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The idealistic image of a consultant is someone who gets called upon regularly to provide high-level advice on glamorous and very rewarding assignments. The reality is usually different. Whilst such work can indeed be intellectually and financially rewarding, it requires real effort to secure assignments, time to carry out the work, the willingness to accept a degree of risk and, very often, privileged and ready access to state-of-the-art resources. Just as consultants from private firms face certain preconceptions about them, as a consultant from a research organisation you have particular image and other challenges to overcome. However, you have special advantages too. We will look at both sides of the coin in this Guide. There are three types of activity in research-based organisations which generally fall under the consultancy heading. These all generate commercial income from the application of know-how and the use of facilities. So it is as well to be aware of them. The first three are concerned with consulting as an individual which is the focus of this Guide. 4 Consulting Section 1 Consulting Services – the provision of services to organisations, based primarily on skills and expertise, and the main type of consultancy relevant to a research institution. Firms access the knowledge and experience of researchers to resolve issues outside of their own field of expertise. This needs to be distinguished from research Under a consultancy contract you are not being paid to develop new IP (except copyright in any consultancy report): if you are then it should be a research contract (see "Research Contracts: A Researcher's Guide"). Expert Witness – a specialised form of consulting service in which a researcher is engaged to provide evidence in a legal action. Although best known in the medical field, typically in negligence suits, it is also commonly used in other cases involving a wide range of research areas. The expert witness is employed to add expert technical input to the arguments given in Court and provide high level analysis. However an expert witness is often also asked to explain what the case is about to lay people or professionals involved. This can be very lucrative work for those with a well-established reputation in their field, but the expert witness will be required to be available to suit the timescales of legal cases which may not always fit well with other commitments. Due Diligence – is the other main specialised form of consulting service, in which a researcher is engaged to provide advice in the course of a significant investment. Typically this happens when an investor, such as a venture capital firm, is looking to make an investment in an early-stage business or where a large company is considering buying a smaller one. Frequently the purpose of the consultancy is to validate the novelty or viability of the technology and its market and application assumptions. There are particular challenges and risks in undertaking expert witness and due diligence work, which Section 6 highlights. 1 2 3