Engaging Experts

Round Table Group
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After 25 years helping litigators find the right expert witnesses, Round Table Group’s network contains some of the world’s greatest experts. On this podcast, we talk to some of them about what’s new in their field of study and their experience as expert witnesses.

  1. 3d ago

    Engaging with Environmental Expert, Mark Elmendorf

    One of the fastest ways to lose credibility as an expert is simple: say more than you need to. Environmental consultant and expert witness Mark Elmendorf joins us to share what nearly 40 years of environmental consulting and courtroom work taught him about testimony, cross-examination, and building expert opinions that hold up when the other side comes swinging.  We get into the real mechanics of expert witness selection and case intake: what attorneys ask for when they need a specialist in hazardous materials, regulatory analysis, contamination, or exposure scenarios, and what Mark asks back to avoid surprises. We talk conflict checks, why “just firewall it” can create risk, and how expert work often plays out in insurance-driven environmental litigation where carriers push hard to settle.  Mark also breaks down his expert report writing strategy in detail: outline first, choose opinion points up front, keep each opinion distinct, and support it with clear references, cost analysis, and industry standards. We discuss rebuttal reports, why personal attacks are a credibility trap, and how strong writing and tight proofreading can be as important as technical knowledge. Finally, we cover practical trial prep, document overload, and the habits that keep an expert attorney relationship smooth from engagement letter to the witness stand.  If you care about expert witness best practices, environmental litigation support, and writing reports that survive scrutiny, this one is for you. Subscribe, share this episode with a colleague, and leave a review with the biggest expert-witness challenge you want us to tackle next.

    38 min

  2. May 27

    Engaging with Horticulturist Expert, Mark Czarnota

    A crop can look fine from the road and still be in freefall, and a “damaged” tree can be one good growing season away from recovery. That gray zone is where expert witnesses earn their keep, and where bad assumptions can turn into huge losses. We sit down with Dr. Mark Czarnota, associate professor of horticulture at the University of Georgia, to unpack what happens when weed science, herbicide drift, and plant physiology collide with legal deadlines. He shares how expert witness engagements actually arrive, why staying current in pesticide research and specialty crop systems is a daily job, and what it takes to explain technical findings to attorneys, insurers, and lay readers without watering down the science. We also get practical about credentials that come up in court, including certified arborist expectations and pesticide licensing. Dr. Czarnota walks through depositions from the expert chair, including how lawyers try to corner new witnesses, why sticking to facts protects your credibility, and the courtroom lesson that led to a mistrial early in his career. We dig into report writing strategy, valuation challenges for injured ornamentals and trees, and the contract clauses experts must read closely before signing. If you work in agricultural litigation, horticulture litigation, or any technical field where the truth has to survive cross-examination, this conversation maps the terrain. Subscribe for more expert-focused conversations, share this with someone who testifies for a living, and leave a review with the most important rule you think every expert witness should follow.

    31 min

  3. Apr 27

    Engaging with Forensic Engineer Expert, James Cohen

    Engineering failures rarely start with a single crack or a single bad decision. They start with messy constraints, unclear scopes, missing documents, rushed timelines, and people making judgment calls under pressure. In this episode, we connect with James Cohen, an award-winning forensic engineer and seasoned expert witness with more than 40 years in structural engineering, failure analysis, testing, and code work. He shares the moments that pulled him into forensic engineering, plus the hard-earned habits that keep an expert credible when the stakes are high.  We dig into what actually governs an engineering opinion in litigation: the contract, the scope of work, and the specific codes and standards that were invoked at the time. James explains why working across countries is often less about geography and more about figuring out which standards apply and what the factors of safety really mean.  From there, we get highly practical on expert witness workflow: the key questions to ask on the first attorney call, how licensing and conflicts shape whether you should accept a matter, why budgets have become a bigger part of modern engagements, and when it makes sense to bring in MEP or cost estimating support. James also shares how he approaches depositions and trials, including simple demonstratives that help juries understand compression, torsion, and shear, and why report writing should be built for a lay reader without losing technical rigor.  If you’re an attorney hiring experts or an engineer stepping into testimony, this one will sharpen your process. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share it with someone who works in litigation support, and leave a review with your biggest expert witness red flag or best first-call question.

    43 min

  4. Apr 21

    Engaging with Employment Law Attorney, Derek Smith

    One weak expert can turn a strong case into a courtroom disaster, and one great expert can change the entire settlement conversation. In this podcast episode, we sit down with nationally recognized employment attorney Derek Smith of Derek Smith Law Group PLLC to talk about what actually works when hiring, managing, and preparing expert witnesses in sexual harassment and employment discrimination cases. We start with the moment Derek learned the stakes firsthand: a first case that forced him to get serious about emotional distress damages, diagnosis, and how expert testimony holds up under scrutiny. From there we get practical about expert witness vetting, including the must ask questions that protect you from the nightmare scenario of a judge refusing to qualify your expert after you’ve already spent months and thousands preparing for trial. Then we dig into the mechanics that trip people up: privilege and confidentiality, what is discoverable, why every document you give an expert matters, and how compensation discussions can create bias issues. Derek also shares his unorthodox approach to deposition and cross-examination prep, including improv based warmups to help experts stay calm and sharp, plus a mock cross that is tougher than the real thing. We wrap with engagement letter terms, flat fees vs hourly billing, demonstratives and visuals that persuade juries, and why long-term relationships with experts are a career advantage. If you work with expert witnesses, want better trial preparation, or simply want to understand how credible testimony is built, this conversation is a practical guide. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review with your biggest expert witness lesson learned.

