Background

Several years ago, FOIL undertook a radical overhaul of its special interest groups to strengthen its areas of sector focus and engage more effectively with the whole of its membership.

A series of new member-led sector focus teams was set up to be more closely aligned to the operational structure of the insurance industry, making these teams immediately more relevant to the interests of FOIL members and their client base.

Each team has a similar structure limited to 5-6 lawyers from different member firms in England and Wales plus a member from London FOIL, Scotland and one from Northern Ireland in most cases. In addition, there are 6 Scotland specific SFTs, 2 Northern Ireland specific SFTs and 3 London FOIL SFTs. Members join for no longer than 3 years and the annual time commitment is approximately 3 days, although this can vary depending on external developments in any given sector.

The teams currently set up, focus on the areas listed below, and FOIL will use the same template and structure to focus on new areas of insurance law as markets develop and reforms evolve.

The Sector Focus Teams

  • Abuse Claims Practice Procedure

    Who’s in this team

    • Alastair Gillespie (E&W Representative) (Forbes)

    • Alastair Gillespie (E&W Representative) (Forbes)

    • Graeme Watson (Scotland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Ian Carroll (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    • Joe Napier (Northern Ireland Representative) (Napier & Sons)

    • Kella Bowers (E&W Representative) (Forbes Solicitors)

    • Lucy Harris (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Lucy Harris (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Paul Donnelly (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Paula Jefferson (E&W Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Rebecca Maby (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Sarah Erwin-Jones (E&W Representative) (Browne Jacobson)

    Meeting Minutes

  • ADR

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Early Neutral Evaluation in light of Lomax v Lomax and the CJC report on ADR
    • Arbitration in personal injury claims
    • On-line Dispute Resolution. Watching brief

    Who’s in this team

    • Andrew Constable (Scotland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Ben Appleton (E&W Representative) (Kennedy's Law)

    • Jake Parr (E&W Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • James Arrowsmith (E&W Representative) (Browne Jacobson)

    • John Owen (E&W Representative) (Bernicia Marine)

    • Katrina Gray (Northern Ireland Representative) (DWF)

    • Paul Hughes (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Peter Allchorne (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Tim Wallis (E&W Representative) (Trust Mediation Ltd)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Catastrophic Claims

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Cost of care (and related care claim issues)
    • Discount rate
    • Interface between this group and the Rehabilitation SFT

    Who’s in this team

    • Adrian Cottam (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Alex Penberthy (E&W Representative) (Birketts)

    • Andrew Hibbert (E&W Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Catherine Currie (Scotland Representative) (BTO Solicitors)

    • Elizabeth Wallace (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Joe McManus (E&W Representative) (Kennedy's Law)

    • Leanne Conisbee (E&W Representative) (HCR Law)

    • Michael Renshaw (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Rohana Abeywardana (E&W Representative) (Hill Dickinson)

    • Sarah Smith (Tomorrow’s FOIL Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Simon Curtis (E&W Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Victoria Coleman (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Clinical Negligence

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Fixed Recoverable Costs
    • Artificial Intelligence (healthcare focus)
    • Monitoring the Impact of the Discount Rate(s)

    Who’s in this team

    • Amanda Wylie (Northern Ireland Representative) (Kennedy's Law)

    • Chris Dexter (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Graeme Watson (Scotland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Howard Dean (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    • Ian Long (E&W Representative) (Browne Jacobson)

    • Joanne Hughes (E&W Representative) (Hill Dickinson)

    • Kennedy Kay (Tomorrow’s FOIL Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Majid Hassan (E&W Representative) (Capsticks)

    • Rachel Thompson (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Robert Tobin (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Sheryl Gearing (E&W Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Construction

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Monitoring the impact of the Building Safety Act on the claims landscape
    • Increased materials cost and labour costs – claims inflation
    • Environmental liability – future proofing buildings with global warming in mind

    Who’s in this team

    • Ian Masser (E&W Representative) (Beale & Co)

    • Manus Quigg (Scotland Representative) (Brodies)

    • Paul Lowe (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Tara Cosgrove (E&W Representative) (Beale & Co)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Costs

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • The continued bedding down of the costs budgeting regime and the anticipated introduction of the new Bill of Costs on a mandatory basis.
    • Fixed costs: following the publication of Lord Justice Jacksons report, full participation in the development and implementation of a wider fixed costs regime, to address both the extension of fixed costs & the adverse consequences arising from case-law
    • The issue of costs payable after late acceptance of a Part 36 offer in cases subject to a fixed costs regime.

