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Expert Conclave Facilitation

expert conclave facilitation packages

Courts require experts to confer and produce a joint report prior to a matter proceeding to hearing – however the time and cost associated with arranging the conclave and joint report is considerable.

Solicitors are often required to make multiple phone calls between parties and experts just to arrange a conclave date, followed by further correspondence arranging questions, assumptions, bundles of documents, facilitators and transcribers. R3 Resolutions’ expert conclave facilitation service streamlines that process by taking over all the logistical arrangements on behalf of the parties and offering a range of options to enable the experts to quickly and cost effectively confer and produce a joint report.

Many of our client’s wish to retain an independent facilitator. An independent facilitator can add great benefit by chairing the expert conclave, managing the competing interests and personalities of the experts, encouraging discussions, exploring areas of agreement and disagreement and recording the opinions of the experts in a written report.

Many clients and experts also retain stenographers to reduce the turnaround time of the joint report, or if a stenographer is required that has a security clearance from the Attorney-General’s Department.

R3 Resolutions’ offers three expert conclave packages* which include:

Lite package

Administrative support only

$1,000 (+GST)*

(costs shared equally between parties)

Includes:

Liaise with, and arrange logistics for, conclave between the experts
Collate documents and prepare brief to experts
Liaise with experts to ensure conclave proceeds
Liaise with experts to ensure report prepared promptly
Ensure experts provide joint report to solicitors promptly

Premium package

Includes Facilitation

$2,500 (+GST)*

(costs shared equally between parties)

Includes:

Premium PLUS package

Includes arranging AND Facilitation

$3,500 (+GST)*

(costs shared equally between parties)

Includes:

Liaise with, and arrange logistics for, conclave between the experts
Collate documents and prepare brief to experts
Facilitate the conclave (up to 3 hours); each additional hour at $400 per hour
Retain stenographer and obtain transcription of the conclave
Assist experts to prepare joint report
Provide joint report to solicitors promptly

*exclusive of experts’ and stenographer’s fees – invoiced directly to instructing solicitor

more about expert conclaves

Expert conclaves are increasingly being used to ensure the “just, quick and cheap resolution of disputes”. These reports can be central to the outcome of the proceedings, or settlement negotiations. Obtaining a joint expert report can result in substantial cost savings to the parties, not only if the case settles, but if it proceeds to trial, often hearing time is reduced as lengthy cross-examination of the experts may be avoided.

Expert conclaves occur when the parties’ experts meet to discuss agreed questions that have been put to them by the parties. The questions are drafted by the parties’ lawyers and usually arise from the separate reports prepared by the experts. By asking the experts to answer specific questions, the aim is to narrow down the issues in dispute and to produce a report indicating the areas where consensus has been reached, differences remain and the reasons why.

Legal representatives are not present at the conclave, and the experts cannot have any discussions with the lawyers who retained them prior to the joint report being produced.

By requiring experts to conclave, they can refine the scope of issues that are not agreed on and narrow down those that are, thereby producing consensus at an early stage which can encourage settlement. The result can be a substantial cost saving to the parties, not only if the case settles, but also if it proceeds, as there is a decreased requirement of subsequent lengthy cross-examination if the matter proceeds to hearing

Expert Conclave Facilitation