About

Doherty Stobbs provides specialist independent expert evidence on employment prospects, employability, earning capacity and loss of earnings.
Our expert witnesses are Occupational Psychologists by professional background. This gives them additional expertise in understanding individuals, employment, organisations, employer expectations, career development and vocational issues. Where injury, illness or disability is relevant, they rely on the appropriate medical and other professional evidence.

We take time to understand the individual, their education, work and career history, the demands of relevant occupations and the wider evidence. We then consider this alongside employer expectations, vocational rehabilitation options and the labour market so that our opinions are realistic and properly supported

Our role is to assist the Court in reaching sound, evidence-based conclusions on the employment and vocational issues in dispute. This means distinguishing established evidence from assumption, explaining uncertainty where it exists and avoiding false precision. For solicitors and counsel, it means reports that are focused on the relevant questions, clear in their reasoning and capable of being tested.

What this means in practice
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People
We consider the individual rather than assuming that a particular injury, illness, disability or neurodivergence determines employment outcome. Strengths, limitations, motivation, adaptation and work history can all be important to understanding future employment prospects.
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Employment
We understand recruitment, work performance, career progression and what employers expect in practice. This helps us consider whether a proposed career path, return to work or alternative occupation is realistic.
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Evidence
We bring together medical, employment, vocational, statistical and labour-market evidence, making clear what is established, what is inferred and where more than one outcome remains reasonably possible.
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Practicality
Our opinions are directed to the employment questions that matter in the case: what might probably have happened, what work is realistically open to the individual now, what support may affect employment prospects and how future earning capacity may be affected.
Six business professionals in formal attire discussing documents around wooden conference table.
Closing line
We combine careful analysis with a detailed understanding of people, employment and the labour market, providing evidence intended to assist the Court in reaching sound conclusions on employment prospects and loss of earnings

Doherty Stobbs was founded in 2003 by Paul Doherty and Christine Stobbs, respectively Occupational and Business Psychologists. The practice provides independent expert evidence on employment, employability, earning capacity and loss of earnings, alongside selected occupational and vocational services.