    Who’s in this team

    • Chris White (E&W Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Howard Dean (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    • Lewis Thompson (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Nicola Critchley (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Paul McCarthy (E&W Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Paul Wainwright (E&W Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Phil Bailey (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Rebecca Barton (Tomorrow’s FOIL Representative) (Forbes)

    • Rebecca Heyes (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Stephanie Donald (E&W Representative) (Hill Dickinson)

    • Steve Dawson (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    Meeting Minutes

  • CPR & Protocols

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Developments in the FRC and Pre-action Protocols
    • The rules interface between the offline and online civil claims systems
    • The dissemination and hosting of transitional procedural rules
    • The Green Book in Northern Ireland

    Who’s in this team

    • Abbygail Cooper (Tomorrow’s FOIL Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Caroline Coyle (Scotland Representative) (DWF)

    • Howard Dean (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    • Liam Bedford (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Michelle McCullough (Northern Ireland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Nicola Critchley (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Paul Brandish (E&W Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Peter Allchorne (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Rob Gray (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Credit Hire

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Working with the MOJ to achieve reform of the credit hire market
    • The assessment of Basic Rate
    • The potential for the Civil Liability Bill issues to encourage fraudsters to migrate to other areas - fraud in high value credit hire claims.
    • The relationship between insurers and CHOs plus focusing at the moment on the rate review

    Who’s in this team

    • Barry Finnegan (Northern Ireland Representative) (Murphy O’Rawe)

    • Gary Herring (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    • Gavin Perry (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Helen Mason (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Joe Swinnerton (Tomorrow’s FOIL Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Julie Fisher (Scotland Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Max Withington (E&W Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Melanie Mooney (E&W Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Rachael Czaja (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Sarah Cartlidge (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Cross Border

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • UK's accession to the Lugano Convention
    • Other international treaties that facilitate the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments
    • Monitoring the landscape around jurisdictional questions

    Who’s in this team

    • Craig Evans (E&W Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Greg MacDougall (Northern Ireland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Kate Marrey (ROI Representative) (DWF)

    • Kelvin Farmaner (E&W Representative) (Trethowans)

    • Kieran Mitchell (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Sara-Jane Eaton (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Simon Ball (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    Meeting Minutes

  • D&O

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • How Directors and Officers manage their business during and in the aftermath of the Covid-19 disruption.
    • Wrongful Trading liability - increasingly an area of focus by insolvency practitioners and others against D&O's in recent years but also now with a likely increased frequency of consideration given economic conditions.
    • Directors’ liability for climate change policy and impact - the need to assess and manage.

    Who’s in this team

    • Amy Nesbitt (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Danielle Best (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Graham Briggs (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Hannah Williams (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Kieran Walshe (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Marlene Henderson (E&W Representative) (Browne Jacobson)

    • Nathan Penny-Larter (E&W Representative) (Beale & Co)

    • Tim Edward (Scotland Representative) (BTO)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Disease

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Low level exposure asbestos claims/continuing influx of deafness claims
    • Cost issues post Jackson
    • Housing related disease claims
    • Emerging causation issues
    • Dementia claims (currently sports related)

    Who’s in this team

    • Alison Beesley (E&W Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Cameron Clark (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Chris Fletcher (E&W Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • David Pugh (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    • Graham Dean (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Pamela Stevenson (Scotland Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Sarah Handley (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Sean McGahan (Northern Ireland Representative) (DAC Beachcroft (Northern Ireland))

    • William Potts (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Employers' Liability

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Policy reform on employment rights and worker status
    • The elasticity of vicarious liability
    • Track allocation and complexity banding

    Who’s in this team

    • Alistair Graham (E&W Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Cas Mitchell (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • David Mayor (E&W Representative) (Forbes)

    • Fiona McEwan (Scotland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Jane Price (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Jonathan Head (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Katrina Gray (Northern Ireland Representative) (DWF)

    • Sean Riley (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Stephen Sumner (E&W Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Tom Lomas (E&W Representative) (Hill Dickinson)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Environmental Insurance

