RANDALL O. REDER – EXPERT WITNESS

Florida Appellate Law practice - Randall O. Reder P.A.

Expert Witness Interview

RORY BOUCHER PLA1361

Randall O. Reder, PA
1319 West Fletcher Avenue
Tampa, FL 33612
813-960-1952
Areas of practice: Civil law, estate planning, landlord/tenant, foreclosure defense, and probate.

Education and Qualifications

  • Education: BS degree in math from USF in 1973, JD in law from FSU in 1978
  • Seven years senior staff attorney for Chief Justice Joseph A. Boyd
  • One and a half years associate attorney for Jonathan Alpert
  • Twenty-seven years of practicing law as a solo practitioner

Expert Witness information

  • Requested by other attorneys, usually as a professional courtesy
  • Prep time to prepare affidavit or testimony is as long as it takes to review file and the attorney’s time sheets
  • Required to consider standards used by other attorneys in the area and the guidelines of Rule of Professional Conduct 4-1.15 (Fees and Costs for Legal Services)
  • Testified in court and depositions about ten times
  • Signed affidavits around 100 times
  • Normal hourly rate is $500

Additional information

  • Likes the prestige and the money
  • No dislikes so far, but other attorneys have complained about being deposed by the other side
  • Being an expert witness on attorney’s fees is about providing my opinion. The Judge doesn’t have to accept my opinion and can award an amount different than what I suggested.
  • There is case law that sets forth the criteria for being recognized as an expert witness.
  • With respect to attorneys, the expert witness also needs to be qualified to express an opinion in the particular area the case concerns.