CIWEM and the Academy of Experts have signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU). This will be of benefit to those CIWEM members
who are increasingly involved in expert witness work, mediation and
arbitration. The new partnership will allow members access to
discounted training and membership of the Academy. Law Lord, The
Rt. Hon. Lord Saville of Newdigate, who is President of the
Academy, has welcomed CIWEMs engagement in what is becoming a more
complex area in law.
The environment has never been so high on the political and
business agenda. Meeting the challenges of climate change through
mitigation and adaption strategies has led to a significant
increase in new regulation and legislation, both here in the UK and
around the world. The war on a changing climate now trumps all
other issues.
So, what does all this mean? Well, with new regulation and
legislation comes breaches of law and of contracts - sometimes by
design or intentionally. Either way the environment is beginning to
figure more prominently in cases coming to Courts of Law, in
mediation work, in arbitration cases and in contractual disputes in
the business and related sectors. This means that more and more
Chartered members of CIWEM are being called upon to appear as
Expert Witnesses in Courts of Law and in independent arbitration
cases. For many this is a new experience and they are learning new
skills.
CIWEMs partnership with the Academy of Experts, through a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), couldn't be more timely.
The Academy (through its MoU with CIWEM) will be able to provide
training, and professional development in an area of work that
requires particular skills and attributes. It will no longer be
good enough just to be an expert water engineer or water scientist,
for example. It will be essential that Expert Witnesses are also
knowledgeable in matters of court protocol and procedures and have
the skills necessary to carry out complex arbitration work. These
are vital skills because it means the difference between success
and failure for clients.
The new 'Accredited Expert Water and Environment Witness'
designation will undoubtedly gain acceptance very quickly and the
demand will grow as the environment figures more frequently in the
Courts of Law and in mediation and arbitration cases.
For full information about the Academy of Experts and how CIWEM
members can access its training and membership opportunities please
contact Nicola
Cohen or telephone 020 7430 0333. Or visit the Academy
website.
