This year, the Expert Witness Institute (EWI) embarked on an ambitious project to gain more insight into the size and demographics of the Expert Witness workforce. This dataset will be invaluable in our policy, advocacy and lobbying work and as we deliver our 2026-2030 strategy.

 

This research has provided the first-ever assessment of the size and characteristics of the Expert Witness workforce in the UK. Using national data sets and primary research, the EWI (working with White Space Strategy) have created a robust model and data set which estimates a workforce of 7,500 regular and 23,500 infrequent Expert Witnesses. Additional survey data has enabled us to identify the likely demographics of regular expert witnesses.

 

The full report has been published at https://www.ewi.org.uk/workforce 

Download the full report

 

Key findings

• It is estimated that there are approximately 31,000 people in the UK undertaking expert witness work. This consists of 7,500 people in the UK undertaking expert witness work regularly and a further 23,500 who undertake cases infrequently.
• Specialist Medical Practitioners form the largest group with 40% of respondents. Construction and Building and Therapy professionals (including Occupational Therapy and Psychologists) are the next-largest groups.
• Over 50% have worked as an Expert Witness for over 15 years.
• 12% consists of "Professional Expert Witnesses" (those that only do Expert Witness work).
• 30% of Experts complete 100 or more cases on average per year.
• The average Expert Witness undertakes 60 cases per year.
• The majority of Expert Witnesses (77%) charge between £100 and £400 per hour.
• 41% do not hold any formal Expert Witness qualifications.
• Only 49% have completed core training in Law for Experts, Report Writing, and Expert Discussions/Joint Statements
• 11% have not undertaken any Expert Witness training in the key competencies required of an Expert Witness.
• 62% undertake work as a Single Joint expert but only half of those have completed training in being a Single Joint expert.
• 33% of the workforce are over 65 and have been working as an Expert Witness for 10 years or more.
• Only 24% of the entire workforce is female, but there are signs that over time there will be greater representation with a far more balanced gender split in the 35-44 age group.
• 86% of the workforce is from a White background
• More work is required in the next survey to understand the needs of the 6% who identify as having a disability.
• More work is needed to define and refine 'regular' and 'infrequent' Expert Witnesses in future surveys.

 

The EWI intends to run this exercise again in a few years to monitor changes in the workforce and further refine the model.