Expert Witness Certificate
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From £2100 + VAT
Overview
Learn the skills and knowledge to excel as an expert witness with this 12-week practical learning programme. Developed in line with RICS Standards and Guidance, this course provides the key skills required to act as a credible and reliable expert witness.
What is an expert witness?
Expert witnesses provide professional opinion evidence on matters beyond the expertise of judges or tribunals. When disputes escalate to court or arbitration, their insights can help clarify complex technical issues across the built environment.
Not in the UK?
We also offer programmes that are tailored for the below regions:
Who is this course for?
The RICS Expert Witness Certificate is designed for professionals in the built environment who want to develop the theoretical knowledge and practical skills involved in expert witness work. Whether you’re new to the role, furthering your experience, or seeking to advance your career in dispute resolution, this programme equips you to excel in diverse and challenging cases.
This course is suitable for professionals working in:
- Private practice, consultancy, and related fields
- Experts handling:
- Construction disputes
- Building defects
- Valuation (general practice)
- Rural issues
- Boundary disputes
Common professional backgrounds include:
- Chartered Surveyors
- Quantity Surveyors
- Building Surveyors
- Claims Consultants
- Engineers and Architects
Professionals who have benefited from this course include experienced practitioners expanding into dispute resolution to support their current service offerings.
Why choose RICS as your training provider?
Completing the RICS Expert Witness Certificate allows you to apply for RICS Accredited Expert Witness status, a respected industry standard that helps professionals attract private appointments and build credibility. RICS training is built on official standards and delivered by experienced practitioners, ensuring you gain practical skills and knowledge that align with real-world requirements.
What does the course cover?
- Define your role: understand your duties to the tribunal, manage conflicts of interest, and navigate key legal concepts such as discovery, admissibility, and privilege.
- Post-appointment actions: review documents, prepare preliminary reports, and conduct legal team meetings while managing fees and ongoing conflict checks.
- Expert report writing: develop comprehensive reports that meet legal requirements and RICS standards, including effective structure, amendments, and techniques.
- Expert witness meetings: learn procedures for court-ordered and party-initiated meetings, draft joint statements, and comply with court directions.
- Presenting evidence: study courtroom dynamics, oath-taking, and professional conduct, while staying within your expertise and preparing for concurrent evidence methods.
Course format
This blended learning programme combines three interactive webinars with three online workshops, offering a balance of practical training and theoretical knowledge.
Participants will engage in:
- Report writing: develop comprehensive expert reports aligned with RICS standards.
- Role-play cross-examination exercises: practice presenting evidence confidently in a simulated courtroom setting.
- Mentorship: receive guidance from an experienced mentor to further your understanding and skills.
To help you plan effectively, you’ll need to allocate time for:
- Course reading: Every few weeks, review comprehensive materials tailored for this programme.
- Workshop preparation: Complete tasks ahead of the Competency C workshop to fully engage in sessions.
- Assessment preparation: Dedicate significant focus to preparing your expert report and other assessments.
What do you receive after completing the course?
Completing the RICS Expert Witness Certificate demonstrates your commitment to professionalism and expertise in expert witness work. Here’s what you gain:
RICS Expert Witness Certificate: A formal certificate recognising your completion of the programme and your competence in core areas such as expert report writing, evidence presentation, and professional conduct.
Pathway to accreditation: Eligible participants with suitable experience can apply for RICS Accredited Expert Witness status, an industry-recognised benchmark of quality that enhances credibility.
Assessment format
The assessment process is designed to evaluate your knowledge and practical skills comprehensively, ensuring you are fully prepared to act as a credible expert witness.
What to Expect
Multiple-choice tests: five tests spread across the course to assess your understanding of key topics and concepts covered in the material.
Expert report evaluation: apply your learning to a real-world scenario by writing and submitting a professional expert report, adhering to RICS standards.
Cross-examination role-play: demonstrate your ability to present and defend your evidence through a simulated cross-examination exercise.
Informal interview: engage in a one-on-one discussion to review your knowledge of course material, including key topics from webinars and reading assignments.
Resitting assessments
If you’re unsuccessful in an assessment, you can resit with the next cohort. Resits incur a fee ranging from GBP 50–200, depending on the type of assessment.
This robust assessment process ensures you develop the competencies needed to excel as an expert witness and meet RICS’s high professional standards.
