Expert Testimony

With over 40 years experience trying lawsuits and arguing appeals, an extensive record of teaching CLE classes, and years of work as an expert, Hamp Skelton provides consulting expert services, expert reports and trial testimony. The topics on which he serves as an expert are: attorney fees, insurance coverage issues, insurance claims handling and bad faith, class actions, and legal ethics / attorney malpractice. Hamp enjoys testifying in jury trials and is frequently called upon to serve as an expert witness in high-stakes litigation.

Partial list of his recent expert witness assignments:

• Expert testimony in a jury trial on reasonableness and necessity of attorneys fees in an insurance case involving, Stowers issues, the duty to defend, duty to settle, obligation to post a supersedeas bond when a judgment debtor has negative net worth and groundless and harassing litigation.
• Trial testimony in state district court on whether an attorney reasonably segregated billings between causes of action affording attorney fees recovery and causes of action that do not, in face of contention that the work was “inextricably intertwined.”
• Expert testimony in an insurance coverage matter involving certificates of insurance containing erroneous information about coverages afforded.
• Expert testimony for corporate policyholder against insurer in case involving improper attempt to cancel a policy mid-term and bad faith insurance practices.
• Expert report and testimony for plaintiffs in a legal malpractice case in which the issues included legal ethics and the appropriateness of recommending class action treatment for claims in a “vanishing premium” life insurance case.
• Expert testimony in probate court bench trial concerning reasonableness and necessity of fees for an estate.
• Expert testimony for both insurers and insureds on attorneys fees in extra-contractual litigation involving duty to defend issues.

Reactions from clients after Hamp’s trial testimony:

• “Thank you. You were the best witness in the case — by a mile”
• “Great, great, great! I thoroughly enjoyed your testimony”
• “Hamp was simply fantastic. I will use him again either as a Stowers expert or attorney’s fees. He handled himself and opposing counsel with the kind of skill and demeanor you rarely see.”

For a reference, feel free to contact any one of the attorneys who have recently employed him as an expert. A partial list:

• Chris Martin and Kevin Cain at Martin, Disiere, Wisdom & Jefferson, (713) 632-1700, email addresses: martin@mdjwlaw.com and cain@mdjwlaw.com;
• Gary Zausmer, Winstead, (512) 370-2800, gzausmer@winstead.com
• Bill Parrish: (512) 539-3628, Bparrish@dpelaw.com
• Don Taylor and/or David Dunham at Taylor & Dunham (512) 473-2257 , dtaylor@taylordunham.com and ddunham@taylordunham.com