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Is the insurance industry ready for climate change?
    • Green energy investment options
    • In conjunction with the FOIL Marine SFT, raising awareness of the increasing numbers of marine vessels that are decommissioned and recycled in ways contrary to international law and the damage this causes to the environment

    Who’s in this team

    • Angus Crawford (Scotland Representative) (BTO)

    • Carole Vernon (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Chris Green (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    • Gareth Liddy (Northern Ireland Representative) (Johnsons)

    • Iain Butterworth (E&W Representative) (Shearwater Law)

    • Niall McLean (Scotland Representative) (Brodies)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Fraud

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Examining AI and technology as a tool for committing and detecting fraud
    • Developing effective cost recovery strategies
    • Fundamental dishonesty – approaches and strategies
    • The Courts: the willingness to consider outside criminal actors
    • The Courts: the challenges of handling fraud claims in digitised portals

    Who’s in this team

    • Alex Wilkinson (E&W Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Ben Leech (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    • Bethany Mills (Tomorrow’s FOIL Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Dan Thomas (E&W Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • George Strahan (Northern Ireland Representative) (Johnsons Law)

    • Ian Gardiner (E&W Representative) (Hill Dickinson)

    • Jill Sinclair (Scotland Representative) (DWF)

    • Miles Hepworth (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Paul Wainwright (E&W Representative) (Browne Jacobson)

    • Ruth Day (E&W Representative) (Capsticks)

    • Steven Keenan (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    Meeting Minutes

  • London Market FOIL Energy

    Who’s in this team

    • Angela Flaherty (E&W Representative) (Clyde & Co LLP)

    • Anthony Menzies (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • James Nicholls (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Mark Fitzgerald (E&W Representative) (Weightmans LLP)

    • Russell Wright (E&W Representative) (Kennedy's Law)

    Meeting Minutes

  • London Market FOIL Marine

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Liability for mis-declared cargo
    • The increasing size of cargo ships
    • Liability for breaches of the Emissions Regulations 2020
    • In conjunction with the FOIL SFT on environmental issues, raising awareness of the increasing numbers of marine vessels that are decommissioned and recycled in ways contrary to international law and the damage this causes to the environment

    Who’s in this team

    • Andrew Bicknell (E&W Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Charles Patterson (E&W Representative) (Shearwater Law)

    • Daniel Crockford (E&W Representative) (Birketts)

    • John Owen (E&W Representative) (Bernicia Marine)

    • Jonathan Moss (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Shaan Burton (E&W Representative) (Kennedy's Law)

    • Stefanie Johnston (E&W Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Toby Vallance (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    Meeting Minutes

  • London Market FOIL Reinsurance

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • The continued growth of ILS funds as alternative capital
    • The hours clause

    Who’s in this team

    • Andrew Schutte (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    • David Abbott (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Gavin Coull (E&W Representative) (Birketts)

    • Ian Plumley (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Laura Madders (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Ling Ong (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Motor

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Whiplash space issues
    • Motor, transport and technology
    • Claims and insurance inflation

    Who’s in this team

    • Emma Fuller (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Glyn Thompson (E&W Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Karen Fyffe (Northern Ireland Representative) (DWF)

    • Sally Richmond (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    • Sandip Sidhu (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Sarah Cartlidge (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Shaun Moore (Tomorrow’s FOIL Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Vikki Melville (Scotland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • William Balfry (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Northern Ireland Access To Justice

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • The reforms following on from the Access to Justice Civil Reforms Report
    • New commercial fast tract system to be introduced in early 2019

    Who’s in this team

    • Alison Cassidy (Northern Ireland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Amanda Wylie (Northern Ireland Representative) (Kennedy's Law)

    • Catriona McCorry (Northern Ireland Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Matthew Fitzpatrick (Northern Ireland Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Rachel Keenan (Northern Ireland Representative) (Keoghs)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Northern Ireland Costs

    Who’s in this team

    • Amanda Wylie (Northern Ireland Representative) (Kennedy's Law)

    • Enya McKenna (Northern Ireland Representative) (Carson McDowell)

    • Karen Fyffe (Northern Ireland Representative) (DWF)

