Expert Witness Conference

ASA will be hosting a conference March 5-6 at the Sir Frnacis Drake Hotel in San Francisco called How to be a Successful and Effective Expert Witness.  The press release on the event states topics will include

• Common cv and website mistakes
• What goes into a defensible report
• Preparing for deposition and trial
• Dealing with difficult cross-examinations. 

Videos, mock trials are included within the program.  See link within block quote for more information.

ASA reports on the expert witness conference.

RESTON, VA (November 21, 2013)—The American Society of Appraisers announces the hosting of a conference: How to be a Successful and Effective Expert Witness (March 5-6) to take place at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco, California.

Demand for the event stems from a growing need for valuation professionals to be able to effectively communicate and present conclusions in courts of law.

2013 has been a year for high-profile tax court cases involving works of fine art. One current valuation dispute between the IRS and the estate of artist, Jean-Michel Basquiat, shows a difference of $66 million. Earlier this year the Sonnabend case in which the estate’s appraisers valued a work by Robert Rauschenberg at zero was contested with an IRS valuation of $65 million. Less well known is the case involving the valuation of 64 works of art in the estate of James Elkins. The works were valued at $35 million, and the dispute focused upon the discount applicable to a fractional interest in the works by the heirs. With discounts from 50% to 80% of the fair
market value proposed by various appraisers, the court rejected all of the appraisers’ opinions and determined a discount of only 10%.

It’s not only in the world of art valuation that the role of the appraiser has become more and more complicated. According to Dennis A. Webb, ASA, who is both a business valuation and real property appraiser, “It only takes reading a small number of Tax Court cases to realize that valuation expert testimony often fails to persuade. Experts that find the facts, connect the dots and tell the story   provide testimony that attorneys can relate to and that the Court needs. Persuasive experts make a major contribution to the Court   and to the profession – we need a good deal more
of them.”

For appraisers of machinery and equipment, it is not enough to know about best practices in valuation and about the machinery itself, most top appraisers have developed expertise in the legal arena as well. Machinery and equipment appraiser, Douglas R. Krieser, ASA, says “…you may be the best appraiser in your field but if you cannot effectively and logically present your conclusions to the Court, you may lose all credibility.”

This spring ASA in collaboration with SEAK will be offering a 2-day conference especially for appraisers and allied professionals: How  to be a Successful and Effective Expert Witness (March 5-6 in San Francisco). The program will help attendees learn how to provide expert witness testimony successfully and effectively. Topics will include common cv and website mistakes, what goes into a defensible report, preparing for deposition, trial, and dealing with difficult cross-examinations. Illustrative videos and mock trial exercises will be included and much more. 14 hours of CE and CPE credits will be offered, which have also been approved by California’s Bureau
of  Real Estate Appraisers (BREA).

As a bonus, immediately following the expert witness event, ASA will also be hosting a special 1.5-day connoisseurship conference,  Personal Property Issues and Insights: SFO (March 7-8), which will be devoted to the special collections and sites of San Francisco with lectures and tours. 10 hours of continuing professional education credits will be offered.

Each of the conferences are tailor-made for appraisers and allied professionals and will offer attendees the benefits of enhancing and growing their expertise and knowledge, expanding their business and valuation services through networking opportunities and earning continuing professional education credits.

A variety of registration and pricing discounts are available, including special savings for those who register early. Early registration discounts end January 15, 2014.

To register or for complete event details visit www.appraisers.org/Events/asa-mini-conferences or call (800) 272-8258.