It is not often that valuers have the opportunity to hear directly from a Justice of the Supreme Court about the role they play in the administration of justice. On 19 August 2026, Hon. Elisabeth Peden, Justice of the New South Wales Supreme Court, will join a distinguished panel comprising a practising barrister, a solicitor and two AVAA Certified Valuers (CVAu) to examine the role of valuation experts in legal proceedings.

Bringing together the perspectives of the judiciary, the legal profession and experienced valuation practitioners, the discussion promises to provide a unique insight into a field that is both professionally demanding and increasingly important.

Every day, courts throughout Australia are required to determine disputes involving assets whose value cannot simply be looked up or calculated by formula. Fine art, collectables, motor vehicles, plant and equipment, business assets and countless other forms of personal property require the informed opinion of an experienced professional. In these matters, the court depends upon an expert witness to explain not only what an asset is worth, but how that opinion has been reached and why it can be relied upon.

This responsibility extends well beyond technical valuation knowledge. An expert witness occupies a unique position within the legal system. Unlike an ordinary witness who gives evidence about facts they have observed, an expert witness is permitted to express professional opinions that assist the court in understanding complex technical matters. Their duty is not to the client who pays the account, nor to the solicitor who provides the instructions. Their overriding obligation is to assist the court through independent, objective and unbiased evidence.

For many experienced valuers, this distinction represents one of the most significant professional transitions they will ever make. Preparing an expert report requires more than documenting market evidence and applying recognised methodology. Every opinion must withstand detailed examination, every assumption must be capable of justification, and every conclusion may ultimately be challenged before a judge.

Understanding the legal process is therefore just as important as understanding valuation methodology. How does a solicitor decide an expert is required? What information should be included in the instructions? How should an expert respond when additional information becomes available? What happens during a conclave of experts? How does cross examination really unfold, and what are barristers seeking to achieve when questioning an expert witness?

These are questions that many valuers have considered throughout their careers, yet relatively few have had the opportunity to explore them with those who work within the court system every day.

Hearing directly from a Supreme Court Justice, alongside legal practitioners who brief and examine expert witnesses, offers an uncommon opportunity to better understand what distinguishes an effective expert from an ordinary professional witness.  It’s why there has been so much interest in this event.

As litigation involving specialised assets continues to grow in complexity, the profession’s responsibility to provide independent, technically sound and ethically robust expert evidence has never been greater. Confidence in valuation evidence underpins confidence in judicial outcomes. When courts can rely upon competent, impartial experts, disputes are resolved more fairly, more efficiently and with greater public confidence.

These issues will be explored during the AVAA Perspectives webinar on 19 August 2026. For valuers who have contemplated accepting expert witness appointments, or those seeking a deeper understanding of how the courts evaluate professional evidence, the discussion represents an important contribution to contemporary valuation practice and an opportunity to hear perspectives that are rarely brought together in a single forum.

If you have not already registered for this event, you can secure your tickets online today.
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Interested In Finding Out More?

If you’re interested in AVAA’s member-driven policy advocacy associated with the Capital Gains Tax (GCT) reforms, send an email to government.affairs@avaa.com.au or telephone 1300 928 165.  You can also stay up to date by following AVAA on LinkedIn, X/Twitter and Facebook.
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