    23 min

  5. Mar 31

    Engaging with Civil Engineer & Snow Sports Expert, Randy Wall

    Randy Wall is both a certified instructor and a licensed civil engineer, and he shows us how that combo changes everything when snow sports accidents land in court.  Randy explains how time gaps complicate site visits, why a consistent report template keeps testimony inside the “lane,” and how to translate dynamic crashes into clear, simple language that juries trust. Visuals are a cornerstone of his approach. He hand-draws clean diagrams to ground perspective and sequence, and when the record supports it, he partners with a crash reconstruction expert to build compelling animations that align physics with documented facts. We also map the standards landscape. Snow sports live inside a patchwork of state statutes, county rules, ANSI ropeway codes, ASTM equipment standards, and the National Ski Areas Association Responsibility Code—many of them voluntary. Randy shows how real cases hinge on duty of care, standard of care, breach, cause-in-fact, and proximate cause, not on blanket rules. He walks through the cascade of decisions that often leads to injury and how to separate foreseeability from hindsight. On the business side, Randy lays out his contract strategy: hourly, on retainer, with a thorough agreement. And how he screens for attorneys who want independent analysis rather than a prefabricated conclusion. His closing playbook for experts is crisp: prepare so your report leads, answer only the question asked in deposition, and never volunteer a tangent that opens new lines of attack. If you value sharp thinking, clean visuals, and courtroom-ready explanations, this conversation delivers. Subscribe, share with a colleague who works in litigation or risk, and leave a quick review telling us your biggest takeaway.

    25 min

  6. Mar 9

    Engaging with Land Surveyor Expert, Frank Ferrantello

    A map can tell the truth and still confuse everyone in the room. That’s why we sat down with veteran surveyor and expert witness Frank Ferrantello to unpack how he turns dense site data into clean, visual evidence that judges and juries actually understand. From adding targeted photos to forensic surveys to framing testimony in everyday terms, Frank shows how clarity and not theatrics, moves cases forward. We dive into the shrinking pipeline of seasoned land surveyors and why real expertise goes beyond data collection. Frank breaks down the legal backbone of surveying in New York: easements, boundaries, sidewalk liability, public versus private space. And how staying current on statutes and case law changes outcomes. He shares memorable examples from urban disputes, like when a plaza looks private but is governed by public agreements, and how mapping those lines can reset responsibility and reshape a claim. Frank also opens his playbook on professionalism: starting each matter with conflict checks, refusing the hired-gun mentality, and deciding whether the facts deserve his name. His preparation focuses on organized digital records, concise answers for cross, and the discipline to let evidence speak for itself. When a case lands late, tight systems and visual exhibits help him deliver fast without bending the truth. If you care about expert testimony, construction law, real estate disputes, or how to make complex information simple and persuasive, this conversation delivers practical insights you can use today. Hit follow, share this with a colleague who wrangles maps or liability, and leave a quick review to tell us what part changed how you think about evidence.

    22 min

  7. Feb 20

    Engaging with Employment Attorney, Merry Campbell

    Contracts decide more than pay. They decide credibility, leverage, and whether your independence will stand up under scrutiny. We sit down with attorney Merry Campbell, Chair of Employment and Labor Law and Corporate Investigations at Shulman Rogers, to unpack how expert witnesses can safely operate as independent contractors without triggering misclassification, payment delays, or discovery landmines. From the default presumption of W‑2 employment to the maze of federal and state tests, Merry explains why “1099” is a claim you have to earn and document. We walk through the realities that make an independent contractor model viable for experts: freedom to accept or reject engagements, control over rates and scope, and the ability to serve multiple clients. Then we translate those realities into contract language that holds up. You’ll hear concrete guidance on defining compensable work, setting invoicing cadence, structuring milestones for termination, and avoiding any clause that ties payment to case outcomes. Merry Campbell shares pragmatic strategies for getting paid when intermediaries sit between you and the end client, how to request periodic status updates without creating forgettable obligations, and the exact red flags that opposing counsel will use to attack your neutrality. If you want your practice to run like a business, and your contract to prove it, this conversation will sharpen your approach to classification, negotiation, and payment.

    26 min

  8. Feb 10

    Engaging with Family Law Attorney, Russell Knight

    We sit down with Russell Knight, a Chicago and Naples divorce attorney to unpack how experts get chosen, what courts really value, and the quiet ways reputation and rigor steer outcomes. Russell breaks down the two pillars of expertise he relies on: financial analysts who trace income, valuation, and debt, and mental health professionals who assess parenting time and responsibilities. He explains the reality behind “court lists”, how the courthouse whisper network shapes expectations, and the specific questions attorneys ask before engagement: Are you accepted in this venue? Have you appeared before this judge? The conversation gets practical fast. Retain your expert, set firm delivery dates, and avoid late, stale reports that collapse under new facts. If you’re an expert witness aiming to be credible, timely, and resilient under pressure, or a lawyer who needs reports judges can trust, this conversation is a field guide. Subscribe and share.

    28 min
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About

After 25 years helping litigators find the right expert witnesses, Round Table Group’s network contains some of the world’s greatest experts. On this podcast, we talk to some of them about what’s new in their field of study and their experience as expert witnesses.

Information

  • Creator
    Round Table Group
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    184
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Engaging Experts
  • Show Website
    Engaging Experts