William Shakespeare’s works are often probed for hidden meaning.
Will had much to say that is relevant to the effective use of expert witnesses. This article highlights a number of his observations and how they play a role in expert witness practice.
“I wasted time, and now doth time waste me.”
—King Richard II, act V, scene V
Quite often, lawyers wait until the last minute to get an expert—prompted only by the imminence of the deadline for designation.
Reasons for procrastinating range from cost (“Why spend the money? The case may settle.”) to skepticism (“We really don’t need an expert, but maybe just to be extra careful. . . . “) to simple inadvertence (“OMG, I totally forgot!”).
So, why is procrastination a bad idea?