Accredited Fire Safety Engineer & Expert Witness
Christina Knorr is the founder and managing director of CJK Fire & Safety and CJK Fire & Safety Education. CJK Fire & Safety is a successful fire engineering consultancy in Australia. CJK Fire & Safety Education develops online educational resources on the topics of fire engineering, building compliance and fire safety for both professionals and the wider community.
A nationally accredited and a highly regarded chartered fire safety engineer, Christina is listed in the Australian National Engineering Register. She is a Fellow member of Engineers Australia and a member of various national and international technical and advisory committees. She actively contributes to the development of national and international guidelines and university programs.
Christina's extensive experience and currency in the construction industry, coupled with her attention to detail and ability to explain technical matters succinctly and efficiently, have established her as a much sought-after expert witness and fire safety consulting specialist.
She has been engaged to provide expert witness services on over 50 matters, authoring expert reports, expert determinations and joint reports for court hearings, arbitrations, expert determinations and mediations for various tiers of the court system and tribunals. Her expertise is also used for assistance in drafting mediation position statements, cross-examination questions and statement of claims.
She has been retained by developers, builders, body corporates, certifiers, fire safety engineers, product manufacturers, insurance companies, government bodies and facade consultants on matters involving buildings ranging from large residential building complexes to factories, restaurants, retail stores and government buildings. The matters involve disputes over life and safety building defects, combustible cladding, post-fire investigations, consultants' liability, risk analysis and product suitability and performance.
Christina is an AMDRAS accredited mediator and member of the Resolution Institute. Dispute resolution skills are a great asset to possess in ensuring the smooth and efficient progression of conclaves and other collaborative proceedings. Christina's professionalism and performance have been recognised by numerous award nominations and industry accolades.
CJK Fire & Safety Education is committed to enhancing public and professional knowledge by developing specialised online courses and publishing insightful articles and podcasts. Christina presents at national and international conferences and seminars and guest lectures at universities across the country. Her dedication to education, advocacy and justice within the fire safety and construction industries, continues to drive her work and inspire others.
As a Fire Safety Expert Witness, you play a critical role in helping courts understand technical fire safety issues. What are the key elements of an effective fire safety expert report?
As a fire safety expert witness, I have worked with many legal firms across Australia and in my experience, a good expert witness report is judged on two key aspects. Firstly, the clarity of its content and secondly by its conformance to the correct report layout and structure. Early in my career, I undertook expert witness training to ensure my reports met industry standards in format and presentation. When it comes to content, it is essential to explain any technical jargon in a way that readers without a technical or fire safety background can easily understand. This includes breaking down key concepts and the reasoning behind my opinions.
How do you ensure that your expert opinions remain unbiased and based solely on verifiable facts when assessing fire safety compliance and construction defects?
Throughout my career, I have served as an expert witness for various parties, including plaintiffs, defendants, and cross-defendants. At the outset, I review each assignment for potential conflicts of interest and decline any if a conflict is identified. When responding to briefing questions and providing expert opinions, I ensure all statements are supported by relevant codes, standards, research, or other forms of evidence provided by the legal team. All assumptions should be outlined in the report and it is important to refer to the code that was in place at the time in question. Unfortunately, this is not always the case with expert witnesses, as I occasionally come across reports where the expert appears to advocate for the party that engaged them rather than providing an independent and impartial opinion.
Building compliance and regulatory assessment are major areas of litigation. What are some of the most common compliance failures you encounter, and how do they impact legal cases?
The litigation cases I am and have been involved in stem from various causes, including post-fire investigations, insurance claims, fire and life safety defects and combustible cladding. Fire safety defects are typically identified by experts and can impact multiple aspects of fire safety. Common issues include the incorrect use of materials, improper installation methods, missing fire stopping, and insufficient hose reel or hydrant coverage. Defects reports are often complex and extensive, with compliance and maintenance-related issues sometimes grouped together. However, distinguishing between these is crucial. For example, in a recent residential building defects claim, approximately 30% of the alleged defects were found not to be building defects-they were either compliant or the result of poor maintenance. Of the remaining 70% that were confirmed defects, around 26% could be rectified with alternative, more cost-effective solutions. This significantly reduced the
original claim.
Combustible cladding has been a significant issue in the building industry. What challenges do legal teams face in these cases, and how does expert testimony help clarify responsibilities?
Combustible cladding matters are complex, placing both plaintiffs and defendants in difficult positions. Plaintiffs, typically building owners, are often required to remove or replace combustible cladding, even if it was compliant at the time of approval. Defendants, including property developers, builders, and other project team members, face legal action for installations that may or may not have met compliance requirements at the time.
Expert witness input is critical in assessing liability, determining whether the cladding was compliant at the time of approval, and identifying which party or parties were responsible for any non-compliant design or installation.
Given the high financial stakes in litigation matters-sometimes reaching hundreds of millions-how do you approach the complexity of large-scale building defect and compliance disputes?
Expert witnesses are not always privy to the size of the claim, as it is not relevant to our role in assisting the Court in making informed decisions. I have worked on claims ranging from $2 million to $750 million and approach all matters with the same level of care and diligence. In my view, an expert witness should maintain the same standard of professionalism and objectivity, regardless of whether a case involves a minor issue or a high-stakes dispute.
Cross-examination can be demanding, especially when presenting technical evidence to non-experts in court. How do you simplify complex fire safety concepts for legal professionals and judges?
I am well-educated and experienced in explaining complex topics in a clear and understandable way. I am the lead fire safety engineer and managing director at CJK Fire & Safety so I am confident in my technical knowledge and currency in the industry. As a guest lecturer at various universities and a speaker at conferences, seminars, and training sessions, I regularly simplify technical concepts for diverse audiences. This experience translates directly to my role in Court, where I ensure that technical evidence is presented in a way that is easily understood.
Fire safety litigation often involves multiple stakeholders-developers, certifiers, engineers, and insurers-each with their own perspectives. How do you navigate conflicting technical opinions in court proceedings, and what personal qualities help you achieve a fair and effective outcome?
Navigating stakeholders involves discussions during conclaves and mediations, which can range from two to ten experts, depending on the complexity of the matter. This requires strong people management and conflict resolution skills. My experience as a team leader and now as a business owner has helped me adapt to different personalities in these settings. Additionally, as an accredited mediator, I find these skills invaluable in managing conflicts effectively. Approaching conclaves and mediations in good faith, while emphasising our shared goal of ensuring building occupant safety, helps set the right expectations and fosters productive discussions.
What advice would you give legal professionals working on fire safety-related litigation to ensure they maximise the value of expert witness testimony?
My main advice is to consult a fire safety expert early in the case, especially if they have not dealt with fire safety matters before. There is a lot of technical jargon that may be crucial for drafting statements of claim (SOC). Early consultation helps prevent errors in the SOC, avoiding the need for corrections or potential embarrassment as the matter progresses.
Another key aspect is effective briefing. We provide educational content on our website to assist with this. Supplying correct and relevant documents in a suitable format and filing system ensures expert consultations are efficient and productive. In my experience, holding preliminary conferences before sending briefing questions is highly beneficial, as it reduces the need to revise questions and helps achieve the desired outcomes.
