Who is an expert?

A few weeks ago, a man had an inquiry with me about his problem involving dealings with a federal government agency that investigates housing discrimination. However, the person decided that he wanted to have another consultation with someone who was an “expert” on his problem, and a friend had provided him with that person’s number.

This experience got me thinking about what constitutes “expert” status. The media (press, television, radio, Internet and various social networks such as Linked In) provide us with interested testimonials from people who want us to do business with them and claim that they are experts in certain fields. If you are a passenger on a bus or are standing next to or behind a bus, you may see great photos of attorneys claiming to be experts in certain fields of law. If one listens to the main local radio news station, one can hear about the doctors who work in the medical facilities who are experts in joint replacement surgery. If one watches the TV station news and morning broadcasts, one will see many self-proclaimed experts in all kinds of fields like beauty, fashion, food, gardening, decoration, politics, etc. Some of these self-proclaimed experts appear to have finished college.

So, I’ve come to the opinion that anyone can declare themselves an “expert” these days, as there really isn’t a guideline or requirement for that designation. Some of my recent experiences with legal experts are as follows:

• A fellow attorney who practices workers’ compensation law and is a sole attorney, told me that he inherited a case from another law firm, one of the largest in the area, that had settled part of the case for the client and forgot to include language that ultimately cost the client more than $30,000 in benefits. However, the largest company is considered to have “expert” status.
• Some attorneys I know have been called on as guest commentators on television news because they have declared themselves experts in real estate or other areas of law, when their practical experience in these areas is minimal.
• Some of the most prominent personal injury firms in the area claim to be experts because they have tried and won or settled 1 or 2 cases on a particular topic.
• A lawyer who didn’t know anything about a certain area of ​​the law, and I know because he called me to dig into it, took a high-profile case, and got himself and his client’s name all over the media. . The end result did not turn out well for the client.

It is very unlikely in the legal field that lawyers sue the same defendant for the same factual circumstances, unless it is a highly specialized area of ​​law. Although attorneys may find some similarities in their cases, there are many variables that go into each case. Therefore, take the designation of someone who is a self-proclaimed expert with a grain of salt, because these days self-promotion is the rule. Also, keep in mind that an expert may not have experience in other areas of the law that may affect the particular factual situation.