This week (September 21, 2026) ExpertPays had the honor of sponsoring and presenting at the Expert Witness Symposium in Las Vegas hosted by Americans for Effective Law Enforcement (AELE).
The symposium brought together experienced professionals from across the country who share something important in common: deep subject matter expertise and a commitment to becoming even more effective expert witnesses.
AELE’s program addressed many of the practical challenges involved in expert witness work, including report writing, deposition and trial testimony, courtroom performance, expert practice development, and evolving evidentiary standards. AELE
For ExpertPays, it was an opportunity to contribute to a subject at the center of what we do every day: what separates someone who is an expert from someone who is an effective expert witness?
Introducing “Expert Witness University”
During the symposium, Megan Kim, Esq. of ExpertPays, Shirley Blazich, Esq. of Blazich Law Group, and the Honorable Judge Anna Albertson presented the concept of “Expert Witness University.”
The presentation approached expert witness development from several sides of the courtroom.
Experts experience that process from another perspective. More than just being subject matter experts, qualified and credible the panel also discussed the tactics to make an expert witness “likable” and some of the softer science behind modern litigation tactics.
Judges see yet another side. They observe experts when credentials, methodology, opinions, communication skills, and credibility are tested in an actual courtroom.
Bringing those perspectives together created a discussion about expert witness work that went far beyond simply having the right résumé.
Expertise Is the Starting Point
Being exceptionally knowledgeable in a profession does not automatically make someone an exceptional expert witness.
Expert witnesses have another set of skills to develop.
They must learn to explain complex subjects clearly without oversimplifying them. They must understand the boundaries of their opinions. They need to produce reports capable of standing on their own when reviewed by attorneys, opposing experts, and the court.
They must be prepared for deposition questions designed to test not only their conclusions, but how those conclusions were reached.
And when testimony begins, credibility matters.
The strongest expert witnesses understand that their role is not to become an advocate for the party that retained them. Their value comes from being able to independently analyze the evidence, explain their opinions, acknowledge limitations, and communicate with authority.
A Conversation That Continued After the Presentation
One of the most encouraging parts of the symposium was the engagement from the audience.
The presentation generated an enthusiastic response and led to conversations that continued for hours afterward.
That reaction reinforced an important point: professionals entering or developing an expert witness practice are hungry for practical guidance.
They want to understand what attorneys expect.
They want to know what judges notice.
They want to learn how experienced experts handle difficult reports, depositions, cross examination, and courtroom testimony.
Most importantly, they want to get better.
That commitment was evident throughout the symposium.
AELE itself highlighted the presentation by Judge Albertson, Shirley Blazich, and Megan Kim as part of the opening day of its 2026 program. LinkedIn
Building Better Experts Strengthens the Legal Process
At ExpertPays, we spend every day at the intersection of attorneys and specialized expertise.
We understand the impact that the right expert can have on a case. But finding someone with the appropriate credentials is only one part of that equation.
The ability to communicate, prepare, remain objective, defend methodology, and perform effectively under questioning can be every bit as important.
That is why programs such as the AELE Expert Witness Symposium matter.
They give experienced professionals an opportunity to continue developing the very specific skills required when expertise enters the legal system.
We were proud to support this year’s symposium, proud to contribute to the conversation, and grateful to everyone who participated in the Expert Witness University presentation.
Thank you to Americans for Effective Law Enforcement, the presenters, and the many expert witnesses who made the week such a success.