    • Matthew Fitzpatrick (Northern Ireland Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Megan McBrien (Northern Ireland Representative) (Keoghs)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Northern Ireland Disease

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Strategies for greater transparency around evidence
    • The change in the frequency of the different types of disease claims in Northern Ireland
    • The general issue of Pre-Action conduct in disease claims

    Who’s in this team

    • Claire Wylie (Northern Ireland Representative) (DWF Law LLP)

    • George Strahan (Northern Ireland Representative) (Johnsons Law)

    • Pauric McGonagle (Northern Ireland Representative) (Carson McDowell)

    • Rebecca Woods (Northern Ireland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Sean McGahan (Northern Ireland Representative) (DAC Beachcroft (Northern Ireland))

    • Sinead Keeley (Northern Ireland Representative) (Murphy O'Rawe)

    • Will Gibson (Northern Ireland Representative) (Keoghs)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Northern Ireland Motor Credit Hire

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Strategies re the PAP and matters of illegality
    • Approaches to new heads of loss
    • Choice/selection of engineers
    • Expert appraisal, access and storage of vehicles

    Who’s in this team

    • Aoife Quinn (Northern Ireland Representative) (Tughans)

    • Barry Finnegan (Northern Ireland Representative) (Murphy O’Rawe)

    • Catriona Lilley (Northern Ireland Representative) (Carson McDowell)

    • Ciara Liddy (Northern Ireland Representative) (DWF)

    • Gareth Liddy (Northern Ireland Representative) (Johnsons)

    • Ian Martindale (Northern Ireland Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Michael McLarnon (Northern Ireland Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Ruth Megaw (Northern Ireland Representative) (Keoghs)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Product Liability

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Connected and Autonomous Vehicles
    • The Evolving Nature of Product Risks and Policy Wording
    • Legislative and Regulatory Change

    Who’s in this team

    • Barnaby Winckler (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Daniel West (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Mark McCluskie (Scotland Representative) (Keoghs)

    • Michael Samaan (E&W Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Olya Melnitchouk (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Sheryl Bignell (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Victoria Curran (E&W Representative) (Browne Jacobson)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Professional Indemnity

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Generative AI - risks and insurance coverage
    • Alternative dispute resolution in professional negligence claims
    • ESG-related issues, risks and claims

    Who’s in this team

    • Alisdair Matheson (Scotland Representative) (Brodies)

    • Camelia Nesari (Tomorrow’s FOIL Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Catriona McCorry (Northern Ireland Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Jeremy Riley (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Lucy Tolond (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Ross Baker (E&W Representative) (Beale Law)

    • Sarah Naylor (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    • Tara Cosgrove (E&W Representative) (Beale & Co)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Property

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Denial of access claims arising from terrorism

    Who’s in this team

    • Caroline Hedley (E&W Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Emma Falloon (Northern Ireland Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Jonathan Bingham (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Lindsay Abley (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Mark Morton (Scotland Representative) (BTO Solicitors)

    • Victoria Jordan (E&W Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Public Sector and Blue Light

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Police/Blue-light claims
    • Housing - led by Carol Dalton
    • Local Authority - led by Andrew Ellis
    • Healthcare - led by Lesley Allan and Louise Butler
    • Education

    Who’s in this team

    • Andrew Ellis (E&W Representative) (Forbes)

    • Andrew Steel (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Chris Webb-Jenkins (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Joanne Pruden (E&W Representative) (Browne Jacobson)

    • Karen Locke (E&W Representative) (Alarm)

    • Katrina Boyd (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Lesley Allan (Scotland Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Louise Butler (Northern Ireland Representative) (DAC Beachcroft (Northern Ireland))

    • Sarah Swan (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Regulatory Law

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Raising awareness of the Maughan decision and its impact on the standard of proof in unlawful killing cases.
    • Highlighting the progress of the draft Building Safety Bill.
    • Monitoring changes of rules and procedures for businesses post-Brexit.

    Who’s in this team

    • Andrew Jacobs (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Chris Newton (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    • Jonathan Edwards (E&W Representative) (HCR Law)

    • Kathryn Lumby (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Kevin O’Hagan (Northern Ireland Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Rehab

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • How is "success" defined in rehab?
    • Goal setting in rehab - an unrealistic goal?
    • Rehab in chronic pain cases - is there a better way?

