Where Expert Credibility Begins.

Criterion Expert Partners was formed after recognizing a persistent failure in how litigation firms source expert witnesses — and building a better answer to it.

Our Origin

The problem we were built to solve.

The expert witness industry has long operated on a model built for the convenience of the intermediary, not the needs of the attorney. Directories list whoever has paid to appear. Database platforms surface whoever has categorized themselves correctly. The result is a pool of candidates selected by marketing spend rather than merit — and attorneys making consequential case decisions based on who was findable, not who was right.

Criterion was established to replace that model with something more rigorous. The founding premise was straightforward: every expert witness engagement deserves the same standard of care that a retained executive search firm applies to a senior placement. Case-specific sourcing. Credential verification. Conflict screening. A vetted shortlist, not a search result.

That premise has shaped every aspect of how Criterion operates — from how we conduct searches, to how we screen panel members, to how we define a successful placement.

How We Work

Active sourcing. Not passive lookup.

"Every expert we place has been found for this case — not pulled from a list. We match the witness to the work, the timeline, and the theory. That is the Criterion standard."

What most services do

A law firm submits a specialty category. The platform returns everyone who has listed that category. The attorney calls down a list, negotiates independently, and hopes the expert holds up to scrutiny. The intermediary's job ends at the search result.

What Criterion does

A Criterion search specialist reviews the case before any search begins. We identify the specific criteria that define the right expert — specialty, sub-specialty, practice status, geographic fit, conflict clearance, Daubert readiness — and search actively against them. The attorney receives a curated shortlist. We support the engagement from there.

The Criterion Standard

What every engagement requires.

These are not aspirational commitments. They are operational requirements applied to every case, every expert, and every engagement Criterion handles.

  • 01
    Case-specific sourcing, every time
    No engagement begins with a database query. Every search is conducted specifically for the case at hand — with the case theory, jurisdiction, timeline, and evidentiary requirements as the starting criteria.
  • 02
    Credential verification before panel acceptance
    Licenses, board certifications, current practice status, and institutional affiliations are verified independently before any expert is accepted to the Criterion Panel — and re-verified for each case match.
  • 03
    Full background checks
    Every panel member undergoes a thorough background check. Prior adverse findings, disciplinary records, and legal history are reviewed and assessed before acceptance. The panel reflects experts who have earned their place on it.
  • 04
    Conflict clearance on every case
    No expert is presented to a firm without first being screened against the case parties for conflicts. This step is not optional and is not skipped under timeline pressure.
  • 05
    Confidentiality at every stage
    All panel members are bound by confidentiality agreements. All case information is handled under strict data controls. Client identity and case details are protected from first inquiry through final engagement.
  • 06
    Daubert readiness as a placement criterion
    Current active practice status, prior testimony history, publication record, and any prior exclusion findings are evaluated for every expert before they are presented. A witness who will not survive cross-examination on their qualifications is not a match.
Our Values

What guides every decision we make.

Precision over volume
We place fewer experts than a directory and vet each one more thoroughly. The measure of a successful engagement is whether the right expert was placed — not how quickly a name was returned. Speed matters; accuracy matters more.
Transparency
If a case lacks a strong match in our Panel, we say so rather than placing someone marginally qualified. We tell attorneys what we found, what we didn't find, and why — because a candid answer serves the case better than a forced placement.
Partnership
We work with litigation teams, not around them. That means understanding the case, communicating clearly, and remaining available throughout the engagement — not disappearing after the introduction is made.
Discretion
Litigation strategy is confidential. The information attorneys share with us to conduct a search is treated with the same discretion they apply to privileged client communications. That obligation does not have exceptions.
Work With Us

Ready to find the right expert for your case?

Submit your case details and a Criterion search specialist will be in touch within 1 business day. Pre-vetted expert profiles delivered in 24–48 hours.

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