How To Get Witness Statements Right

The witness statements rules were amended in April 2020 for the first time since compulsory exchange was introduced back in 1992. It is vital to get them right  – a bad statement could see a good claim slung out, especially as judges are showing a willingness to crack down on overlong witness statements. In December 2019, a Commercial Court working group found that witness statements are “over-lawyered” and too long and the new judicial activism puts lawyers at risk of wasted costs orders and professional negligence claims.

This webinar addresses both the law and the practicalities. Topics include:

• What must I include and exclude?
• The statement of truth
• What to do if statements are not served on time
• Supplementary statements
• Who should give the evidence?
• How to protect yourself against the unscrupulous witness
• The April 2020 reforms