FAQ
iNSTRUCTING US
To ensure the fastest possible response, we recommend that you instruct us by telephone on +44 207 481 4897 or by contacting your nearest Hawkins office. Our telephone lines are open 24 hours to receive instructions.
You can also submit a new instruction through the website or email us at [email protected].
When instructing us, one of the most important pieces of information we require is the incident date and location. This helps us check for any conflict of interest and avoid delays before accepting an instruction.
Our website form provides full details of the fields we require to accept a new instruction.
In conducting an investigation, no matter how big or small, we assume that litigation could ensue. Therefore, as expert witnesses, our duty is to assist the Courts and provide objective advice. All stages of our work are conducted with the thoroughness required to form part of a report for use in Court. For civil litigation in England and Wales, our reports comply with the requirements of Part 35 of the Civil Procedure Rules.
Our renowned reputation as impartial and independent experts has been built on our integrity to always present the scientific facts and evidence as we find it.
If you would like to instruct a particular expert, you can find their contact details in our Meet the Expert page. You can also email [email protected] or call their local office and this will then be passed to them directly.
Our experts are industry leaders with proven expertise and practical experience. We have a team of over 100 forensic engineers and scientists who can investigate a wide range of losses spanning across over 50 different specialisms. If you can provide details of the specific area of expertise, we can ascertain if one of our experts has the relevant skills and knowledge to support you.
Get in touch with us for a free consultation and we can discuss your requirements and confirm if we can provide the help that you need.
Whilst our time is usually charged on an hourly basis, we can also provide estimates for work when the scope and project requirements can be determined fully.
Our experts will communicate with you throughout a case to identify any additional work necessary as well as its associated fees. We aim for complete transparency with our clients throughout an investigation to control costs and ensure that where limits have been set, these are not exceeded without prior approval. Please contact us for our current fee rates.
Site visits & evidence
Whilst site attendance can be dependent on the safety and accessibility of a location, we normally schedule visits within one day of instruction. In circumstances where there is a more urgent requirement, we are often able to attend on the same day.
Our experts provide an initial view from the site followed by a Preliminary Appraisal within 3 working days.
It is nearly always preferable to visit, but every case is unique, and it can be possible to carry out an investigation without a site visit, or remotely if the right tools, evidence, or documents are available. Please contact us to discuss your case.
Whilst it is always better to have as much evidence available as possible and for scenes and/or items to be viewed in situ before any repair work is carried out; we can work with a wide range of evidence including (and not limited to) items removed from scenes, photographs, CCTV, digital data, drawings, diagrams, alarm systems, witness information, and service records.
We photograph and record all physical evidence before securely packing and transporting it to our environmentally controlled exhibit storage facilities. This ensures that the evidence is preserved should a third party wish to examine it in the future. We only retain evidence that is absolutely necessary for an ongoing case.
REPORTS
Your expert will work closely with you to establish timelines that fit with your objectives. If you have an imminent court deadline, please speak to us as soon as possible to see if we can accommodate your requirements.
All Hawkins reports are submitted to a peer review process, carried out by a Senior or Principal Associate in the same technical field. This ensures that all our reports contain sound technical findings written in a clear and structured format.
Court reports are subject to two separate reviews carried out by Senior or Principal Associates, to give you peace of mind that all findings have been thoroughly considered.
Our offices
We have experts in multiple disciplines all around the world. You can view our Hawkins Offices page to view our locations. When you contact us, we will assign an investigator from the most appropriate office based on the incident location and availability of our experts.
We are always looking to expand our team and add new areas of specialism. If you are seeking a career in forensic consultancy then we would love to hear from you. Get in touch through our Careers page and share your CV and cover letter summarising your area of expertise, experience, and what you can bring to the team.
Our EVENTS
You can view our recent events and sign up to oncoming events through our website. By completing our ‘Contact Us’ form you can opt-in to receive invites for future events and webinars.
Our ‘Contact Us’ form can be found at the foot of this page.
If you missed an event, you can play this back by accessing it through our Events page.
We record our webinars in a live environment and publish the recording on our website and through our social media channels. If you are an attendee, you may have the option of sharing your image and audio during the session. If you choose to do so, this will also be captured in the recording. If your image is hidden, your name may still show as a participant on the recording.
