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PLUMBING CONNECTION
WINTER 2015
I
f you’ve spent a good chunk of
your life working (and learning)
in construction or a related field,
chances are that you’ve got a lot of
runs on the board in terms of training,
experience and qualifications – and
a strong, natural understanding of
all of the regulations, standards and
practices that matter in that field.
If that is the case - even if you’re
humble enough to have never thought
of yourself in those terms - you’re
possibly what most people would
consider an ‘expert’.
As it happens, there’s a solid and
constant demand for experts from
construction and related fields –
particularly for testimony and advice in
insurance and legal matters. If you’re
able to establish your credentials as an
expert, there are excellent prospects
for well-paid consultation work.
A MARKETPLACE FOR EXPERTS
Expert Experts is one service in
particular that’s on the lookout for
professionals with a strong track
record in their field.
According to Bruce Smith, CEO of
Expert Experts and former barrister,
the company “acts as a marketplace -
or ‘market maker’ - to help people who
are looking for experts to use in claims
management or litigation, to find
people with the appropriate expertise
who are interested in doing expert
witness work.”
Experts for this kind of work can
either provide occasional services
on an ad-hoc basis, or – where the
demand’s there – as a dedicated
expert witness.
“We have different relationships with
different experts, so it depends what
the person wants,” Bruce explains.
“Some people don’t want that much
work. They’re happy to do bits of work
from time to time, but other people are
interested in actively looking for the
work.
“If we’ve got a good expert who we
know can do the work easily, then we’ll
go to our contacts at the different
insurers and law firms and actively
promote them - but obviously that’s
something we don’t do until we’ve
worked with someone for a period of
time, and we’re confident they can
deliver because our reputation’s on the
line,” Bruce says.
WHAT KINDS OF PEOPLE ARE IN
DEMAND FOR EXPERT WITNESS
WORK?
As you’d expect, legal and insurance
cases require professional advice
from expert witnesses across a broad
variety of specialisations.
“We work across a whole range of
areas,” Bruce continues. “We have
civil engineers, mechanical engineers,
we’ve got metallurgists, as well
as building inspectors, surveyors,
residential and commercial builders –
depends on the market.”
Expert Experts deals in hundreds
of specialisations that are in demand
across construction-related fields,
including things like Australian
Standards Compliance, electroplating,
subsidence engineering, acoustics
and heritage issues. Outside of
construction, areas of expertise span
from everything from Aboriginal art to
vulcanology.
Bruce also explains that there’s
currently a demand for knowledgeable
Expert witness work can be very rewarding for experienced professionals.
EXPERT WITNESS WORK
GOVERNMENTS, INSURERS AND LAWYERS ARE OFTEN LOOKING FOR CONSTRUCTION EXPERTS WHO CAN WEIGH
IN WHERE THEY’RE NEEDED.
DARCY WILSON
EXPLAINS HOW TO PUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS UP
FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THESE KINDS OF JOBS.
ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?