Executive committee members
I am a Principal Lawyer at Slater & Gordon in Manchester, specialising in acting for victims and survivors of physical and sexual abuse in civil claims, human rights cases and public inquiries, as well as representing families at Article 2 inquests. I am an accredited APIL Senior Litigator. I qualified as a solicitor in 2005 at Pannone LLP, for several years undertaking general PI work, coming to specialise in industrial disease/asbestos and abuse cases, and then headed up the actions against the police team. I was made a Partner in 2011 and following the merger with Slater & Gordon in February 2014 I became a Principal Lawyer in both their abuse and disease teams, gradually moving over to abuse work full time. I now jointly head up the abuse and public inquiries team at the firm. I have represented clients at both the Independent Inquiry Into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) and the Manchester Arena Bombing Inquiry.
I am a former member of the JPIL editorial board (2017 – 2021) and am currently on the executive committee of ACAL (Association of Child Abuse Lawyers.
For APIL I have been part of working and consultation groups on various areas of personal injury law reform. I am a regular commentator on abuse and human rights issues in the media. I have written a number of case comments and articles on all aspects of PI litigation law and practice for LexisNexis, JPIL, PILJ and NLJ. I currently chair APILs Diversity Working Group.
I can bring a strong commitment to education and training and through my proven track record of fighting for victims’ rights through the media and other lobbying I can be an effective and articulate voice for APIL members and their concerns. I am committed to improving diversity at all levels of the organisation.
The elected president is required to:
- preside over EC meetings of the association
- preside at APIL annual conferences
- preside at annual meetings with SIG/regional group co-ordinators and secretaries
(in the event of the president being unable to attend any of the above meetings, the vice-president shall preside)
- act as a leading spokesperson in the media
- host an annual dinner
- attend meetings with MP’s, government officials and other key contacts
- write a president’s page for the APIL newsletter - 6 issues per year
- attend officers sub-committee meetings (4 times per year)
- in the event of an equality of votes at EC meetings, AGM, conferences and EC meetings with co-ordinators and secretaries, the president shall have the casting vote
- act as ambassador for APIL with other organisations, where appropriate, in liaison with the Chief Executive.
Shareholdings/directorships/partners or otherwise engaged in the management or control of claims management services, medical agencies and other organisations related to providing a service to the injured person, or in the field of personal injury.
I am a Director of ACAL (Association of Child Abuse Lawyers). This is a non-fee paying role.
Consultancies related to providing a service to the injured person, or in the field of personal injury.
N/A
Political organisations/societies/pressure groups/charities/trade unions.
I am not a member of a political party at present. I am a member of UNITE the Union but am not active in the union.
I am a Director of ACAL as above and serve on the Exec Committee.
Please provide details below of all interests that you have which may conflict with your role. This will include whether you or your employer have, or may in the future, receive any financial payment or other benefit from the areas covered in the activities above. In addition, you should also indicate whether any spouse, partner, colleague or family member may benefit from your involvement.
See above re ACAL but no financial payment received. My partner (soon to be spouse) is a panel member of ACAL and a Fellow of APIL.
How to become an EC member
APIL elections take place on an annually basis and members who are elected to APIL’s Executive Committee volunteer to work as Directors of the Board.
The board and an experienced staff team work on a range of issues affecting our sector. Board members attend four meetings a year with the option of face to face or virtual attendance. The meetings usually last around 5 hours and cover a range of issues including legal reform, finance, and campaigns. It is an opportunity to be at the forefront of what is happening in the personal injury sector.
Election process:
APIL members may stand for election for the following:
- Executive Committee (officers and additional officers)
- Special Interest Group Co-ordinators
- Regional Group Co-ordinators
Annual elections commence in early January for Officer and Additional Officer seats, notification of the election and the nomination process will be sent to members by e-mail.
An APIL member becomes a candidate as soon as they have completed the nomination pack and the nomination is supported by the proposer and seconder. The proposer and seconder will need to confirm their details online for the nomination to be valid. Candidates will be asked to complete four set questions in support of their candidature (APIL's chief executive shall have the power to edit or refuse to accept unlawful or factually incorrect details).
Each APIL member (fully paid up and eligible to vote) may nominate – one candidate and/or second one candidate, in each election. APIL’s secretary will not nominate or second candidates, but will remain eligible to vote.
The details of all candidates will be circulated together, by the APIL office, to either the full membership (for EC elections) or to the relevant membership sections (for SIG and Regional Group elections).
No additional written material, or electronic communications may be circulated and/or distributed by, and/or in support of, a candidate in any election.
Canvassing of any nature is not permitted. If additional material is found to be in circulation or, direct or indirect canvassing identified, APIL's Executive Committee reserves the right to withdraw the candidate from the elections.
* Members who are eligible to vote:
Legal Practitioner Members, Honorary Life Members or Academic Associates as defined in APIL's Articles of Association, article 30.1.1 and clause 4.5 of the APIL Membership Policy
View articles of association
The EC, my experience
My route on to the executive committee
Standing for the EC
My experience of sitting on the EC