Speakers

Nicholas Baatz QC

Nicholas Baatz QC has had extensive experience of commercial disputes in the infrastructure, technology, energy and professional negligence sectors. Recognised for many years by the legal directories in the fields of construction, information technology and professional negligence, clients have commented that he is "very clever and well respected" and "a creative thinker and a big thinker who is not afraid to approach things from left field."

Nicholas has acted as an adjudicator, mediator and arbitrator.

Nicholas has acted in numerous cases involving UK or foreign laws in relation to disputes arising out of complex international projects. He has acted for many overseas clients, including German, Italian, French, Spanish, Swiss, US, Canadian, Chinese, Kenyan, Japanese and multinational joint ventures.

Julie Bregulla

An experienced and regarded expert in construction safety and a passionate collaborator with successful track record operating at the interface between practice, research and regulatory process and its societal/ political context. In her career to date she has held leadership positions at senior levels, both managerial and technical. Following her studies in structural and fire engineering, Julie joined the Building Research Establishment in 2003. There she progressed to leading on BRE's standards and technical strategy and having run BRE’s Fire and Building Technology testing, research and certification business. She joined the leadership at TEDI-London, a higher education provider jointly founded by University of Arizona, UNSW Sydney and King’s college London, in 2021. She has worked in academia, consulting and construction, giving her a blended experience in the multi-faceted interactions of engineering practice. From applied research, testing and certification in support of the most innovative projects in the UK and abroad, to representing the UK national position at key industry code and regulatory committees, her work is wide-ranging in impact. She routinely advises senior decision makers and regulators (in the UK and internationally), is a member of SCOSS (Standing Committee on Structural Safety) and chairs the ICE Structures Expert Panel.

Dr Penny Cooper

Penny was called to the Bar in 1990 and specialised in child abuse cases. In 2002 she moved into academia and became a professor in 2009. She co-founded and chairs The Advocate's Gateway – this free online resource is endorsed by the senior judiciary and contains best practice guides to cross-examination of vulnerable witnesses and parties.

Penny devised and researches ‘the ground rules approach’ for witness evidence and frequently advises on witness familiarisation procedures, cross-examination and case management including in challenging and high profile cases where a witness or party is affected by an autism spectrum condition/Aspergers Syndrome.

She is a visiting professor at the University of London and leads great funded research studying witness evidence. She is an academic associate at 39 Essex Chambers, London. Penny is a former governor of EWI.

Ramona Derbyshire

Ramona qualified as a Solicitor in 2003 and became a Partner in 2009. With over 15 years' experience in helping businesses succeed and grow, Ramona heads up our Business Growth team. She acts for a variety of clients, from SMEs to multinationals, providing clear and focused commercial advice. To help businesses navigate complex situations, Ramona advises clients through joint venture, shareholder and director disputes, contract claims, quality issues and negligence actions.

From debt recovery to reputation claims, Ramona advises on all aspects of dispute resolution that many businesses face. She has particular expertise in representing businesses in defence liability claims, including defence of product and personal injury claims, and in financial disputes, professional negligence and compliance claims. Ramona also has a deep understanding of Financial Ombudsman actions and insurance-related disputes.

Ramona takes great pride in understanding the business, culture and priorities of every client, seeking to resolve disputes quickly and cost-effectively, whether through negotiated settlement and mediation or court action.

HHJ Anuja Dhir

Anuja Dhir was born in Scotland in 1968. She attended a state school and then Dundee University. She graduated in 1988 with an LLB in English and Scottish Law. That year Anuja joined Grays’s Inn, was awarded a Grays Inn scholarship. She took the Bar exams in 1989.

Anuja practiced at the Bar for 23 years. She developed a broad practice in crime and public law. In 2007, Anuja was appointed as a special advocate in national security cases. In 2010, Anuja took silk in 2010 and was appointed as a bencher of Grays Inn. In 2012 Anuja was appointed as a Circuit Judge.

In 2017, at the age of 49, Anuja was appointed as the first non-white Old Bailey Judge. She is a tutor judge for the Judicial College.

Anuja has taught advocacy and been involved in training students and barristers all over the world for over 20 years. For example, India, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Cyprus, Sri Lanka, Jamaica, Bhutan, Singapore, Malaysia and Bermuda. From 2007 – 2010 she was head of teacher training for Grays Inn

Anuja was Master of Students for Grays Inn from 2011- 2013, Master of debates from 2017-2018, Head of Vulnerable Witness training in 2017 and Master of Outreach in 2019.

