Powerpoint Presentation
For hundreds of years, persons giving evidence as expert witnesses knew that they had to prepare themselves to comply with the duties of an expert witness (see for example the Ikarian Reefer rules), and to face hostile questioning from a well trained advocate. But at least they had the comfort – or so they thought – of being immune from being sued as a result of what they said during their evidence. Is that still the case?
Philip Boulding QC will talk about the recent Supreme Court (the highest court in the UK) decision in Jones v Kaney which stripped away the several hundred years' of immunity from civil suit that expert witnesses previously enjoyed for their most commonly performed functions in relation to a court hearing. The talk will explain the background to the decision, the basis upon which the immunity was discarded and perceived problems arising therefrom.
Philip Boulding QC was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1979 and has been a member of Keating Chambers since 1980. He specialises in the fields of construction, engineering, technology law and related professional negligence work.
Philip’s practice comprises of both domestic and international work and his clients include local authorities, government departments, major national and international construction and engineering companies, energy and utility companies and developers.