Take The Pledge

Equal Representation For Expert Witnesses Pledge

As a group of expert witnesses, counsel, representatives of corporates and governments, arbitrators, judges, academics and others, including professional organisations, involved in the resolution of disputes which call for expert evidence, we commit to increase, on an equal opportunity basis, the number of women appointed as expert witnesses in dispute resolution procedures worldwide, to achieve a fair representation as soon as practically possible, with the ultimate goal of full parity. To achieve this, we will take the steps reasonably available to us – and we will encourage other participants in the selection of expert witnesses to do likewise – to ensure that, wherever possible:

• organisations providing expert witness services in litigation, arbitration, and other dispute resolution fora, including all forms of ADR, include a fair representation of women in their proposals to act as experts;
• organisations providing expert witness services in litigation, arbitration, and other dispute resolution fora, including all forms of ADR, build a team of experts that includes a fair representation of women in: their candidates for recruitment and promotion; their proposals to clients to provide expert services, including proposed lead experts; and the relevant training and development opportunities;
• parties to the dispute and their counsel, ensure the lists of potential expert witnesses to be considered include a fair representation of female candidates;
• organisations maintaining databases of expert witnesses (such as professional bodies and publishers of directories) include a fair representation of female candidates on the lists of potential experts they maintain;
• where they have the power to do so, counsel, arbitrators, judges, representatives of corporates and governments, and others who engage expert witnesses appoint a fair representation of female expert witnesses and encourage others to do the same;
• arbitral bodies, courts and other institutions, where expert witnesses testify, collect and publish gender statistics of expert appointments;
• senior and experienced experts support, mentor/sponsor and encourage women to pursue expert witness appointments and otherwise enhance their profiles and practices;
• experienced expert witnesses and those responsible for their appointment give appropriate opportunities, including opportunities to testify, and recognition to the women in their teams; and
• committees, governing bodies and conference panels in the field of dispute resolution include a fair representation of female expert witnesses.