"No one will deny that the law should in some way effectively use expert knowledge wherever it will aid in settling disputes. The only question is as to how it can do so best." Judge Learned Hand, Harvard Law Review, 1900.

From the Chairman

The Expert Witness Institute of Australia has been established as a national body; registered as a public company and is a non-profit organisation to service, train, educate and support expert witnesses from all professional disciplines and other persons qualified to give expert evidence.

The EWIA Board is independent and is elected by Members, who represent different disciplines and different States. The Institute's integrity and impartiality are guaranteed by the Board. Its primary objective is to support the proper administration of Justice (civil and criminal) and early resolution of disputes through the use of fair and unbiased expert evidence to achieve its objectives.

The functions of the EWIA are to train, educate and support expert witnesses, to promote the provision and delivery of high-quality, impartial and independent evidence, and to improve and maintain high standards in expert witnesses and status.

The Hon. Alan Richard Abadee RFD QC
Founding Chairman
EWIA

Training Registration Registration for Expert Witness training can be done by filling out a form on this website. Before completing the form please check the training dates page for course times and availability, and also read the training terms & conditions. As with the membership application forms, this form is not an email form and needs to be printed out and then posted to the address as stated on the form.

Introduction to the EWIA

Expert witnesses play a vital role in the resolution of disputes and litigation by assisting the court with issues that it does not have the knowledge or capacity to determine itself. With increasingly complex claims, new modes of dispute resolution, and the expansion of expert evidence into new areas, the need to provide timely and impartial expert evidence is becoming more acute. Experts have to adjust to new practices, including becoming subject to greater control by the courts, and most have no formal training to assist them in identifying, understanding and discharging their responsibilities.

Unlike other witnesses, experts have the privilege of being able to provide opinions that are based on their specialised knowledge. Often the issues calling for consideration by experts are dependent on opinion evidence for their resolution and lie at the core of the dispute. Hence, there is a need to ensure that experts provide their evidence impartially to assist the ends of justice, rather than being advocates for the hiring party. In his Access to Justice Report (1996), Lord Woolf in England identified expert witnesses as one of the principal causes of excessive expense, delay and complexity in the civil justice system. His Report lead to reforms in England and Australia as well as the formation of the Expert Witness Institute of England, which now has more than 1000 members.

There is little reason to doubt that there is a similar need for the Expert Witness Institute of Australia. We aim to be the premier body providing support and training for expert witnesses in Australia and the region. In addition to training programs, the Institute will assist members in a variety of ways including holding conferences and seminars, publishing newsletters and providing a framework for networking.

The EWIA will participate in and respond to change and assist our members adapt to the changing legal environment.

Registered as a public company in December 2000, the Institute will continue to seek members and contributing sponsors from interested bodies to assist in its establishment and ongoing operations.

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