena Bunn, Educational & Child Psychology, Norfolk County Council

"Excellent conference and expert speakers." Michael Plunkett, Heart of England

"I am always surprised and in admiration of how Bond Solon bring together such a diverse group of professionals and manage to make the entire day useful and relevant. Many thanks." Sharon Pope, Clinical Psychologist, Elmhurst Psychology

"I thoroughly enjoyed this years conference. The range of topics and speakers was just right." Keith Shepherd, HM Specialist Inspector of Railways, Office of Rail and Road

"A good day, well-coordinated, some excellent speakers and highly relevant to practice." Ian Gillman-Smith, Independent Social Work Consultant

"I enjoy attending the annual conference to get myself updated: 2015 conference delivered well. Thank you." Gilbert Andrews, Adult & Forensic Psychiatry

"A wonderful and helpful course - well delivered. The trainer was professional, courteous and accommodating." Daniel Weisberg, Clinical Psychologist, CAYP Psychology

"I highly recommend the Report Writing training. My reports are now much better structured and have all necessary components to present my opinion strongly in court. From the business perspective, I am now able to market my work as an Expert Witness with much more confidence. The trainer was great and was able to answer all queries in detail and had an excellent delivery style." Katya Halsall, Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant, Eclectic Human Solutions

"The course was well structured. Right amount of time spent on the role play exercises, providing a good experience. Excellent comments and advice provided by the trainer on personal performance." Jonathan Osborne, Chartered Mechnical Engineer, Cadogans

This is the only conference I have ever been to where I have concentrated on, attended to, and hung upon every word spoken. Dr Paul Watts, Neurologist

"All expert reports, whether prepared for civil, criminal or family proceedings, require a declaration of compliance. That declaration, in essence, confirms that the expert understands and has complied with his/ her overriding duty to the court. Any notion that, by way of example, the inclusion and signing of an expert’s declarations in his or her report is a mere formality, or something which may be dealt with perfunctorily, needs to be completely dispelled." Lord Justice Holgate

“The course was excellent. The trainer was fantastic - very clear, thorough and helped me understand the key points.” Avi Kulkarni, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Specialist in Cataract and Glaucoma Surgery

High level of quality of training. A long day but rightly so. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to all Experts trying to navigate the perils of cross-examination which is a necessary part of the work role. This training has made me more confident about being called to give evidence, even 'though I have given evidence for over 10 years now and received positive feedback from Barristers, Solicitors and Judges. Very impressed with this training... Indira Josling, Consultant Clinical & Forensic Practitioner Psychologist

+44 (0) 20 7549 2549info@bondsolon.com

Expert Witness Certificates - England and Wales

Training

Assessment Process

Cost

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