Executive committee members
Immediate Past President
Firm:
IRWIN MITCHELL LLP
Further details for
Jonathan Scarsbrook
are displayed below.
I’m very proud to have been involved in working for the interests of individuals who have suffered injury for more than 20 years now. I will never understand why personal injury lawyers get such a bad press because what we do is incredibly important, something which is always borne out by those we are privileged to help and support.
I have been a partner at Irwin Mitchell for over 10 years and am today the Technical Director with particular focus on the government’s seemingly never ending law reform agenda.
I am also currently a member of the Civil Justice Committee at the Law Society.
I have been a member of APIL for many years and a member of the Executive Committee since 2018, serving as Vice President since 2020. During that time I have represented APIL on various working parties of the Civil Justice Council (CJC), Her Majesty’s Court & Tribunal Service (HMCTS) and Ministry of Justice (MoJ).
A particular focus over the last two years has been working with the Ministry of Justice (as well as the Motor Insurers Bureau and the Civil Procedure Rules Committee) around the implementation of the Civil Liability Act 2018. Whilst this legislation was aimed specifically at lower value injuries arising from Road Traffic Accidents, it was also an attack on fundamental principles such as full and individual compensation for pain, suffering and loss of amenity and the idea that claimants are best served by being represented by a skilled lawyer. Don’t get me wrong, this Act erodes the rights of injured people, but it would have been much worse had it not been for the influence of APIL and other like-minded organisations in how it was shaped and implemented. The next job in this regard is to do all we can to influence the extension of Fixed Recoverable Costs.
- attend the following meetings each year
- seven EC meetings which usually last a full day
- APIL’s annual general meeting and where necessary, other annual conferences
- EC meeting with SIG/regional group co-ordinators and secretaries (a full day)
(Members of the EC are asked to achieve a 75% attendance rate throughout the year)
- attend and actively support EC sub-committees and policy working groups, which meet at various times of the year
- act as an EC liaison with a specified APIL special interest group and attend meetings, whenever possible
- contribute to the preparation of APIL responses to consultation papers
- attend regional group meetings.
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.
Full Equity Member - Irwin Mitchell LLP (OC343897)
Director - Ime Law Limited (08895097)
Director - Medico Legal Reporting (03048703)
Director - MPH Solicitors (07225626)
Consultancies related to providing a service to the injured person, or in the field of personal injury.
None
Political organisations/societies/pressure groups/charities/trade unions.
None
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.
I still offer a small amount of advice to the Ministry of Justice in respect of the working of the OIC portal. This is specifically intended to allow me to bring a ‘claimant perspective’ to the workings of the system.
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