Don Clarke

FOIL President

Direct dial: 01204 677216
Email: dclarke@keoghs.co.uk

Don is Director of Strategy at Keoghs with over 20 years' experience of defendant personal injury litigation. Don spent a number of years in the counter-fraud arena, assisting insurers in relation to their counter-fraud strategies. More recently, he has focused on credit hire, working with insurers to define and maintain a sensible strategy towards the credit hire market, including developing processes and procedures geared towards equitable settlements. Don was appointed President of FOIL in November 2011. He is a member of the Civil Justice Council's working party on the implementation of Lord Justice Jackson's civil justice reforms and he also takes an active role in Keoghs' Jackson Working Group.

Laurence Besemer

Direct dial: 01256 466 354
Email: Laurence.besemer@foil.org.uk

Laurence is the CEO of FOIL a position he has held since 2009.

Working alongside the President and the Executive Committee, he is responsible for long term strategy and the infra structure of the organisation.

Laurence comments:
“With over 30 years insurance claims experience, in the UK and overseas, I understand the industry and the pressures that claims managers and handlers face. I am a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute, Managing Director of C-Mas, (Claims Management Advisory Services) and a Director of TopQuotes Insurance Brokers.

I am a life-long Manchester United fan and am working hard to get my young daughter versed in the benefits of
being a red”.

Rod Evans

Vice President

Direct dial: 01489 882906
Email: rme@greenwoods-solicitors.com

Rod qualified in 1981 and has 30 years' experience in insurance litigation.

He cut his teeth in Portsmouth Magistrates' Court defending the citizens at the home of the Royal Navy before moving on to Hong Kong where he specialised in banking and insurance litigation.

Since returning to the UK, Rod has acted for insurers, including stints in product liability, employers' liability (particularly industrial disease) before turning to specialise in catastrophic injury and large loss fraud claims.

Rod was managing partner of Ensor Byfield until its merger with Clarke Wilmott, when he was appointed to the firm's management board, latterly as managing director of the firm's commercial services division.

In May 2011 Rod and his team joined Greenwoods to set up their Southampton office where Rod leads a Personal
Injury team of 15.

Rod has featured as a leading individual in the legal directories for many years.

Outside work Rod enjoys mechanics and classic cars, running, international rugby and is a keen supporter of Southampton Football Club.

Tim Oliver

Immediate Past President

Direct dial: 0870 084 8222
Email: tim.oliver@plexuslaw.uk.com

Tim Oliver qualified as a solicitor in 1986, joining the Parabis Group in 2000 where he is now Group Chief Executive and Senior Partner of Plexus Law. Parabis provides legal services to the Insurance Industry as well as incorporating rapidly growing claims handling, loss adjusting health and safety and rehabilitation divisions.

During the past 10 years Parabis has acquired 12 businesses all of which have been successfully integrated into the Group.

A lot of his legal career has been spent advising the Travel Industry but he also edited the 10th and 11th edition of Binghams and Berrymans Motor Claims and Co-Authored Oliver & Dingemans on Employers Liability.

He has many interests outside of the Law and amongst other things is a Borough Councillor, Chairman of the Trustees of The Shooting Star Children's Hospice, School Governor.