Expert or Adversary? Navigating the Role of the Valuation Witness in UK Courts - with Fiona Hotston Moore

About the class:

What does it really take to serve as an Expert Witness in the UK courts? In this session, Fiona Hotston Moore shares practical insight drawn from years of first-hand experience—demystifying the courtroom role, highlighting the demands of the position, and offering grounded advice for valuation professionals considering this path.

The session will cover:• What defines an Expert Witness and why this role matters• Core qualities and attributes required in court• Training, qualifications, and the path to readiness• How instructions arise—and how expert witnesses are compensated• The key stages of a typical case• Tactical advice for handling cross-examination

This class is ideal for valuers at any stage who are interested in expanding into expert testimony work—or want to understand what it demands.

About the Presenter:

Fiona Hotston Moore is a Chartered Accountant (FCA) and Chartered Tax Adviser with over three decades of professional experience. A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, she is also a member of the Academy of Experts, trained as a Single Joint Expert, and an Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist.

Fiona has acted as an expert in approximately 400 cases, bringing deep expertise in business valuation, shareholder and commercial disputes, matrimonial and family matters, and professional negligence. She is frequently instructed as a Single Joint Expert and has provided evidence in the Family Court, High Court, Tax Tribunal, International Arbitration, and mediation settings.

Her background includes senior roles at FRP Advisory and several national and international accountancy practices. Fiona’s work spans both public and private contexts, and she regularly acts as Party Expert, Shadow Adviser, and in Expert Determinations.