Expert Witness Training

The IHCA has partnered with The Expert Witness Site (TEWS) – an Irish organisation founded by barristers who source expert witnesses for legal teams involved in clinical negligence cases – to offer half-day masterclass workshops and full-day courses designed specifically for Consultants to build skills and enhance standards of independence and excellence in medical negligence cases.

Two bespoke, discounted Expert Witness Training Masterclasses will take place early next year:

• An online Expert Witness Training Workshop on Friday 6th February (for Experienced Experts) and
• An in-person Expert Witness Training Workshop on Tuesday 10th February (for New Experts) at the Dublin Dispute Resolution Centre, Distillery Building, Church Street, Dublin 7 (beside the Four Courts in the heart of Dublin’s ‘Legal Quarter’).

To book your place at either February training session tailored for IHCA members, please visit the IHCA/TEWS Eventbrite page here or log on to the dedicated IHCA listings page on The Expert Witness Site here for further details.

(Please do not book in for both events, as they are designed for Consultants with different levels of experience)  

Both programmes are extremely practical and are designed to give participants a clear understanding of what acting as an Expert Witness entails, by explaining the duties of experts as established in court rules, and ensuring you do not fall into the common pitfalls often encountered by expert witnesses from home and abroad.

The online Masterclass for Experienced Experts on 6th February is designed for IHCA members who have previous experience acting as Expert Witness, and will enhance your knowledge of current case law. The 10th February in-person Masterclass is for those new to the area.

A further 1-day training course on Report Writing will take place in April 2026, with details to follow shortly. 

You do not need to have completed any of the Workshops prior to attending the Report Writing Course, although the material presented will complement the knowledge already gained from the masterclasses.

This progressive collaboration between the IHCA and TEWS is a forward-thinking strategy whereby the Association will develop a panel of expert witnesses from our membership to ensure that the highest standards of independence and excellence in expert evidence are upheld – reducing our system’s reliance on overseas testimony and, in doing so, helping to cut costs, enhance credibility in our courts, and reduce the financial and emotional burden placed on patients and their families going through the claims process.

The first two IHCA/TEWS Expert Witness Training Workshops were held in November in the King’s Inns.

Commenting on the workshops and the need for reform, IHCA President Prof Gabrielle Colleran said the current protracted claims processes are not fit for purpose and are resulting in not only increased legal costs that are among the highest in the world, but also significant human costs resulting from the litigation process. 

“As an Association, we believe there is an urgency to address the spiralling cost of litigation that is draining both resources and morale from the health service.

“Consultants want to see the reforms outlined in the Department of Health’s 2024 report on the rising cost of health-related claims, which was chaired by Consultant Obstetrician and Specialist in Fetal and Maternal Medicine Prof Rhona Mahony,  progressed without further delay. Not doing so will only increase the cost to the State and worsen the experience of the processes involved for patients. 

“The parallel human cost of litigation is significant, and these reforms are required to improve the patient’s journey through the medical negligence process and ensure no further harm is done by its adversarial nature.”

Commenting further on the workshops, Barrister Eavanna FitzGerald, founder of The Expert Witness Site, added:

“We are delighted to be collaborating with the IHCA on this hugely important project. The administration of justice relies on experienced professionals providing independent guidance to the court on their area of expertise; and the IHCA and their members are to be commended for leading the way in developing a panel of Irish Consultant Expert Witnesses who are fully informed as to the legal duties and responsibilities associated with the role.”
 

Visit expertwitnesssite.com/ihca-listings/ for further details