Nature of the Platform

International Expert Witness, referred to in this disclaimer as “International Expert Witness,” “IEW,” “we,” “us” or “our,” provides a technology-enabled professional platform designed to facilitate expert discovery, controlled instructions, secure collaboration, report-quality workflows and related services between:

• attorneys, solicitors, barristers, law firms, corporate counsel, insurers, businesses, public bodies and other organisations seeking professional assistance, collectively referred to as “Clients”;
• independent expert witnesses, consultants and specialist professionals, collectively referred to as “Experts.”

The Platform may provide professional directories, profile pages, search tools, enquiry forms, document-management facilities, communication tools, case rooms, instructions, agreements, report audits, trial-readiness workflows, expert joint-report mediation and related technology services.

The applicable engagement terms identify the contracting parties, the services supplied by International Expert Witness and the independent professional duties and services of the Expert.

International Expert Witness is not a law firm, does not practise law and does not provide legal advice, legal representation, expert witness testimony or judicial services. Expert joint-report mediation is a neutral process concerned with document structure and language; it is not general legal or dispute mediation and does not determine or rewrite the science.

Professional Vetting and Verification

International Expert Witness may take reasonable steps to review information supplied by professionals who register for assessment as Experts on the Platform. Registration does not make a person an expert and does not guarantee approval or publication.

Depending on the professional category, jurisdiction and nature of the application, this process may include requesting or reviewing:

• curricula vitae and professional biographies;
• academic qualifications, professional certifications and licences;
• professional memberships and regulatory registrations;
• published articles, books, research papers or professional commentary;
• anonymised case histories, court judgments or evidence of prior testimony;
• peer references, professional references or testimonials;
• sample reports for each discipline of interest and, where available, judgments referring to the applicant's expert status;
• certified identification, business-registration documents, core certifications, insurance or compliance documentation;
• media features, appearances, articles or papers written or published by the applicant; and
• any other information considered relevant to the application.

Any verification or review conducted by International Expert Witness is based on the information and documentation made available to us at the relevant time. We do not warrant that information supplied by a professional is complete, current, accurate or free from misrepresentation.

Submitted reports may be peer-reviewed for structural integrity, methodology presentation and relevant court or procedural alignment before a profile goes live. This review does not rewrite or approve the applicant's scientific conclusions.

Inclusion in the directory, approval of a profile, use of a verification indicator or completion of an onboarding process does not constitute accreditation, regulation, certification, endorsement or a guarantee by International Expert Witness.

No Guarantee of Suitability or Performance

Although reasonable care may be taken when receiving and reviewing professional information, International Expert Witness makes no representation, warranty or guarantee regarding the ultimate:

• suitability of an Expert for a particular matter;
• competence, character, conduct, independence or impartiality of a professional;
• accuracy, quality or completeness of a professional profile;
• availability of a professional within a required timeframe;
• appropriateness of a professional’s discipline, experience or methodology;
• ability of a professional to satisfy any court, tribunal, regulatory or contractual requirement; or
• quality, usefulness or outcome of any report, opinion, consultation or testimony.

The Client remains solely responsible for deciding whether a particular Expert is appropriate for the Client’s matter and for conducting all due diligence required before appointing or instructing that professional.

Search results, suggested profiles, directory classifications, automated matches and Platform recommendations are provided for general assistance only. They do not constitute a professional recommendation, legal opinion or guarantee of suitability.

Court Acceptance, Admissibility and Testimony

The acceptance, qualification or continued participation of an Expert as an expert witness in any court, tribunal, arbitration, inquiry, disciplinary proceeding or other adjudicative process is determined by the relevant judge, tribunal, arbitrator, regulatory body or decision-maker.

Such decisions may depend on applicable law, procedural rules, evidential standards, the Expert’s qualifications, methodology, independence, conduct, credibility and performance in the specific matter.

International Expert Witness does not guarantee that:

• an Expert will be accepted, qualified or permitted to give evidence;
• an Expert’s report, opinion, methodology or testimony will be admitted or accepted;
• an Expert will withstand cross-examination or professional challenge;
• a court or tribunal will agree with an Expert’s conclusions; or
• the use of an Expert will produce a favourable legal, evidential, commercial or procedural outcome.

International Expert Witness expressly disclaims responsibility for the acceptance, rejection, exclusion, admissibility, weight or substantive performance of any Expert’s report, evidence, opinion or testimony.

Tactical Shield, pre-release, structural and trial-readiness audits may examine methodology presentation, formatting, internal consistency and procedural alignment, including Daubert or CPR Part 35 considerations where applicable. These services do not rewrite the science, replace legal advice, guarantee admissibility or guarantee that evidence will withstand cross-examination.