    Who’s in this team

    • Chris Eccles (E&W Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Claire Wylie (Northern Ireland Representative) (DWF)

    • David Johnson (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Emma Cahill (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Garry Ferguson (Scotland Representative) (BTO)

    • Matthew Ruck (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    • Raheema Mohammed (E&W Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Shaun Lavery (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Stephen Foster (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Retail

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Data Loss
    • Retail Fraud
    • Franchising Risks

    Who’s in this team

    • Heidi Swales (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Jonathan Mitchell (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Kari Hansen (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    • Peter Forshaw (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Sean McGahan (Northern Ireland Representative) (DAC Beachcroft (Northern Ireland))

    Meeting Minutes

  • Scotland Abuse

    Who’s in this team

    • Caroline Coyle (Scotland Representative) (DWF)

    • Claire White (Scotland Representative) (BTO)

    • Frank Hughes (Scotland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Graeme Watson (Scotland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Jennifer Thomson (Scotland Representative) (Morton Fraser)

    • Louise Gallagher (Scotland Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Pamela Stevenson (Scotland Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Val Pitt (Scotland Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Scotland Costs

    Who’s in this team

    • Caroline Coyle (Scotland Representative) (DWF)

    • David McLeod (Scotland Representative) (Keoghs)

    • Marian Tytler (Scotland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Tim Lennox (Scotland Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Val Pitt (Scotland Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Scotland Disease

    Who’s in this team

    • Andrew Forsyth (Scotland Representative) (Burness Paull)

    • Andrew Gilmour (Scotland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Daniela Fusi (Scotland Representative) (Kennedys)

    • David Magee (Scotland Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Ellen Andrew (Scotland Representative) (Brodies)

    • Jennifer Stewart (Scotland Representative) (BTO)

    • Jenny Dickson (Scotland Representative) (Morton Fraser)

    • Kay Darling (Scotland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Lauren Fettes (Scotland Representative) (DWF)

    • Pamela Stevenson (Scotland Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Zoe Strong (Scotland Representative) (Keoghs)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Scotland Fraud

    Who’s in this team

    • Angus Gillies (Scotland Representative) (BTO)

    • Emily Jeffrey (Scotland Representative) (Keoghs)

    • Jenna Campbell (Scotland Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Jill Sinclair (Scotland Representative) (DWF)

    • Kelly Brotherhood (Scotland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Louise Houliston (Scotland Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Lynn Livesey (Scotland Representative) (Brodies)

    • Steven Smart (Scotland Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Vikki Melville (Scotland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Scotland Large Loss

    Who’s in this team

    • Andrew Lothian (Scotland Representative) (DWF)

    • Doug Kier (Weightmans)

    • Garry Ferguson (Scotland Representative) (BTO)

    • Laura McMillan (Brodies)

    • Rachel Henry (Scotland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Steven Smart (Scotland Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Tanya Gordon (Scotland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Scotland Professional Negligence

    Who’s in this team

    • Alisdair Matheson (Scotland Representative) (Brodies)

    • Andrew McConnell (Scotland Representative) (DWF)

    • Ashley Jones (Scotland Representative) (Burness Paull)

    • Chris Mackay (Scotland Representative) (Burness Paull)

    • Colette Finnieston (Scotland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • David Nelson (Scotland Representative) (Kennedys)

    • James Jerman (Scotland Representative) (Brodies)

    • Lindsay Ogunyemi (Scotland Representative) (DWF)

    • Pamela Stevenson (Scotland Representative) (Weightmans)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Scotland Rules

    Who’s in this team

    • Clare Crawford (Scotland Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Debbie Connor (Scotland Representative) (DWF)

    • Douglas McGregor (Scotland Representative) (Brodies)

    • Jennifer Neill (Scotland Representative) (Burness Paull)

    • Kelly Sutherland (Scotland Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Lyndsey McLean (Scotland Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Natalie Gibb (Scotland Representative) (Clyde & Co)

    • Ross McIntyre (Scotland Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Steph Seidel (Scotland Representative) (DWF)

    • Tim Webster (Scotland Representative) (BTO)

    • Val Pitt (Scotland Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Space

    Who’s in this team

    • Alexandra Rodina (E&W Representative) (Kennedys)

