| 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. | 
