Friday 7 November 2025
9.00
Registration and Exhibition Area Opens
Delegates will need to sign in at the registration desk and collect their name badges. Before the conference starts, delegates can meet other attendees and conference partners, whilst enjoying refreshments.
9.45
Opening and Welcome
Mark Solon, Bond Solon Founder
Hear from Bond Solon’s founder and conference chair. Mark will talk through the key themes and events of this year’s conference.
10.00
Lucy Letby, the lessons for expert witnesses
Mark McDonald, counsel for Lucy Letby
The Lucy Letby case has not been out of the news since she was charged in November 2020. Much of the massive controversy arising is around expert evidence. Mark McDonald has been instructed since her imprisonment to attempt to overturn her convictions. Mark will talk through the many issues and what lessons can be learned by experts.
10.30
The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry, and the impact on expert witnesses
Jason Beer KC, counsel to the Post Office Horizon Inquiry
The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry has also seen substantial news coverage since its establishment in September 2020. The Post Office had introduced the Horizon computer system in 1999 to be used for accounting and stocktaking, but it was subsequently found to have inaccurately recorded losses and money to be missing. Several hundred cases were prosecuted partly based on expert evidence. On appeal, many convictions were overturned and compensation promised. Jason Beer KC as counsel to the Inquiry will discuss what happened and key takeaways for experts.
11.00
Break
Refreshments, networking, and exhibitors
11.30
Annual Legal Update
Nick Deal, Barrister and senior expert witness trainer with Bond Solon
The ever-popular run through of changes to the law over the previous year covering case law, changes to the court rules and legislation. An essential session for all experts.
12.30
The importance of double checking all aspects of your report
Especially other’s work, research material and AI
James McCreath, Barrister, Wilberforce Chambers
James McCreath was the barrister involved in the case of Iya Patarkatsishvili and another v William Woodward-Fisher, where the President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors acted as an expert witness, and subsequently stepped down after criticism by the judge: "I was unimpressed by Mr Sullivan’s grasp of the matters in issue, which to a considerable degree, I consider, was work that had been done for him by his team, and with the detail of which he was insufficiently familiar. I was unimpressed by his exercise of judgement, which seemed to me to be flawed in many instances, and by his approach to answering questions that were put to him.”
Similar problems may arise where experts have others partially contributing to their reports or where they have used AI or relied on source material, but without thoroughly checking and referencing their reports. In this session, James will cover the importance of double checking all aspects of the expert report and the consequences of not doing so.
13.00
Lunch
Networking and exhibitors
Lunch is provided. Choose from the seasonal menu. Meet our exhibitors who provide valuable services to the expert witness community. Network and connect with other experts.
14.00
Parallel Session: Commercial
Dr Vlad Meerovich, Partner, Peters & Peters
Sarah Gabriel, Partner, Peters & Peters
Dr Vlad Meerovich and Sarah Gabriel, both partners at Peters & Peters, will talk about issues, emerging trends and best practice for expert witnesses involved in commercial cases.
14.00
Parallel Session: Criminal
Kirsty Brimelow KC, Vice Chair of the Bar Council
Kirsty will provide an update on the current state of expert evidence for expert witnesses involved in criminal cases.
14.00
Parallel Session: Family
Lois Langton, Partner, Head of Family, Howard Kennedy
Katherine Res Pritchard, Partner, Howard Kennedy
Lois as Head of Family Law at Howard Kennedy and will focus on matrimonial issues including financial remedy, and pre- and post-nuptial agreements as well as cohabitation, separation, and children matters. Katherine will focus on child abduction, children, domestic violence, family and relationships, and mediation.
Both will discuss expert selection in family proceedings, their instruction, governing laws, experiences, and ways to improve the process for all involved with reference to their own experiences.
- Current trends in the Family Courts
- Practical changes for experts
- Best practice
14.00
Parallel Session: Medico-Legal
Dr Jock Mackenzie, Doctor and Solicitor, Anthony Gold
William Latimer-Sayer KC, Cloisters
Holly King, Chartered Physiotherapist
Jock will outline best practices for medico-legal experts, highlighting case law and lessons learned from criticised expert conduct and dismissed evidence.
William and Holly will present proposals for the re-design of current assessment practices by experts to prevent unnecessary re-traumatisation of claimants in medico-legal cases. Mark Solon will also join this section having worked on the proposals over the past year.
15.00
Break
Refreshments, exhibition and networking
15.30
Best practice and the future in civil courts
Mr Justice Waksman, Judge in Charge of the Technology and Construction Court
- How a judge prepares for a hearing e.g. what do they read, how much can they absorb, how much time do they have
- How much detail should go into in an expert's report
- The value of joint statement
What does a judge look for in an expert’s report - Comparing experts
16.00
The Debate: Should the UK court rules for expert witnesses be revised to follow the US approach?
Gunjan Sharma, Partner, Volterra Fietta (US)
Patrick Heneghan, Commercial Barrister and Head of the Commercial Group, 3PB (UK)
The debate will be centred around the differences in how expert witnesses are involved in trials and arbitrations in the US and UK eg UK the expert’s duty is to the court overrides any obligation to the paying party/ US duty not formally defined. UK expert’s opinion on the ultimate issues in not admissible/ US it is admissible.
16.50
Close of conference
Mark Solon, Bond Solon Founder
Mark will reflect on the day’s events and close the conference.
17.00
Drinks Reception and Expert Witness Certificate Presentation
Nick Deal, Fay Silverstone and a speaker
This year our drinks’ reception is sponsored by ALLDOQ. Talk to other experts about the day’s events, exchange ideas and experiences.
Recent graduates of our Expert Witness Certificates, CUBS and UABS programmes, will be formally presented their certificates.