In 2017 she was featured in Vogue Magazine as one of the 25 most influential women in the UK and was named as Woman of the Year by Asian Media Group. Shortly after her appointment to the Bailey she was interviewed on Woman’s Hour, the Times Newspaper and Dyslexia Scotland (Anuja is dyslexic and has two dyslexic children).

In 2018 Anuja was awarded an honorary doctorate by Dundee University. She was appointed as a judicial commissioner for the Judicial Appointments Commission and was authorised to sit as a judge in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division.

In 2019, Anuja was appointed as a member of the LSO board and was appointed as a governor of the Haberdasher Borough Academy .

In 2020 Anuja was named in the GG2 Asian Power List as the 19^th Most Influential Asian in the UK and she jointed the board of the mental health charity, A Place2B. Anuja is also trustee for The Mansion House Scholarship Fund.

Alex Gunning QC

Alex Gunning QC is an advocate specialising in complex, high-value international disputes, predominantly resolved in arbitration. He is acknowledged in the directories for his expertise in cases concerning large energy and offshore construction projects and natural resources. He has been leading counsel in disputes concerning a series of high-profile infrastructure projects, including the Kashagan offshore oilfield project, the Marmaray rail project and the South Stream pipeline. Alex has a particular interest in disputes arising out of the East and South-East Asia region and is the UK representative for the Inter-Pacific Bar Association.

Philip Haberman

Philip Haberman is a managing director in the London Forensic Accounting and Damages part of the Kroll Expert Services practice, having founded an independent accounting firm after spending 22 years as a partner in big-4 accounting firms. He is widely recognised and respected as one of the top accounting experts in international arbitration and UK litigation, having first given expert evidence some 30 years ago, and has six times been named “expert witness of the year” by Global Arbitration Review.

Philip has broad and deep experience, having led over 300 matters covering most industry sectors and types of cases (including commercial matters, shareholder and joint venture disputes, investment treaty disputes, transaction-related disputes, competition matters, fraud-related disputes, and valuation disputes). He is best known as an explainer, especially of complex accounting and valuation issues to non-accounting audiences.

He has given oral evidence and been cross-examined more than 60 times before tribunals including UK Courts (High Court, Competition Appeal Tribunal, County Court), international arbitration (LCIA, ICC, ICSID, SIAC and ad hoc) and overseas. He has carried out expert determinations to resolve disputes, giving reasoned as well as non-speaking determinations, has advised clients in CEDR-led mediations, and has himself acted successfully as a mediator.

Philip is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a founder member of the Expert Witness Institute, a Professional Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and a CEDR-accredited mediator. He is a member of the Board of the LCIA and a past Trustee of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law.

He has contributed chapters to publications including GAR Guide to Damages and GAR Guide to Advocacy (in which he was the first non-lawyer contributor), and has spoken to legal audiences on expert evidence and damages topics on many occasions.

In his early career, he benefited from a wide range of experience including audit (from listed multinationals to small businesses), transaction advisory services, special investigations, and technical support.

Prior to becoming a chartered accountant, Philip obtained a degree in Mathematics from Cambridge University.

Lord Hodge

Lord Hodge, was appointed Deputy President of the Supreme Court in January 2020. He was originally appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court on 1 October 2013.

Lord Hodge was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1983 and appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1996. From 1997 to 2003, he was a part time Law Commissioner at the Scottish Law Commission. From 2000 to 2005 he was a Judge of the Courts of Appeal of Jersey and Guernsey, and Procurator to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. He was a Senator of the College of Justice between 2005 and 2013. In that role he was a Commercial Judge and the Scottish Judge in Exchequer Causes. He also served as one of the Scottish Intellectual Property Judges and as a Judge in the Lands Valuation Appeal Court.

He was appointed President of the Expert Witness Institute in October 2020.

Nicholas Isaac QC

Nick is a barrister, mediator, arbitrator and legal author operating at the junction between property and construction law – his specialities in party walls and boundaries mean that he comes across a wide range of experts, most commonly surveyors and engineers of various specialities, but extending to everything from forensic accountants to handwriting experts. A fan of practical as well as book learning, Nick spent part of his lockdown taking a plastering course with his daughter.

James Lewis QC

James Lewis QC is a specialist in both civil and criminal cases, and was appointed Joint Head of Chambers at Three Raymond Buildings in 2020.

