A not-for-profit organisation

committed to injured people

Join APIL

A not-for-profit organisation

committed to injured people

Membership categories

Legal Practitioner

For professionals who are actively engaged in the legal practice of personal injury law, including managing partners, solicitors, barristers, paralegals and junior barristers.

Associate

For individuals who are sympathetic to our aims and will include, for example, rehabilitation providers, expert witnesses, and barristers who do not work predominantly for the claimant. Expert witnesses may additionally wish to purchase a listing in our Find an expert witness search.

Affiliate

For individuals who are sympathetic to the aims of APIL and are currently non-practising for example, students working towards a career in law, pupil barristers, people who work for charities and support staff, such as legal secretaries.

Join APIL

FAQs

APIL has always had PI Lawyers at its centre and that will continue to be the case because we believe that PI Lawyers have a central role in every case they take, but the journey that claimants now follow often means they interact directly or indirectly with a range of professionals contributing to their recovery. Since APIL was founded in 1990 new categories have been bolted on to respond to changes, but now is the time for APIL to become much more inclusive and to simplify our membership.

The Executive Committee has agreed to reduce the number of membership categories from the current eleven to just three categories; Legal Practitioner, Associate and Affiliate each with new declarations and a suite of benefits. This is an exciting evolution for our Association which will enable us to reflect better the changes in the sector and continue to provide a powerful and unique voice for victims of negligence.

Legal practitioner membership is for professionals who are actively engaged in the legal practice of personal injury law, including managing partners, solicitors, barristers, paralegals and junior barristers.

Associate membership is for individuals who are sympathetic to our aims and will include, for example, rehabilitation providers, experts and some barristers.

Affiliate membership will be open to individuals who are sympathetic to the aims of APIL and are currently non-practising for example, students working towards a career in law, pupil barristers, people who work for charities and support staff, such as legal secretaries.

We have written to you ahead of the new membership year to advise you of the new categories of membership and advise you of the level of membership that we believe suits you based on the information we hold about you. If your circumstances have changed, or you feel that you fall eligible for an alternative level of membership, please contact our membership team using the details to the bottom of this page or follow the steps set out in our Join APIL application form which will identify your recommended level of membership.

No. The new membership categories came into effect at the beginning of 2024. As your membership does not automatically renew you will be required to action your renewal in the usual way and APIL will write to you explaining this ahead of your renewal date.

To view what level of benefits is offered with each category of membership view our member benefits.

You may be eligible to apply for APIL membership at Affiliate level. However, if you also work part-time as a lawyer, fee earner or experienced paralegal you may wish to consider purchasing a higher level of membership to ensure that you can access the range of benefits that are offered in the Legal Practitioner category. Please visit our member benefits page to view the benefits offered in each membership category.

If your circumstances change during the membership year, for example you change roles or qualify as a legal professional please inform APIL and we can upgrade your membership accordingly.

Primarily expert witnesses can get involved with APIL by purchasing a listing in our Find an Expert Witness directory. The directory is available to members online, in print through the APIL Expert and Rehabilitation Services Directory and as a bespoke personal service via our helpful, friendly staff in the Nottingham office. We encourage all experts to join APIL as Associate members to help build a brighter future for injured people. Associate membership benefits include access to knowledge resources, networking opportunities and discounted training.

Contact our membership team

Prefer to speak to someone? Call our membership team on 0115 943 5400, email us at [email protected] or use the online chat service found to the bottom-right of this page.