Independent Experts and Professional Judgment

Experts using the Platform operate as independent professionals or independent businesses unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing.

International Expert Witness does not employ, supervise, manage, direct or control an Expert's scientific or technical conclusions, opinions, reports, testimony or professional conduct.

Nothing on the Platform creates an employment relationship between International Expert Witness and any Expert or Client.

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, International Expert Witness is not responsible for:

• the accuracy, completeness, reliability or quality of any report, opinion, evidence, advice or testimony provided by an Expert;
• statements, representations or omissions made by an Expert or Client;
• the manner in which an Expert performs professional services;
• professional negligence, malpractice, misconduct, errors or omissions by an Expert;
• breaches of confidentiality, privacy, contract, professional duties or regulatory obligations by a Platform user;
• missed deadlines, delayed reports, non-attendance or non-performance by a professional;
• disputes regarding instructions, scope, methodology, deliverables or professional standards; or
• the outcome of any legal proceeding, investigation, negotiation, claim or commercial dispute.

Expert Joint-Report Mediation

The Platform may provide a neutral, structured process supporting experts who are required to confer and prepare a joint report or statement, including a CPR 35.12 joint statement where applicable.

The neutral facilitator mediates the structure and language of the joint document, not the underlying science. Each Expert remains responsible for their independent opinion and must not be pressured to agree merely to achieve consensus.

International Expert Witness does not guarantee that:

• the matter is suitable for the service;
• all required experts will participate;
• a requested date or deadline can be accommodated;
• the experts will agree on a scientific or technical issue;
• the resulting document will be accepted by a court; or
• the service will produce a particular litigation outcome.

This service is not general dispute mediation, settlement negotiation or legal representation. Participants should obtain independent legal advice where appropriate.

Fees and Financial Arrangements

Charges for controlled instructions, case-management services, expert-report audits, trial-readiness reviews, expert joint-report mediation and other paid services will be stated in an authorised quotation, invoice or engagement agreement.

The applicable engagement terms should identify matters such as:

• professional rates and fee structures;
• retainers, deposits and advance payments;
• hourly, daily, fixed or staged fees;
• travel, accommodation and incidental expenses;
• cancellation and postponement charges;
• taxes and currency-conversion costs;
• payment dates and invoicing arrangements; and
• consequences of late payment, disputed invoices or non-performance.

Expert search may be available without a subscription. The quotation or engagement terms will state whether Expert fees, Platform fees, taxes and expenses are included or separate.

Payments due to International Expert Witness or LegateHub Limited must be made against an authorised invoice to the nominated bank account or through another approved method. The Platform does not operate an escrow service unless expressly stated in later written service terms.

Client and Professional Responsibility

Clients are responsible for conducting appropriate due diligence before appointing an Expert.

This may include independently verifying:

• identity and contact details;
• academic and professional qualifications;
• licences, registrations and professional memberships;
• relevant experience and prior appointments;
• professional disciplinary history;
• insurance arrangements;
• conflicts of interest and independence;
• availability and capacity;
• compliance with applicable procedural, evidential and regulatory requirements; and
• suitability for the particular engagement.

Clients and Experts must complete the applicable engagement terms and instructions before chargeable professional work begins.

The agreement should clearly address, where applicable:

• the identity of the contracting parties;
• the scope and purpose of the engagement;
• instructions and relevant issues;
• deliverables and reporting requirements;
• fees, expenses and payment terms;
• deadlines and availability;
• confidentiality and data protection;
• conflicts of interest;
• ownership and use of documents;
• professional standards and regulatory obligations;
• termination and cancellation rights; and
• dispute-resolution procedures.

Experts are responsible for ensuring that they are appropriately qualified, authorised, insured and competent to accept each engagement.

User-Submitted Information

Platform profiles, credentials, descriptions, availability, professional histories, service information and other materials may be supplied directly by Experts, Clients or third parties.

Each user is responsible for ensuring that information submitted to the Platform is accurate, lawful, current, complete and not misleading.

International Expert Witness is not responsible for inaccuracies, omissions, outdated details, false claims or unauthorised material submitted by a Platform user.

We reserve the right, but are not obliged, to request supporting evidence, amend classifications, suspend profiles, remove content or terminate access where information appears inaccurate, misleading, unlawful or inconsistent with Platform standards.

No Legal or Professional Advice

Content published on the Platform, including articles, profiles, directory descriptions, guides, resources, search results and general information, is provided for general informational purposes only.

It does not constitute:

• legal advice or legal representation;
• medical, financial, engineering or technical advice;
• an expert opinion relating to a specific matter;
• a recommendation to appoint a particular professional;
• a guarantee regarding the merits or likely outcome of a case; or
• a substitute for advice from an appropriately qualified professional who has considered the relevant facts.

