A client may receive a bill that he or she disputes regarding the number of hours worked and whether this was reasonable.  When this happens, the attorney’s professional reputation is at stake and the client’s money is also at stake.  This can serve as the grounds for serious conflict and litigation.  This can also seriously impair any working relationship between the client and attorney.  At this stage, an expert witness can provide valuable and informative insight over whether such legal fees are reasonable.

On the one hand, a client may not realize how many hours trial preparation or witness deposition actually takes, but as a result, this leaves a client exposed to the risk that an attorney might charge for more work than he or she actually completed.  This puts both parties in a bind, since not all attorneys use tracking software to verify their work.  The amount of hours involved could depend heavily on the technical nature of the case, the amount of evidence and witnesses involved, and numerous other factors.  Hiring an expert witness can be critical for presenting either side of a legal fee dispute.