St. Francis School of Law Dean Carole J. Buckner spoke to lawyers at the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s annual presentation on 2016 Ethics – All You Need to Know.  Dean Buckner joined Los Angeles attorney Neil Wertlieb to speak on The Ethical Use of Expert Witnesses on January 14, 2017.

The presentation, which is put on annually by the L.A. County Bar’s Professional Responsibility and Ethics Committee, covered a wide variety of issues concerning ethics and the use of expert witnesses in litigation.  The use of an expert witness is critical in many types of litigation.   One area where ethics issues arise involves conflicts of interest.  Lawyers who currently represent a client cannot cross-examine the client if the client appears at trial on behalf of another client of the lawyer.  To do so violates the duty of loyalty.  Lawyers may also be limited in continuing representation of a client where a former client of the lawyer is designated as an expert witness in the matter, unless the expert consents to the involvement of the lawyer.

The presentation, which was recorded, will be available for viewing through the Los Angeles County Bar Association.