James is vastly experienced in criminal, civil and commercial fraud, extradition, regulatory work, contempt, public international law and judicial review matters. He appears frequently at first instance, the Court of Appeal and in the Privy Council and the Supreme Court as well as other foreign jurisdictions being additionally called ad hoc to the bars of Hong Kong, Gibraltar, Cayman Islands, Brunei, Trinidad and Tobago and Ireland.

He is often used as an experienced litigation strategist and advocate who can advise and represent governments, companies and individuals in respect of commercial, regulatory and criminal issues, particularly those with an international dimension.

In 2018, James was appointed Chief Justice of the Falkland Islands, the British Indian Ocean Territory, and was also appointed a Judge of the Supreme Courts of South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands and the British Antarctic Territory.

Kay Linnell

Kay is a forensic accountant specialising in all commercial matters, such as share valuations, insurance claims, management consultancy, construction disputes, business interruption, insolvency and corporate recovery, fraud investigations, forensic reconstruction, tax professional negligence and tax investigations. She has provided expert evidence in civil, family and criminal litigation in the UK and around the world.

Kay has a wealth of experience in matters of compliance, having been the Chief Executive of the Joint Insolvency Monitoring Unit Limited for the self-regulation of the insolvency profession; and held the position of the Board of Inland Revenue’s Chief Investigating Accountant and Head of Accounting Profession at HMRC. She is currently a Trustee and Director of several not-for-profit organisations and Charities.

Kay is a Part Time Lecturer at the University of Portsmouth and is a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Arbitrators a City of London Livery company. Kay is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, has an MBA from the University of Sheffield, is a Certified Fraud Examiner, a Chartered Arbitrator and a CEDR Accredited Mediator. She is also a member of the ICAEW London Police Liaison Panel. Kay is the author or co-author of Tolley’s Tax Appeals (2001); Tolley’s Accountancy Litigation Support (1998-2004); Experts in the Civil Courts (OUP, 2006).

Kay has been a Governor of the Expert Witness Institute since 2005 and is currently vice-chairman and Treasurer.

Peter Mulhern

Peter Mulhern was admitted as a solicitor in 1993 and retired in 2017.

Prior to retirement he was a specialist personal injury and clinical negligence practitioner, being a partner at Thompsons from 1995 until retirement. During his time as a solicitor Peter developed a specialist interest in brain injury and spinal cord injury cases. He was a member of the Law Society Personal Injury Accreditation Scheme and a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.

He held a number of management and professional lead roles within the firm.

Peter established the Court of Protection department at Thompsons and was appointed as a Professional Deputy for Property and Financial Affairs for the firms’ clients.

Throughout his career Peter has instructed and worked with experts from a wide range of specialisms including medical, engineering, care, case management, accountancy, architecture and many therapies.

Since retiring as a solicitor he is a trustee/owner of a well established medical reporting organisation providing medical and other expert witness reports to a number of solicitor firms specialising in personal injury and clinical negligence practice.

Since 2010 Peter has been secretary (until 2016) and a volunteer with Headway Coventry & Warwickshire, a Branch of Headway, the National Brain Injury Association with responsibility for running a twice monthly support group meeting for brain injury survivors.

Saba Naqshbandi (Conference Chair)

Saba Naqshbandi was called to the Bar in 1996 and practises from Three Raymond Buildings. She is a commercial crime, health and safety, inquests and inquiries specialist with a recognised reputation whose advice is sought both nationally and internationally. Her clients include foreign Governments, enforcement authorities, corporates and individuals.

Saba’s current and previous appointments include Assistant Coroner for Inner North London (2019-), Court of Arbitration of Sport Pro Bono Lawyers Panel (2019-), Bencher of the Middle Temple (2016-), Bar Council International Committee Member (2016- 2018), Middle Temple Membership Committee Member (2014-), Chair of the Annual Bar Conference (2013), Co-Chair of the Criminal Law Committee of the International Bar Association (2009-2012), Elected Committee member of the Criminal Bar Association Committee (2009-2012), Saba was appointed as a Governor of the Expert Witness Institute in 2019.

Weng Yee Ng

Weng Yee Ng is a Director at FRA. She holds more than 16 years of experience in external and internal audit and forensic accounting. Her expertise includes compliance reviews, internal investigations, litigation support (both civil and criminal), risk assessments, evaluation of compliance programs, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) monitorships for both the DOJ and SEC, disgorgement and penalty calculations, procurement fraud matters and third party due diligence.

Weng Yee was part of the FRA team supporting Airbus in a multi-year forensic accounting and eDiscovery review within the context of the company’s multinational investigation, reporting to four investigative authorities: UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO), the US Department of Justice (DOJ), the US Department of State (DOS) and French Parquet National Financier (PNF). Weng Yee’s team focused on a risk assessment and evaluation of the company’s anti-bribery and corruption (ABC) global compliance program.

She has recently completed compliance monitorships for a medical devices company and for a financial transaction systems manufacturer, both with global presence, a proactive anti-bribery and corruption review for an international bank and several internal investigations into whistleblower alerts for a CAC 40 automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM).

Having spent over six years working in-country in Malaysia, Weng Yee possesses a first-hand understanding of the business nuances and financial and reporting practices encountered in Malaysia and in other Southeast Asia countries. Prior to FRA, Weng Yee was involved in statutory audits, advising on Initial Public Offering (IPO) and debt restructuring exercises, and performing SOX compliance audits for companies in, among others, the financial services, chemicals, construction, real estate, retail, pharmaceutical, education, electronics, extraction, oil and gas, and consumer goods sectors.

Weng Yee is multilingual in English, Malay, Cantonese and Mandarin, and is familiar with Bahasa Indonesia and Spanish. She has conducted work in the USA, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ireland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Italy, South Africa, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Australia.

Weng Yee is recognized in Who’s Who Legal Investigations Forensic Accountants, Consulting Experts and Global Elite who say: Weng Yee Ng stands out in the market for her extensive experience providing top-quality forensic accounting services for major corporations all over the world with sources calling her extremely spot on, knowledgeable and efficient.

Amanda Pinto QC

Amanda was called to the Bar in 1983 and practices from chambers at 33 Chancery Lane, London. She specialises in business wrongdoing, international fraud, corporate crime, bribery and money laundering.

Amanda was Chair of the Bar Council for 2020 having been Chair of the International Committee from 2014-2018. She has worked with many Ministers, Parliamentarians, government officials, legal colleagues and members of the senior judiciary in the UK and overseas.

She has helped to modernise the Bar Council to encourage greater diversity of representatives by implementing constitutional and practical measures.

She is an out-spoken supporter of the Rule of Law, both internationally and domestically.

Amanda was appointed a Recorder (part-time Judge) in 2004, QC in 2006 and a Bencher of Middle Temple in 2014.

She writes Pinto and Evans on ‘Corporate Criminal Liability’ (4^th edition April 2021) and the corporate crime chapter for the leading criminal textbook, Blackstone’s Criminal Practice. She co-authors the chapter on Sanctions in the leading textbook Smith, Owen and Bodnar on Asset Recovery 2019.

Amanda is a Trustee of the Slynn Foundation, working to improve justice systems and the rule of law globally. She is a Champion of the First 100 Years project, celebrating women being admitted to the legal profession.

2014-2020 Amanda was a trustee and member of the Tate Members Council, serving as its Deputy Chair 2017-2020, representing over 140,000 members of the Tate Galleries.

She was shortlisted for Chambers & Partners Outstanding Contribution on Diversity and Inclusion Award 2020.

“She is a leader in every sense. Incisive, industrious, persuasive and formidable.” “Always ahead of the game” with “a razor-sharp intellect.” (Legal 500/Chambers and Partners 2020/2021).

Shaheen Rahman QC

Shaheen Rahman QC was called to the bar in 1996 and appointed as a QC in 2017. She is an expert in healthcare law and human rights. Shaheen has represented both patients and healthcare providers at inquests and public inquiries and in clinical negligence matters, including cases concerning brain injury, obstetric tears and psychiatric damage. Her human rights work encompasses judicial review challenges to healthcare provision and cases of discrimination in the provision of healthcare services under the Equality Act and Human Rights Act. For many years Shaheen has been recommended in these areas by the independent legal publications Chambers & Partners and Legal 500. This year, she was described as “is brilliant and clever, and her skill as an advocate is inspiring to watch” in the Legal 500 2021 and “she has the tactical skill and strategic ability to work in a very difficult system and maintain everyone’s trust” by Chambers & Partners 2021. Shaheen is a member of the Editorial Team for the Quarterly Medical Law Review (QMLR) and has published articles in the legal journal Judicial Re-view. She wrote a chapter on Health and Safety Law for the UK Supreme Court Yearbook Volume 9 and contributes to the podcast Law Pod UK and to the UK Human Rights Blog.

