Introduction Acquisition International magazine is excited to announce the introduction of a brand-new programme to our awards portfolio for 2024! The inaugural Expert Witness Awards will recognise the leading experts across a wide range of fields, whose top-class research, investigation, testimony, and consulting services have provided vital assistance in courtroom settings and related legal proceedings. The work of expert witnesses is indispensable to justice systems around the world, as their specialised knowledge and experience is key to the comprehension of the often complex technical and scientific issues introduced in legal cases. Both judges and juries regularly rely on the skill and impartiality of expert witnesses to get a clearer understanding of the facts of a case, and in turn make an appropriate ruling to ensure that justice is served. The expert witness consulting industry is experiencing a significant boom. According to a recent report by IBISWorld, the market has grown by approximately $200 million over the last ten years. As the demand for legal services rises, so does that of expert witness services. The Legal Services market is currently predicted to experience annual growth over the next five years, with this increased revenue having a positive effect on judicial spending, which is also expected to rise annually up to 2028. The subsequent inflated budgets of law firms will allow for more investment into expert services, and larger numbers of expert witnesses being hired to consult on cases. Greater legal revenue isn’t the only factor propelling the expert witness services market into growth; other key factors driving this expansion are the increasing complexity of legal cases as well as the acceleration of technology in multiple industries. As courts, tribunals, and hearings become more complex and encompass a wider variety of industries, the need for specialised knowledge in these disciplines will grow and drive demand for expert witnesses. Today, experts are called to provide testimony on a diverse range of technical and scientific subjects, including medicine, finance, engineering, health and safety, agriculture, biology, geology, and more. On the technology front, the number of legal cases dealing with tech-related disputes is surging. Research company Gartner predicts that the Technology sector’s legal spending will rise by over 200% in the coming years. Evolving regulations and consumer rights are just some of the issues at the centre of this unprecedented growth, which has necessitated the need for support from technical experts. www.acquisition-international.com
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUyMDQwMA==