Most physicians picture expert witness work as depositions and courtroom testimony, but there’s a critical phase that comes first, and almost nobody talks about it. In this episode, Dr. Brian Woodruff sits down with Dr. Gary Mak, a board-certified pediatric hospitalist from New York, who is three months into building his medical-legal practice and already turning heads with six cases under his belt.
Gary shares what the early stages of expert witness work actually look like: how he found his first cases, why his niche gave him a faster start than most, and the practical systems he’s using to stay organized and responsive. The conversation covers the real complexity of medical record review, the discipline required to stay within your lane of expertise, and how to deliver a difficult opinion to a retaining attorney when the case doesn’t support their side.
Brian also draws on his own experience to walk Gary and listeners through deposition preparation: what to demand from retaining counsel, how to recognize different cross-examination styles, and why going in underprepared isn’t an option. Gary closes with a sharp list of do’s and don’ts for physicians just getting started, including one practical tip for staying reachable that most experts have never considered.
If you’re a physician thinking about entering the expert witness space, or just getting your first few cases off the ground, this episode is the conversation you didn’t know you needed.