Michael Rogers

Michael Rogers is the Business Development Manager at Redwood Collections, he has been instrumental in the development of Redwood’s service to the Expert Witness sector. He has worked with various experts to structure in-house credit control procedures and provide a long-term debt recovery solution. As of October 2019, Redwood’s client relations team expanded to accommodate for the increasing number of Expert Witnesses seeking debt recovery assistance. Michael has played a key role in structuring this department which was created to ensure a high level of customer service is achieved.

Sir Martin Spencer

Sir Martin Spencer is a Justice of the High Court, Queen's Bench Division. Previously, he was a leading clinical negligence barrister, whose practice at Hailsham Chambers involved all aspects of clinical negligence, with particular expertise in complex high quantum claims, representing both claimants and defendants. Significant cases include Daniels v Walker [2000] 1 WLR 1382 Court of Appeal, on the use of joint experts under the CPR.

Sir Martin was called to the Bar in 1979 and took silk in 2003. He was appointed as a Recorder in 2001 and authorised to sit as a Deputy High Court Judge in 2017. As chair of governors of the EWI, Sir Martin is focused on ensuring the Institute continues to lead in supporting experts from all professional disciplines, raising standards through training and education and representing their views across a wide range of stakeholders.

Sir Martin has a law degree and MA (jurisprudence) from Oxford University and studied as a Danish Government Scholar in Copenhagen. He has delivered numerous lectures and contributed to a number of publications in the UK and Denmark.

Sir Martin has been Chair of Governors of the Expert Witness Institute since 2017.

David Stothard

David is the Managing Director of an expert witness service which specialises in supplying medico-legal reports from doctors in legal claims for damages arising from personal injury, industrial disease and clinical negligence. His company has been operating since 1999 and has successfully delivered over 350,000 expert witness reports. David is a specialist in the law relating to expert witness evidence and has researched, written and lectured on the subject. He has 30 years’ experience as a practising solicitor. He was previously a director of a top 50 UK law firm and the Chief Assessor to the Law Society Personal Injury Accreditation Scheme.

HHJ Lynn Tayton

HHJ Tayton QC has been a Circuit Judge for the last 10 years and has sat in the Midlands and at the Central Criminal Court. She now sits at Luton Crown Court. She is authorised to sit in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division and is a Course Director for the Judicial College. In her practice at the Bar she specialised mainly in serious criminal cases and regularly used the services of experts from a variety of disciplines. As a judge she deals with a wide range of cases, including fraud, confiscation, health and safety, road traffic deaths, manslaughter and murder, in which expert evidence often plays a crucial role.

Steven Thompson QC

Steven Thompson QC is a senior barrister practising in London and internationally. He is currently Chair of the Bar Council International Committee, having served on that Committee for over a decade. He has a commercial / chancery practice with a particular emphasis on international disputes, both in courts and in arbitration, particularly in the fields of civil fraud, company and joint venture disputes, insolvency and aviation. He regularly works with forensic, accountancy and engineering experts not only in the UK but also across Europe, North America, the Middle East, the Far East and in various offshore centres.

Mr Justice David Williams

Mr Justice Williams was appointed a High Court Judge in October 2017. Since his appointment he has been the Judge in charge of Family Division Appeals until more recently he was appointed as The Family Division Liaison Judge for the South-Eastern Circuit (Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Thames Valley and Milton Keynes). He was appointed to the Family Justice Council and since the Summer of 2020 he has been Acting Chair standing in for Mrs Justice Theis, The Senior Family Division Liaison Judge. He is a member of The Special Guardianship, Domestic Abuse and Medical Mediation Working Groups. In October 2018 he was appointed by the President of the Family Division to chair a working group to enquire into the shortages of experts in The Family Justice System. He now chairs The Family Justice Council Subcommittee on Experts in The Family Justice System.

Prior to his appointment to the High Court, he worked for the Legal Aid Board for three years before being called to the Bar in 1990. He was appointed a QC in 2013 and became a specialist in International Family Law appearing in The Supreme Court and The Court of Justice of the European Union. He stood (unsuccessfully) for Parliament in 2015 and was appointed a Recorder later that year.

Alisdair Williamson QC

Alisdair Williamson QC practises in serious crime and professional discipline from Three Raymond Buildings. He has particular expertise in homicide, fraud and difficult, complex sexual offences. Notable recent cases include the leading case of SRA v Beckwith [2020] EWHC 3231 (on the extent of the regulator’s reach into professionals’ private lives, and the meaning of ‘integrity’); R v Harrison and others – the manslaughter trial arising from the deaths of 39 Vietnamese immigrants sealed in a lorry container; and Metropolitan Police v PC Birks and others – the police discipline proceedings arising from the death of Sean Rigg.