I imagine you've come across that many times before, but how would you recommend an expert approaches any kind of ad hominem attack?

When I'm giving talks to advocates about how to cross-examine an expert witness, one of the things we cover is ad hominem attacks and raising adverse judgments or adverse comments in previous cases.

And the point I always make to them is that done badly, the expert will come out of it better than you will.

And I say that for a couple of reasons.

One is judges are, despite what one might thinkpredisposed to think favorably of experts who come and give of their time and of their expertise to the court, and react generally quite poorly to ad hominem attacks which have no underlying substance.

So bear that in mind.

And secondly, I'd say this: no one, whether in the canon of Christianity or otherwise, is more welcome in the kingdom of heaven than the sinner who repents.

I wonder, what do you say to first-time experts who are about to appear in potentially a very high-stakes trial, like some of the trials you've described?