INSIGHTS

How to Prepare Your File Before You Meet the Expert

A well-prepared file saves time and fees, and gives the expert a stronger basis for the report. Seven steps, and a checklist for the first meeting.

Clear Axis · 3 min read

Whether the expert is appointed by a court or engaged by you, the first meeting sets the pace for everything that follows. A clear file lets the expert understand the dispute quickly and focus on the questions that matter. A disorganised one costs time, fees and, sometimes, the point you most needed to prove.

1. Build a one-page timeline

List the key dates in order: contract signature, start, the main events, each notice, handover or completion, and each payment. One line per date, with a reference to the document that proves it. This single page is often the most useful thing an expert receives.

2. Collect the core documents

• The contract, Particular Conditions and every amendment.

• Drawings and specifications, with revisions.

• The programme and its updates (native files if you have them).

• Correspondence, notices and minutes of meetings.

• Site reports, inspection records, photographs and videos.

• Invoices, payment certificates and payment records.

• Any report already prepared by another party or a previous consultant.

3. Name and date every file

Use the date first, then a short description: "2025-03-12 Notice of delay.pdf" is far better than "scan0045.pdf". Group the files in a few clear folders (Contract, Programme, Correspondence, Site records, Payments). The expert will find things faster, and so will you.

4. Preserve the evidence

If the dispute is about an item, such as equipment, a vehicle or a piece of work, do not repair, replace or remove it before the inspection. If something must be done for safety, photograph and film it first, with dates, and keep any parts that are removed. Note who has had access to the item and when.

5. Write down your questions

What exactly do you need the expert to answer? "Who caused the delay, and how many days?" is a clear question. "Look at everything" is not. In a court case, the mission sets the questions, so read it carefully and match your file to it.

6. Note who knows what

List the people involved and what they know: site engineers, project managers, subcontractors, suppliers, the workshop, the insurer. The expert may need to ask them a question or two, and a name with a role saves days.

7. Share the weak points too

The expert must see the whole record. A difficult email or a missed notice will come out anyway. It is better that it comes from you early, with your explanation, than from the other side later.

Checklist for the first meeting

• The one-page timeline.

• An index of the documents you are submitting.

• Your list of questions.

• Contact details of the person who will follow up with the expert.

• Availability for an inspection, if one is needed.

In a court-appointed expertise, attend every meeting, submit documents through the procedure the expert sets, and keep to the deadlines. The expert can only consider what is on the record.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Follow the court's order and your lawyer's advice in your case.