6. Expert status

A priori, the expert can work either as a :

• Most of them are self-employed (i.e. "freelance");

• employee.

This is the case of the expert employed by an appraisal firm, which is quite common in insurance appraisals, but rarer in legal appraisals (although some public or private laboratories are on the lists of courts of appeal).

If the expert is an employee of a public body or a private company whose purpose is not actually to provide expertise, he must only accept a mission with the written agreement (or convention) of his superiors. Failure to do so may, in the private sector, result in prosecution for misuse of corporate assets.

Fees relating to the technician's mission are invoiced and received either by the organization...