This paper looks at the strategic selection of experts so as to maximize the likelihood of recovering the disbursement paid for the expert services. The author reviews the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench decision Meehan v. Holt and speculates about the state of the law. He identifies several factors for counsel to consider before retaining an expert, such as think carefully about whether you really need an expert, avoid duplicity of experts, carefully instruct your expert, and obtain detailed bills and accounts. Ultimately, he concludes that although it is wise to be cautious when incurring expenditures, the best option is to keep open the lines of communications .

This paper was drawn from materials presented at the Personal Injury and Insurance Update program held in May 2012.