Users should obtain independent legal and professional advice before making decisions based on information found on the Platform.

Platform Availability and Functionality

International Expert Witness will use reasonable efforts to maintain the availability and functionality of the Platform. However, the Platform and related services are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis.

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, we do not warrant that:

• the Platform will be continuously available;
• access will be uninterrupted, timely or error-free;
• all faults or defects will be corrected immediately;
• the Platform will be compatible with every device, browser or system;
• information transmitted through the Platform will never be lost, delayed or intercepted;
• the Platform will be entirely free from viruses, malicious code or security vulnerabilities; or
• every feature will remain available in its current form.

Access may be restricted or suspended for maintenance, security, updates, legal compliance, technical failures or circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

Third-Party Websites and Services

The Platform may contain links to, integrations with or content supplied by third-party websites, payment processors, video conferencing providers, document-signing services, cloud-storage providers or other external services.

International Expert Witness does not control and is not responsible for the availability, security, accuracy, content, privacy practices or performance of third-party services.

Use of a third-party service may be governed by separate terms, privacy notices and contractual arrangements between the user and the relevant service provider.

Limitation of Liability

Nothing in this disclaimer excludes or limits liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited under applicable law.

Subject to the preceding statement and to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, International Expert Witness and its directors, officers, employees, contractors, agents, affiliates and service providers will not be liable for any:

• indirect or consequential loss;
• special, incidental, exemplary or punitive damage;
• loss of profit, revenue, business or opportunity;
• loss of anticipated savings;
• loss of goodwill or reputation;
• loss or corruption of data caused by a user, an independent provider or circumstances outside our reasonable control;
• business interruption;
• legal costs or professional expenses;
• loss arising from the appointment, non-appointment, conduct or performance of an Expert;
• loss arising from a report, opinion, testimony or recommendation;
• adverse judgment, order, award, settlement or other outcome; or
• loss arising from interruption of or inability to use the Platform where that loss is lawfully excludable.

This exclusion applies whether the alleged liability arises in contract, delict, tort, negligence, misrepresentation, breach of statutory duty, strict liability or otherwise, even where the possibility of such loss was known or reasonably foreseeable.

Where applicable law does not permit the complete exclusion of a particular category of liability, our liability will be limited to the greatest extent permitted by that law.

Indemnification

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless International Expert Witness and its directors, officers, employees, contractors, agents and affiliates from claims, liabilities, losses, damages, costs and reasonable legal expenses arising from or relating to:

• your unlawful or unauthorised use of the Platform;
• information or material submitted through your account;
• your breach of the Terms and Conditions or applicable policies;
• your infringement of another person’s rights;
• a dispute between you and an Expert, Client or other Platform user;
• services you provide, request, commission, accept or decline;
• your professional conduct, advice, opinion, report or testimony; or
• your breach of law, confidentiality, data-protection, professional, regulatory or contractual obligations.

This indemnity will not apply to the extent that a claim results directly from conduct for which International Expert Witness is legally responsible and which cannot lawfully be excluded.

No Agency, Partnership or Employment Relationship

Nothing in the operation of the Platform, a professional listing, an introduction, an enquiry or an engagement creates an agency, partnership, joint venture, employment, fiduciary, franchisor-franchisee or representative relationship between International Expert Witness and any Expert or Client.

No Platform user has authority to bind International Expert Witness, make representations on its behalf or incur obligations in its name unless expressly authorised in writing.

International Use of the Platform

International Expert Witness may be accessed by users in multiple jurisdictions. Professional, evidential, legal, regulatory, licensing and data-protection requirements may differ between countries, states, provinces and territories.

Users are responsible for determining whether their use of the Platform and any proposed professional engagement complies with the laws and procedural requirements applicable to them.

The availability of a professional profile in a particular location does not confirm that the professional is authorised, licensed or suitable to provide services in every jurisdiction.

Changes to This Disclaimer

International Expert Witness may revise this disclaimer where necessary to reflect changes to the Platform, our operating practices, professional standards, legal requirements or regulatory obligations.

The updated version will be published on the Platform with a revised effective date. Continued use of the Platform following the publication of an updated version may constitute acceptance of the revised terms to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Acknowledgment

By registering for, accessing or using the Platform, you acknowledge that:

• International Expert Witness provides expert discovery, administration, controlled workflow, report-audit, trial-readiness and joint-report mediation services;
• Experts provide their professional services independently;
• you remain responsible for your own due diligence and engagement decisions;
• professional inclusion on the Platform does not guarantee suitability, court acceptance or a particular outcome;
• you have read and understood this disclaimer; and
• you agree to comply with the Terms and Conditions and other applicable Platform policies.