    • Lorraine Wilson (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Sports

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Insurability issues
    • Safeguarding and child protection
    • Concussion and head injuries
    • Issues arising from transgender participants in sport

    Who’s in this team

    • Bruce Ralston (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Claire White (Scotland Representative) (BTO)

    • David Mayor (E&W Representative) (Forbes)

    • Imogen Webb (E&W Representative) (Horwich Farrelly)

    • Jason Howarth (E&W Representative) (Keoghs)

    • Majid Hassan (E&W Representative) (Capsticks)

    • Narrinder Taggar (E&W Representative) (DWF)

    • Richard Rowe (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Tatiana Dall (Tomorrow’s FOIL Representative) (Kennedys)

    Meeting Minutes

  • Technology and Cyber Liabilities

    Please feel free to contact any one of the team with your views on these or any other topics.

    • Wearable technologies
    • The Supply chain
    • Insurance for technologies such as drone, sensors, robotics, and software
    • In conjunction with the Motor SFT, working on potential cyber liabilities arising from connected electric vehicles and micro mobility

    Who’s in this team

    • Amy Nesbitt (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Dan Hyde (E&W Representative) (HCR Law)

    • David Williams (E&W Representative) (DAC Beachcroft)

    • Edward Lewis (E&W Representative) (Weightmans)

    • Helen Bourne (E&W Representative) (Clyde & Co LLP)

    • Lauren McFarlane (Scotland Representative) (BTO)

    • Simon Murray (E&W Representative) (DWF LLP)

    • Tom Pelham (E&W Representative) (Kennedy's Law)

    Meeting Minutes

Looking to Join a Sector Focus Team?

Vacancies

Sector Focus Teams have 5 key roles

  1. To help develop policy for FOIL so that when issues arise the organisation a position to take
  2. To facilitate training or seminars, for members, and non-members on topical or important issues arising in their sector
  3. To act as spearheads for particular campaigns or projects in their sector e.g. consultation or administrative reform processes
  4. To engage in thought-leadership with insurers and other focus groups on behalf of FOIL
  5. To demonstrate to non-members and potential clients the extent of expertise within the FOIL membership

Team Roles

  • Icon Individual

    Role of Head

    • Lead the SFT and act as the key contact point for the FOIL National Committee via the National Steering Committee, and for insurers / self-insurers.
    • Set the long term agenda and strategy for the SFT so it can act as a spearhead for particular campaigns or projects in the sector e.g. consultation or administrative reform processes.
    • Identify other key issues affecting the sector and devise the most appropriate response.
    • Propose FOIL position / policy on issues affecting the sector
    • Scan the horizon for new consultations, key cases, and market activity relevant to the sector and report these back to the SFT and the NSC.
    • Set the meeting agendas for the quarterly meetings
    • Identify and implement consistent policy and succession plans
  • Icon Individual

    Role of Deputy

    • Deputise for the SFT Head
    • Support the work of the SFT and the other officers
    • Help to set the long term agenda and strategy for the sft
    • Help to identify the key issues affecting the sector
  • Icon Individual

    Role of Liaison Officer

    • Ensure that NSC is aware of all SFT activity
    • Ensure that the other members of the SFT are kept informed of all SFT activity
    • Liaise with other FOIL members interested in the Sector to get feedback and activity suggestions
    • Identify training areas from within the Sector
    • Prepare CBA / proposal for central funding of training sessions
  • Icon Individual

    Role of Communications Officer

    • Prepare formal communication on activity and policy around the key Sector issues for review by the National Steering Committee
    • Prepare and distribute minutes of each quarterly meeting
    • Promote SFT training sessions / seminars
  • Icon Individual

    Role of Scotland and Northern Ireland reps

    • To liaise between the SFT and the regional members to make sure both are aware of the key issues in the sector
    • To raise issues of interest in the region to the rest of the SFT
    • To promote the work of the team to other FOIL member in the region

Typical Activities of a SFT

  • Respond to press enquiries
  • Produce opinion pieces
  • Host roundtable events
  • Inform FOIL consultation responses

Overall the time commitment for participation in the teams is typically 2-3 days per person per annum in total spread out throughout the year. Individual lawyers should serve no more than three years on a team.

Laurence Besemer (CEO)

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