Course schedule
Attendance at online sessions is mandatory to successfully complete the course. Please check the below dates and times carefully.
| Session | Date and time |
|---|---|
Introduction Webinar: Course introduction and overview. Pre-reading available from 17 March 2025 |
Mon 19 May 2025 11:00 - 12:00 BST |
Competency A Workshop Part 1: Managing the appointment. |
Thu 22 May 2025 09:30 - 12:30 BST |
Competency A Workshop Part 2: Managing the appointment. |
Thu 29 May2025 09:30 - 12:30 BST |
Competency B Webinar: Managing the post appointment process. |
Thu 5 Jun 2025 09:30 - 12:30 BST |
Competency C Workshop Part 1: Constructing a comprehensive expert report. |
Thu 12 Jun 2025 09:30 - 12:30 BST |
Competency C Workshop Part 2: Constructing a comprehensive expert report. |
Thu 19 Jun 2025 09:30 - 12:30 BST |
Competency D Webinar: Discussions between experts. |
Thu 26 Jun 2025 09:30 - 12:30 BST |
Competency E Workshop: Delivering effective evidence in court. *Dependent on delegate numbers, further dates may need to be arranged for the cross-examination sessions w/c 21 July. |
Fri 18 Jul 2025* 09:00 - 16:30 BST |
Mark Thomas
Managing Director, Thomas Sands Consulting Ltd
Mark specialises in construction related disputes – he is a practising Arbitrator, Adjudicator and Expert Witness Quantity Surveyor. He's undertaken expert witness appointments for over 30 years, and Expert Witness training for over 25 years. Mark is a past member of the Council of the Academy of Experts and of the Council of the CIArb and used to be Director of the CIArb’s Expert Witness courses. Mark's style of teaching is full-on, and certainly challenging as he packs every lecture with as much practical input as he can. He provides his delegates with hand-on hints and tips that they can use the next day, not just in 5 years’ time.
Published date: 17 February 2025
“This course exceeded my expectations. The most interesting aspect of the course was the one to one time provided by the legal experts who each hosted a seminar on an area of their expertise. They provided their guidance and experience as well as detailing practical examples of case law and scenarios that affect and govern those acting as an expert witness. Obtaining the EWAS certification has had an immediate impact upon my career and job role. The company I am employed by has now created a new service line for Boundary Disputes, which I manage.”
Richard Crow
Senior Associate Director, Trident BC (2024)
“The course tutors had a real enthusiasm for the subject matter, were extremely knowledgeable and delivered the course in a fun and practical way. The supporting material and reading matter provided by RICS was comprehensive, well organised and accessible. It has provided added confidence when advising clients on Expert Witness matters and third-party referrals, drafting of Expert Witness reports and dealing with opposing parties’ Experts.”
Ian Wickerson
Partner, Residential Development, Bidwells (2024)
For your business
Equip your team with the skills they need to excel as expert witnesses. Our RICS Expert Witness Certificate programme provides comprehensive training tailored to professionals in the built environment.
Group Discounts
Book three or more places and receive a 10% discount. Please note that only one discount can be applied per booking, and group discounts cannot be combined with the Early Bird rate (if applicable).
Contact Us
To discuss training options for your employees or to take advantage of group discounts, contact our dedicated training support team:
Email: drstraining@rics.org
Call: +44 (0) 2476868584
Notify me about upcoming courses
Register your interest in a future course, and one of our team will be in touch to assist you.
- Starting September 2025
- Starting January 2026
We recommend all delegates have a basic understanding of English and English reading. There are large parts of the course which involve pre-reading and background reading. You will also be expected to take part in discussions during workshops and write an expert report which you will then be cross-examined on in a role-play type scenario.
Once you've obtained experience as an Expert Witness, you can apply for accreditation. For this you'll need to attend a panel interview.
If you'd like to discuss exemptions, please contact us directly at drstraining@rics.org and we'll be able to advise you.
Yes. The course cannot be take out of order as each competency builds upon the knowledge from the previous.
If you can't make the dates you booked originally, you'll be deferred to a later course.
Yes. We have an online forum on our Online Learning Academy (OLA) where you can communicate with fellow delegates and our training team.
Pre-reading materials are provided. If you wish to be accredited you'll need to undergo the accreditation application process and interview which involves an additional fee.
